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Peugeot 208 - Any experience of new Peugeot 208? - Mitya

Hi guys,

First time poster. After a long-time hiatus I'm looking to get back into driving, and I'm attracted by the new 208.

However, I have a neighbour who says a previous model was the worst car he ever had, and my dad has been quoting Auto Express articles that apparently ranked it (again in an older model guise) 44th for reliability and bottom for gearbo.

So my question is, is there any reason to expect that the new one isn't quite so s***e? Or would you expect more of the same? Any actual owners on here who can vouch for it?

Many thanks in advance!

Peugeot 208 - Any experience of new Peugeot 208? - mcb100

Comparisons with the previous car are meaningless, it's a new model that shares a lot of commonalty with the 2008, Vauxhall Corsa and DS3 Crossback.

Road tests reviews have been pretty positive, the complaints about the gearbox will probably have come about because PSA cars tend to have a long throw on the gear lever.

I've done 3,000+ miles in the 2008, and once you've adapted to to the iCockpit it's a good car to drive.

Peugeot 208 - Any experience of new Peugeot 208? - Mitya

Thanks. And that's in the latest model 208, right?

Comparisons aren't meaingless from a customer perspective. If a company puts out a poorly received car, then releases an update with the same model name, comparisons are inevitable and justified. Plenty of cars have seen new models released with basically the same core machine under the hood but new look, interiors etc.

Edited by Mitya on 08/08/2020 at 13:41

Peugeot 208 - Any experience of new Peugeot 208? - mcb100

I had a LHD 2008 for its launch activity in January this year. Same car, different frock, as the 208.

Edited by mcb100 on 08/08/2020 at 13:57

Peugeot 208 - Any experience of new Peugeot 208? - Xileno

I remember seeing an article recently where Peugeot were on a roll, both for reliability and quality of dealerships. It may have been the 5008 that came out very well but overall the French brands have really pulled their socks up in recent years.

Peugeot 208 - Any experience of new Peugeot 208? - badbusdriver

If, as i assume, you are getting new car, the warranty means reliability isn't going to be a major factor unless it is constantly breaking down (unlikely for pretty much any new car). Current 208 (barring the electric one) uses a range of engines and gearboxes which have been around for at least a few years now, and are generally well regarded. Also, ignoring the actual reliability, a recent thread shows in a survery of dealers (customers satisfaction with them) Peugeot came 5th. That places them behind Toyota and Honda but ahead of, for example, Ford, VW and even Audi. Nothing to do with reliability per se, but it shows that if you do have issues, you will be more satisfied with how you and the problem itself have been dealt with. But TBH, there aren't really any 'properly bad' cars these days, so it comes down to which you prefer, and the 208 certainly stands out from the crowd.

Not driven one myself but i read a lot of motoring magazines and the general opinion is that the 208 is a very good car in its class, if not exceptional in any area other than interior quality. If there is one area where it doesn't do so well, that would be boot and rear seat space, it isn't terrible (no worse than a Fiesta), but other cars in the class do better.

Peugeot 208 - Any experience of new Peugeot 208? - Mitya

Thanks, that goes some way to reassuring me.

I agree with your assessment of the car - it chimes with the many reviews I've read/watched on it now. The only thing that rankles is that Peugeot are not among the several dealers who, post-Covid, are offering 0%. This is bad enough in itself, but all the more so given that the consensus (again, from reviews) seems to be that the 208 is overpriced, compared to a similarly-specced Clio, say.

Peugeot 208 - Any experience of new Peugeot 208? - Mitya

Additionally, I've seen from my original post that Honest John sees fit to censor the word S-H-I-T-E, which is really quite funny, given its comical, soft nuance as far as swear words go.

Edited by Mitya on 08/08/2020 at 15:52

Peugeot 208 - Any experience of new Peugeot 208? - badbusdriver

The only thing that rankles is that Peugeot are not among the several dealers who, post-Covid, are offering 0%. This is bad enough in itself, but all the more so given that the consensus (again, from reviews) seems to be that the 208 is overpriced, compared to a similarly-specced Clio, say.

Yes, i did mean to mention the price too!. Peugeot certainly seem to regard their cars as being a 'cut above' the likes of Ford, Renault, Vauxhall and various others. The pricing reflects this. I have not read anything about predicted used values for the 208, but do remember reading an article about the new (and like the 208, very nice looking) 508 saloon and the predicted residual values were pretty good. If the 208's are the same, it would go some way towards offsetting the higher purchase price and lack of 'deals'. But also, the fact that these deals are not available with the 208 now does suggest that the demand is such that Peugeot don't feel they need to tempt buyers in with generous deals.

I guess it depends on just how much you want the 208!.

Peugeot 208 - Any experience of new Peugeot 208? - Avant

If this is your first car for some time, it's particularly important to decide what your priorities are and to try various makes and see what works best for you (in that order).

Personally I find it quite hard to see what the 208's USP is. If you want 'fun to drive' go for a Fiesta. If you want a feeling of quality, ease of driving and controls just where you want them, try a VW Polo or Audi A1. If you want all of the above plus value for money, it's the Skoda Fabia with the 1.0 110 bhp engine. If you're going to keep the car for many years, choose a Toyota, Kia or Hyundai with a long warranty.

If after tryng these you still want a 208, make sure you can live with the touchscreen controlling everything. As MCB says above, you can get used to it, although I think it could be dangerous if it leads to you taking your eyes away from the road for too long.

Peugeot 208 - Any experience of new Peugeot 208? - badbusdriver

make sure you can live with the touchscreen controlling everything. As MCB says above, you can get used to it, although I think it could be dangerous if it leads to you taking your eyes away from the road for too long.

I think MCB might have been talking about the steering wheel/main instrument display relationship rather than the controls being on the touch screen.

Peugeot's i-cockpit has the main instrument display mounted as high as possible in relation to the windscreen and combines this with a very small steering wheel The idea being, you have the steering wheel adjusted so it sits low in your lap and you look over the top of it to the instrument display, supposedly to reduce the time you take your eyes off the road. But not everyone gets on with it, in some cases, if you are shorter than average, you can't actually set the seat and steering wheel so this works. But others just don't like the feeling of having the steering wheel that low, it's too 'alien' to them. But for that reason, if you haven't already, you should sit in a 208 to see how you find it.

Personally I find it quite hard to see what the 208's USP is. If you want 'fun to drive' go for a Fiesta. If you want a feeling of quality, ease of driving and controls just where you want them, try a VW Polo or Audi A1.

Horses for courses Avant, and obviously looks are entirely subjective, but IMO, the 208 is hands down the best looking car in its class. No, ultimately it is not as good to drive as a Fiesta, but it is pretty good. As for the quality?, well, going by what i read, Audi (certainly their lower priced offerings like the A1) and VW interior quality are not actually that much better than average these days, whereas Peugeot seem to have leaped ahead of the game.

Peugeot 208 - Any experience of new Peugeot 208? - mcb100
I was indeed referring to the steering wheel/binnacle relationship - I love it, with the result that getting back in my car always feels like being at the helm of a sailing ship with an enormous tiller. If you can’t see the instruments, your seating position needs amending. Seat height, fore and aft adjustment, recline is the order to set it, then move the wheel so the top of the rim lines up with the bottom edge of the instrument binnacle.
We have indeed reached the point where there are no Yugos in the marketplace, and car choice will, inevitably, come down (to most buyers) a subjective choice and acceptable monthly payment.
Go drive 208, if you like it, and the car you can justify paying for has what you need, buy it. I could apply that to just about any new car out there, as long as you’re in the balllpark of what meets your needs and wants.
Peugeot 208 - Any experience of new Peugeot 208? - Avant

I certainly agree with that. Decide first on needs and priorities, then see what cars suit them. I wouldn't choose a 208 but clearly it meets a lot of needs (e.g. for people who particularly want a good-looking car) as it's selling well I believe.

Judging by the 3008 I tried, I too am the right shape to suit the i-Cockpit with the small steering wheel, and I like the Peugeot driving position. It was other things about the hybrid 3008 that put me off it.

Peugeot 208 - Any experience of new Peugeot 208? - alan1302

Personally I find it quite hard to see what the 208's USP is. If you want 'fun to drive' go for a Fiesta. If you want a feeling of quality, ease of driving and controls just where you want them, try a VW Polo or Audi A1. If you want all of the above plus value for money, it's the Skoda Fabia with the 1.0 110 bhp engine. If you're going to keep the car for many years, choose a Toyota, Kia or Hyundai with a long warranty.

.

It's got better looks than any of those cars - and it's something different. Cards like the Polo/Audi are so common place you see them everyday.