Peugeot 208, the electric turnaround

Today we talk about the 208 note: the one that arrives in dealerships these days (at prices between 14.950 and 24.750 euros and with a wide choice of purchase and rental formulas) the new generation of a classic in the B segment. Compared to the previous series, it extends by 8 centimeters and gains a more sophisticated style, consistent with that of the last products of the brand (508 in primis); behind it is even the verse to some prestigious German …

Even the very personal interior, especially for the i-Cockpit, which creates an almost sporty and engaging atmosphere thanks to the very small steering wheel and high instrumentation. To serve a minimum of habituation and finer adjustments to arrive at the right posture and optimal readability of the dashboard. The cabin, rich and elaborate, stands out from the competition and the configurable virtual instrumentation of the rich Allure and GT Line settings, but also here, it is necessary to get used to it. The materials are of fine appearance and good quality, but rigid plastics abound.

The GT Line sports equipment the one that best enhances the 208 line thanks to the lowered trim, black fenders and 17-inch wheels. Even in this variant the suspensions remain prone to comfort but the 208 certainly among the most composed and genuine cars in the category. It doesn't offer sporting sensations in the strict sense, but on the winding roads you can take away a lot of satisfaction. The package of top-level driver assistance systems places the 208 at the so-called level 2, allowing virtually autonomous driving.

The engines, for now, are 1200 turbobenzine from 100 or 130 hp and 1500 turbodiesel from 100 hp. The first one is the most suitable for our market: quite bright, it takes turns easily and pushes well before 2000 laps, so it allows a relaxed drive even with the standard six-speed manual gearbox (for the refined 8-speed automatic serve 1800 euros) .

Then there is E-208, with a 50 kWh battery, which promises 340 km of autonomy in the WLTP cycle. The 100 kW (136 hp) engine pushes it up to 150 km / h and from 0 to 100 km / h in 8 "1. It takes 16 hours to recharge it with a home socket and 7.30 with a wallbox, but with a supercharger it restores 80% of the charge in 30 minutes. The e-208, however, has prices starting at 33,400 euros but, according to Peugeot, with the dedicated rental formulas you get the same monthly cost as a 208 petrol or 100 HP diesel with the same equipment. On the road the greater weight (329 kg more than diesel) is hardly heard, the shot is surprising and you are more fun than with a conventional version.