Page 14 - Motoring Autumn 2022

TEST REVIEW PEUGEOT

PEUGEOT 208 1.2T ALLURE

2020 European Car of the Year and now a finalist in #COTY2022 in SA

he new 208 hatchback was launched very quietly in SA during expense of a bit of rear legroom, but this should not be a concern to
2021 and supply and stock shortages have resulted in it staying young, single or family buyers. I was happy to to see that there’s a full-
Tunder the radar to a large extent in our market. size spare wheel under the boot board.
All that has changed suddenly with its nomination as a finalist for the Even with a fair amount of enthusiastic driving, fuel economy over
SA Car of the Year 2022. Test cars have finally become available. 400km was showing as 6.5l/100km, proving the efficiency of this little
As a B-segment hatch, the 208 is the second-biggest seller in Europe turbo motor. The fun factor is increased by the throaty roar the motor
but, sadly, this segment has been overtaken by Crossover/SUVs in SA produces when pushed a bit.
in recent times. For buyers still looking for a hatchback, the 208 comes The 208 range is priced from R302 900 for the Active, through
loaded with features, looks and great performance. R365 900 as tested, to R443 900 for the GT with automatic
Powered by the 1.2l 3-cylinder turbo motor that is used throughout transmission. A 3-year/60 000km service plan is standard. n
the Stellantis group, it’s tuned to produce 74kW and 205Nm in this
version. The snappy 6-speed manual transmission driving the front Click here for our full video review:
wheels results in a car that can be driven with a touch of enthusiasm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zM_GNSenkFg
when the mood strikes. Take note that the gearshift contains metal parts
and if the car is parked in the sun, this becomes extremely hot to the
touch. I literally burnt my palm on the gear lever and found shifts difficult
until the excellent air-con system had cooled the car down sufficiently.
Speaking of the climate control system - as with many newer
competitors, this is only operated and adjusted via the touchscreen.
I always prefer actual controls, but the ‘piano-key’ buttons below the
touchscreen do not allow for this.
The steering wheel is small and squarish and, with the chassis
being well-balanced, one can easily push on through a mountain pass
or up a steep road.
The exterior has many similarities to the rest of the Peugeot family
range - from the sabre tooth daytime running lights at the front and the
lion’s claw rear lights, to the model name on the bonnet and the bold
lion logo front and rear, as confirmation. The car sits on 16-inch alloy
wheels to provide a sporty stance as well.
Although ‘only’ the middle spec version, the Allure has many
features included - auto on headlights and wipers, full touchscreen
infotainment system with reverse camera and Android Auto or Apple
Carplay, climate control, combination leather and cloth trim, hill-hold
assist and 6 airbags, to name a few.
The seats are typically French, plush and comfortable, possibly at the

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