When you think of France, cars are not necessarily top of the list, but when you think of style and design, then the country home to Paris Fashion Week might move up the ranks significantly. And the Peugeot 208 1.2T Allure is ready to strut its stuff.

• The Peugeot 208 was named European Car of the Year for 2020.
• Its sporty look and meticulous design give it a high-end character that fits perfectly with the Peugeot brand’s move upmarket.
• The Sandton Times took this French little beauty for a week-long test drive.
• Visit www.sandtontimes.co.za for more stories.

The Peugeot 208 landed in South Africa in four models, be it Active and Allure or the GT specification levels, including the option of an automatic, something I find a very attractive option in the segment. Yet attractive things come at a price. The Peugeot 208 comes in at around R365’900 in a range of specifications including petrol, diesel or even an electric edition.

At first glance, the Peugeot 208 is a cute, sexy little number, much like its bigger brothers and sisters, with those sabretooth lights and good-looking grille. On the inside, the seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system takes center stage equipped with the third-generation i- Cockpit. The keyless start has become somewhat of a standard feature in modern cars but the smaller than average leather-wrapped steering wheel in the latest releases from Peugeot is something I’ve come to thoroughly enjoy.

Instead of looking through the steering wheel at the dashboard, the smaller steering wheel allows for the driver to look over the steering wheel, to get all the necessary driving information. The seating is comfortable and stylish with great interior finishing including carbon-fibre inlays. The entire ‘launch’ experience is rounded-off as the 3D digital instrument cluster comes to life on the display and it’s time to take the Peugeot 208 for a spin.

The centre console has a selection of switches to control some features but most take place on the 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system which, whilst on the road, can be somewhat distracting, especially when trying to adjust the air-conditioning.

Whilst driving a manual shouldn’t be thrust upon anyone, unless you’ve rented a vehicle in Mauritius for an island holiday, the handling is impressive and an ease with good fuel consumption, even with zippier driving speeds. It has a good sized luggage capacity for a car of its size, which most likely won’t be moving all too much apart from groceries or some smaller luggage.

Excelling in so many areas, the 180-degree parking camera could be sharper and crisper. That said, a cute car like this needs little perspective when parking thanks to its boutique measurements. The Peugeot 208 certainly is a head turner and plays in a different league to its peers. Whilst not the most competitively priced car, it’s no surprise why it sells as well as it does

Overall, the Peugeot 208 is a strong contender as a zhoosh first car or someone looking for a compact get-around vehicle, which oozes style, tech and that little je ne sais quoi!

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