Peugeot 208 A9

Money Pit – Run Away as fast as you can – Bought it from private for 9.5k 3 years ago, with less than 100,000 on the clock. For the time I owned here's a list of what went wrong: • Coolant Leak • New Water Pump • Replace front shock absorbers • Engine has a weird noise when you accelerate from a cold engine • Evaporator leak which would cost more than 2k to fix – Sold the car. etc. The… Read more

car has costed another 10,000 on top of what I paid, every service is expensive, and every part is not promptly available

This is all under 130,000 on the clock, with a well looked after car serviced by an Euro mechanic, and premium fuel put on it all the time.

Money pit – I was warned about getting one but I still wanted one. It’s nice to drive when it’s running. Comfortable interior, plenty of room for a small hatchback. It’s loaded with cool features. The plastic on the doors can scuff quite easily when you bump with your shoes getting out of it. Very cheap on fuel but I seem to be in the garage getting repairs… Read more

done every 2 months. Car had just over 98000k when I brought it. Had it for 6 months and got rid of it after problem after problem and spending thousands on repairs. It’s a real shame because it was a nice car to drive when it was running.

I would recommend not buying one – Now I know why there are not more of these on the road. The first morning I started it up, it triggered an engine fault. I had it repaired $800. One month later another engine fault and had it repaired, $500 later I thought I would give it the benefit of the doubt. Another month later more problems. Guess what, another month later, more problems. … Read more

I have never driven something with fuel consumption as good as this car, but unfortunately I seemed to spending money every month on repairs and they’re not cheap. Parts are hard to find and expensive also.

Spacious and zippy – Very spacious and Zippy in and around the city. Has all the bells n whistles with this one including Sat Nav but with no reverse camera.(parking sensors rear) fuel economy is about average for this type of vehicle with electronic readouts to monitor your economy. I did have a problem with the driver side electric window that wouldn't automatically go up and the motor unit was replaced via the warranty.  Show details

Well spec'd – Lovely looking car, the Allure is very well spec'd for the price, the 3dr has leather, 17" alloys, good infotertainment system, daylights foglights, rev camera, diming interior mirror, heated side mirrors, good displays, centre digital readout between gauges, finish is good, great 1.6 BMW mini motor. Downside 4 stage auto that is indecisive, gear… Read more

ratios are far apart causing it to often change unnecessarily. It has a learning mode, sometimes disconnecting the battery helped (reset it) Bought mine second hand huge saving . Uses 95 minimum

Simply put; extremely surprised with the 208 Allure – So having owned several European cars, German (several, new to classic), and Swedish (Finnish built) and one Swedish built, plus various Japanese, min. one each from the big three, and one American built car, this is right up there with the quirks of the Saabs and the driving Dynamics the Germans. It rides comfortably, is quiet enough for a… Read more

super-mini, decently efficient, and a lot of kit for the price. Now I didn't want my first to be a brand new one, as they are notorious for high depreciation (although I think that will be changing with how good of a car it actually is, as well as the new 308 being a Golf slayer). I think that people who buy Peugeot's or Saabs are people who don't care what others think, but buy based on style, finesse, and perceived quality; although actual quality is quite high. This was the first to introduce Peugeot's i-cockpit with a tiny steering wheel with the gauges being gazed an ABOVE the wheel. And it really works here, although a small learning curve was needed. And the rest of the console buttons, or should I say lack thereof, as all is controlled by a nice iPad mini sized screen. Standard kit ranges from LED DRLs, LED tail lights with the signature "Lions claw design", ambient lighting in cool blue, LED interior lamps, also in blue, dual auto climate control, auto headlamps and windscreen wipers, alloys, full size Michelin spare tyre and on and on. Features that aren't even included in a basic to mid range Golf, not until you step in the mid $30k's, when this Allure spec was approx $25k new; pricey for a super mini with just a 4sp auto, but it does the job (2015 and newer benefit from a much needed 6sp auto). Standard is a 1.6l 4cyl with enough power to easily pass and climb hills, although a bit throaty in the higher rev range, a decent engine shared with BMW/Mini.

I'll quickly list the cons, as they are few; lack of the 6sp auto, a bit rough of an idle (same as when I test drove one new three years ago), small glovebox, and the unfortunate stigma of less than stellar reliability (although this hasn't affected me one bit, touch wood).

The Pros far outweigh the cons, which the major one, the 4sp auto was updated to the 6sp as of 2015. And the standard engine now is a turbo 3cyl with 81kw of power versus 88kw in mine. The 3 pot benefits from better fuel efficiency and a turbo to bring out more power from a smaller 1.2 petrol (non reviewing any diesels now).

It's what I expected, and then some. The seats are sublimely comfortable, not once did I get a back ache even on longer drives. The snuggle around you as if they were made just for you. Although a small car, my 176cm, nearly 100kg frame fits nicely with room to spare. Something I couldn't say of a 2012 VW Polo I owned. In the Polo if I were driving it might has well been a two seater as the rear seats were unlivable. Now they are in the same size class, but the Pug makes better use of its space. Lots of space in the doors, footwells, rear seat, including abundant headroom in front and rear. The boot has plenty of space even for a large Costco shop. And the power folding mirrors are a godsend in tight narrow streets of Sydney. The views all around are excellent and the rear parking sensors make sure you can squeeze into that small spot on the street with ease.

The one I found was in a deep blue metallic (my favourite colour, for which I was lucky and didn't get a colour I just wouldn't like). The interior plastics are top rate other than the very top dash which is a bit hard, but expected in this class. Fit and finish is excellent inside and out. With tight, even panel gaps, even smaller than our 2014 Golf. While it can't compete for space with the Golf, it's by no means a punishment in any seating position. And easy to get comfortable behind the new wheel style which is small and low.

Being my first foray with a French built car, as in North America, French cars haven't been sold in decades, mostly because of poor reliability. But Peugeot has made it their main goal to improve reliability and fit and finish, which they have done admirably. When comparing a 207 with a 208, you can tell they've done their homework, and it shows in ever aspect. It doesn't suffer from that annoying "float" that plagues many Japanese cars, but is much closer dynamically to its German rivals. Just as with my Saab, each time I get in it puts a grin on my face. And isn't this what a car should do; not only get you from A to B, but stir your soul and emotions. No it isn't a handcrafted Italian beast, nor a boring "self driving" Japanese car, nor is it a Teutonic German that is predicable in every aspect. It has something that all others lack. That "je ne sais quois".

Appropriate for a little French cars, that will hopefully brings many, many more grin laden kms. A definite must drive, especially if you value style, grace and finesse. If you need something bigger, I've heard nothing but excellent things about the 208s bigger brother, the 308. But if space is not a big deal, I wouldn't pass up a drive in a 208, it's a wonderful experience, and am very very happy with our purchase.

Hired one in France – I hired one of these in France. Totally unimpressed with it when I got in and started up and drove out of the yard. However, as the kilometres passed on a mixture of village, city, freeway and dirt and country roads my impressions altered completely. Stable, quiet (enough for a diesel), smooth ride, effortless diesel all the way to above the 130… Read more

klm limit (way above actually). When I filled it up after hundreds of kilometres what a surprise, less than 20 Euros.

The true judge of any car is not the top of the range which just pads it all out and disguises it, it is the bottom model because that is where you see it for what it is. What a pleasant surprise. Smooth, economical, great ride and handling, brakes comfortable. Arm flops uselessly where there should be a centre console. Perhaps it is the cheap economy model I hired?