TMW - The Peugeot 2008 Allure 1.2 litre, a crossover for all occasions, and one thats going to be hard to beat !

When Peugeot hit its bad period, they had a choice, either wait out the sales slump, and hope that they would come out the other side in a better position than before it hit, or, they would spend themselves out of trouble, and spend is what they did. 

Billions of Euros were spent to produce the best and most modern range of cars they have ever had, the 108 is undoubtedly one of the best small cars around, the 208 is again one of the best Supermini, the 308, is a brilliant car, we have tested two of them here on the Blog and came away mightily impressed, and then there was the all new model that pushed Peugeot into the compact crossover segment, and they did this with the 2008.

The 2008 is the model we are testing here, and it is the new facelifted version too, it is easily understandable that the 2008 has been a huge hit for Peugeot, appearing frequently in the European top sellers chart*, along with the 208 and 308. The two plans put in place by the big bosses at Peugeot have worked, sales are up, expenditure down, turnover and profits are all back in significant numbers, and this is just the start.

The car we are testing here today, is the Peugeot 2008 Allure 1.2 Litre 110 S/S, a mouthful I know, but this is a brilliant car, you get plenty of room up front, and with the i-Cockpit set up the steering wheel is away from your legs, and you still get a good view of the dials in front of you, and the road ahead, without the need to continually take your eyes away from the road.

The seats are seriously supportive, with very large side bolsters on the seat and the back, so no matter how hard you drive the car, you will always remain in place, once you get yourself comfortable, you find that everything is easily to hand, and if you have driven a 208, you will be very familiar with the central switchgear and touchscreen system, which, like all cars with the PSA Group is very easy to work out and understand, we personally own a C4 Cactus, so, the touchscreen was really simple to operate. but is also different, it seems to have a little more quality about it, and it's quicker than the Citroen version, now whether thats just me or there is a difference I am not sure, but it came across as faster.

The rear seats can feel a little hemmed in, if you have the front seats all the way back, but in a decent position you can fit a family in the back in reasonable comfort, or two adults, three larger adults and it would feel a bit squashed, the boot space is big, it can take a very large weekly shop, or with the seats down, you can take larger pieces of furniture with ease, if thats what you like to carry around, there is plenty of cubby spaces dotted about, with one covered cubby by the hand brake, which is like the speed handle on a jet fighter, you grab it with your hand rather than push a button in the end and drop it down, Cactus owners have something similar, and i really like this a lot, it makes a nice difference.

The 1.2 Litre 3-Cylinder engine likes to be revved, and revved hard, to get it going, but it will lose speed on an incline, so you do need to keep aware of your speed and feather the accelerator to keep your speed up, likewise I noticed that the MPG on the digital dash, was very active when going up and down hills, even after a long journey, you did notice the mpg rise and fall significantly, but I did manage to get a good overall mpg during the week of mid 50's, which for a car with a small engine is really quite good, the only down side, well, two really, is the engine is only a Euro 5 and it runs a five speed manual gearbox, I did feel that on occasions it could have done with another gear, and with Euro 5 engines soon to be obsolete, I thought it would have been ideal to have an EU 6 compliant engine on the facelifted car, giving it an all fresh model,

That said, the car runs at 103g/km which for a car of this size is very good, it also runs nicely at the national speed limit and can, where allowed, take you onto a top speed of 119 mph, added to which the fuel consumption figures as stated by Peugeot are

• Urban 53.3mpg
• Extra-Urban 72.4mpg
• Combined 64.2mpg

Very good numbers, and ones that you can get very close too, which is a nice change, I have been in cars that state one figure and produce numbers upto 40% less, which is a little deceptive, fortunately that vehicle was NOT one of the PSA Group cars.

The 2008 is priced keenly, with this model coming in at £18,070, and this is boosted with a number of optional extra's fitted :-

• Varnish Paint - £645
• Active City Brake - £250
• Park Assist (Auto Parallel Parking System & Reversing Camera) - £500
• Cielo Panoramic Glass Roof - £400
• Satellite navigation & Connect SOS & Assistance - £700

This takes the car to over £20,500, but you are still getting a great car, with loads of kit for that money, it also now comes with grip control, which gives the car the added advantage of being able to cope with various styles of ground, sand, mud, snow etc, and it works really well too, i tried it on sand and it did cope quite well, not, as great as a full on four wheel drive, but it will get you out of trouble if you find yourself in that style of ground that can bog you down.

The Allure trim level is probably the one to go for, it has the vast majority of the kit that most people need on a day to day basis, and with this trim level you get :-

• Rear Parking Aid
• Tinted Rear/Side Windows
• One Touch all Round Windows
• Auto Lights
• Auto Wipers
• Grip Control
• Auto Dual Zone Air Conditioning
• Cornering Assist Fog Lights
• Leather Trimmed Steering Wheel

And thats just a small amount of the equipment thats fitted to this car as standard, and thats why it makes this car a brilliant one to own, it drives really well, it is very quiet until you give the engine those revs that it needs to keep it going, but the engine note is very nice, it sounds quite peppy, and sporty, and it picks up speed quite quickly, it can equally slow or stop as quickly, with great brakes, fling it around corners and you would be forgiven for thinking you will lose control of the car, but again it scores well here, it, like the 308 we tested earlier, just grips to the road, and that is perfect behaviour for this crossover, that thinks it is a sports car.

You think that you will climb into the car, like an SUV, but you dont, it is roughly the same height seat wise as a normal car, but the height of the car gives you added headroom, and the hints that this is a bigger car than it is, and these days thats a difficult thing to do, make a car seems bigger than it is, but still have all that room, TARDIS comes to mind.

VERDICT

This is a great car that can cope with so many different aspects of day to day living, it is a brilliant family car, it is a big load lugger, its dynamic driving style is a hard one to beat in this class, you feel you are in a more superior vehicle, it has so much room, and everything is near and handy, as well as easy to use, this is one car that I would be happy to own, to invest my own money into, and it is one that I can see me keeping for some time, it really is a car that can cope with all you can throw at it, and it is no surprise that Peugeot has a huge hit on it's hands, and for them to do it first time out shows how the teams behind the design of Peugeots model ranges are so on the mark.

*Figures from JATO Dynamics

The Motoring World Blog
Jon Mower

PEUGEOT announces pricing and specification for the refreshed 208 Supermini.

• PEUGEOT’s best-selling car benefits from significant upgrades
• Revised styling, frugal Euro 6 engines and extra equipment all included
• Personalisation choices a key part of 208 ownership for the first time
• First retail customers ordering Active and Allure models will benefit from additional, free of charge, specification including Active City Brake and reversing camera, representing a saving of up to £900

The PEUGEOT 208 has been one of the UK’s most popular superminis since its showroom debut in 2012. Now demand is set to be increased due to a revised design, Euro 6 engines and enhanced specification.  

The Brand’s talented design team has given the new 208 a more assertive and distinctive look, while maintaining the family styling cues which have made cars such as the 308 and 2008 such a worldwide sales success.

The 208’s new front bumper creates a sharper and more precise line, with a wider grille and deeper chrome surround now fully integrated. New two-tone headlamps feature black and chrome masks and are fitted as standard from Active trim level and house LED daytime running lights with cornering-assist fog lights standard from the Allure model.

At the rear, the full LED light clusters have been redesigned to incorporate PEUGEOT’s signature 3D ‘claws’ motif. In profile, the sculpted sides and chrome window surrounds of the 208 are retained. Enhancements include exclusive new 16 and 17-inch wheel options, available in a choice of painted or diamante finishes, as well as with innovative laser engraving.

The 208 is available in 13 vibrant colours, including ‘textured paint’, a world-first technology on a volume production vehicle, which illustrates perfectly the sophistication and premium style that enhances the entire PEUGEOT range. Impressively it needs no special care by owners and costs just £645, the same as pearlescent finishes.

Personalisation option packs – two interior and two exterior – are also now part of the 208 range, available in either Menthol White or Lime Yellow. They are striking additions to the 208’s elegant style and are a factory-fit option from Active trim level.

Exterior packs include a new grille with stamped 3D-effect, gloss black grille finisher, gloss black front fog lamp finishers with laser engraved coloured line and coloured PEUGEOT lettering front and rear. Interior packs feature sports seats with contrasting stitching, coloured door handles, grained dashboard moulding and satin chrome air vent finishers.

The 208 has always been a tour-de-force for state-of-the-art technology, but new innovations and customer demand has led to even higher specification. 

Park Assist and a reversing camera are available as a combined option from Allure level, while Active City Brake makes it possible to avoid an accident or reduce its seriousness, in urban conditions, at speeds of less than 20mph.  

Retail customers ordering Active and Allure models will benefit from additional, free of charge, specification including Active City Brake, representing a saving of up to £900.

PEUGEOT’s new range of Euro 6 engines are now available in the 208 for the first time, with CO₂ emissions as low as just 79g/km.

Petrol engines remain a popular choice with retail customers and the revised line-up promises high mileage and low running costs. PEUGEOT’s PureTech range of three-cylinder units – either 1.0-litre 68hp or 1.2-litre 82hp – remain available in the 208. 

The flagship 1.2-litre PureTech turbocharged 110hp S&S (Stop & Start) version is now part of the family; coupled with a five-speed manual or EAT6 automated gearbox, this engine achieves CO₂ emissions of just 103g/km or 104g/km respectively.

For diesel fans, the 1.6-litre BlueHDi diesel engine comes with three output choices, including the 75 and 100 S&S. The first of these, mated with a five-speed manual gearbox, is capable of 94.2mpg and 79g/km – a record for the segment. The third choice is the 120 S&S which is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, which produces just 94g/km of CO₂.

The new 208 is available in three and five-door body styles, and comes in four generously equipped trim levels – Access A/C, Active, Allure and GT Line. 

The latter is a new addition to the range and, following the lead of the larger 308, adopts many of the styling attributes of the iconic GTi model. All versions of the 208 now come with manual air conditioning and Bluetooth connectivity as standard.

For a more performance-oriented body style, 208 GTi, 208 GTi Prestige and 208 ‘GTi by PEUGEOT Sport’ are available as three-door variants. Here, the latter builds on the popularity of the 208 GTi 30^th, the most exclusive and radical GTi the company has ever created. 

With unique badging, it features a lowered ride height, wider tracks, 18-inch wheels, matt black exterior features, sports seats, red floor mats and two-tone paintwork.

Priced from £11,695, a total of seven trim levels are available on new 208:

Access A/C	3 & 5 door	MRRP from £11,695
Active	3 & 5 door	MRRP from £12,495
Allure	3 & 5 door	MRRP from £14,195
GT Line	3 & 5 door	MRRP from £16,095
GTi	3 door	MRRP from £19,145
GTi Prestige	3 door	MRRP from £19,995
GTi by Peugeot Sport	3 door	MRRP from £21,995

All vehicles are also available on Just Add Fuel™ - a one stop 3-year finance package that includes 3 Years’ insurance, warranty, servicing, car tax and roadside assistance. (age restrictions apply)

The new PEUGEOT 208 is available to order now.

Peugeot's stylish City Car, the 108, extends customer choice, with better tech and more colours.

• Active City Brake and Lane Departure Warning System now available on 108
• New Euro6 engines introduced, including the 3 cylinder 1.2-litre PureTech engine
• Eight body colours with the all new ‘French Blue’, plus six new two-tone paint options
• Seven personalisation themes available, plus five choices of interior ambiences

The chic 108, already exceptional value for money in terms of technology, connectivity and features, is now available with Active City Brake and Lane Departure Warning System as an option on Allure and Feline badge levels.

Active City Brake alerts the driver to a possible collision when travelling at less than 20mph and, if necessary, operates the emergency brake to completely avoid shunt situations or reduce the severity of an accident in the event that the driver does not react in time.

Lane Departure Warning System, activated at 31mph, judges the position of the vehicle in relation to the lines on major roads, alerting the driver via sound and dashboard light should the lines be crossed.

New Euro6 compliant engines are also introduced as a direct replacement for previous engines at no increase in cost to the customer, bringing greater efficiency.  These include: the 1.0-litre 68hp with 95g/km of CO₂, 1.0-litre 2-Tronic 68hp with 97g/km of CO₂ and 1.2-litre PureTech 82hp with 99g/km of CO₂.

Eight vibrant body colours offer a colourful choice, including the all new metallic ‘French Blue’ paint. 

Customers are encouraged to design a car to fit their style, so personalisation choices are wide and varied and include five interior ambiences, seven personalisation themes and, in addition to the eight body colours available, six new two-tone body colours are now available on both 3 and 5 door models (previously only the 3-door).

The new PEUGEOT Partner Tepee has new look, Euro 6 engines and the latest equipment

• The new PEUGEOT Partner Tepee has new look, Euro 6 engines and the latest equipment
• Low CO₂ and improved economy increase the versatility of this multiuse vehicle
• New features include reversing camera, touchscreen and Active City Brake

In 1996 PEUGEOT created a new category of private cars: that of leisure activity vehicles. The spaciousness and practicality of this multi-use vehicle, the PEUGEOT Partner Tepee remains the benchmark. With 15.3% of sector sales in Europe in 2014, the Partner Tepee maintains its appeal.

Since its launch in 2008, the current generation has maintained its place on the podium, in a segment that is constantly expanding, now with four times more competitors and the arrival of a more compact category than initially offered. Sales outside Europe in this sector represent nearly 27% of the total for the Partner Tepee, a growth of 8% compared to 2009 (the first full year on sale).

In a world of leisure activity vehicles built around family and practical values, the new PEUGEOT Partner Tepee, while still providing the fundamental requirements, is positioned at the activity end of the spectrum. Its styling changes along with the latest generation of useful, efficient technology and latest engines give users greater freedom and optimisation.

Other than the restyled front end, the new Partner Tepee introduces two new colours: Moka Grey and Artense Grey, available alongside Bianca White, Ardent Red, Kyanos Blue, Aluminium Grey, Shark Grey and Nocciola. New 8-spoke Managua 16 ‘’ alloy wheels, available as an option, also accentuate the dynamic character of the new PEUGEOT Partner Tepee.

Inside the vehicle, the choice of colours and the rich materials used contribute towards the modernity of the cabin. A new Onega Grey ambience appears on the dashboard and on several interior features. Cadaska Roux seat trim is added as an alternative to Cadaska Bleu on trim level two and a new technical and high quality NeoSpa seat trim is used on trim level three and the Outdoor version.

Latest generation technologies

Already available with a wide range of equipment to ensure safety and driving assistance, the new Partner Tepee is updated with useful and efficient technologies.

The comfortable and ergonomic cabin in the new Partner Tepee is equipped with a new telematic system with a large, perfectly integrated 7’’ colour touch screen, in the middle of the dashboard where it is easy to reach and see.

Standard on trim level three and available as an option on trim level two, giving easy access to the vehicle’s various systems : trip computer, AM/FM radio or digital DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting), Jukebox music files (integral hard disk) or portable devices, hands-free telephone and navigation. Navigation includes the display of speed limits and traffic information with mapping for Europe.

Greater driving assistance and safety systems

Active City Brake technology(automatic urban braking when there is a risk of collision, available as an option from trim level two) is a new system that allows an accident to be avoided or the severity of an impact to be reduced if the driver fails to react, in urban conditions at speeds below 20mph.

A short range laser sensor (Lidar: Light Detection and Ranging) fitted at the top of the windscreen detects vehicles travelling in the same direction or stationary. If necessary, it automatically triggers full power braking. In some cases this system will automatically bring the vehicle to a complete stop, so avoiding a potential collision with the vehicle ahead.

The reversing camera, available as an option from trim level two, uses the large colour display screen and simplifies everyday parking manoeuvres. It allows the driver to see the edges of the vehicle and its trajectory through the use of coloured lines, so making these manoeuvres easy and safe. In addition to the rear parking sensors already standard on trim level three, the new PEUGEOT Partner Tepee is now available with front parking sensors to make low speed manoeuvres safer.

Grip Control, a system that provides enhanced traction, remains a reference in the segment. Patented by the PSA Peugeot Citroën Group, it extends the usability of the PEUGEOT Partner Tepee on roads or tracks on low grip surfaces, allowing the vehicle to continue to make progress in a situation where a normal two-wheel drive vehicles would struggle.

Grip Control is combined with a generous ground clearance of 15cm with Mud & Snow tyres. Versatile and flexible, it adapts to the conditions encountered by acting on the front driving wheels, while leaving the driver in control at all times. At any time the driver can choose to allow the system to use its intelligence in Standard mode, or select the desired mode using the dial on the dashboard centre panel: Snow, Off-road, Sand, ESP Off.

The level of equipment fitted as standard is also expanded on the new PEUGEOT Partner Tepee: speed limiter and cruise control, as well as air conditioning are now available from trim level two. The Outdoor version offers three separate and removable seats in row two and lateral airbags in row one.

A new range of even more efficient engines

The new PEUGEOT Partner Tepee has an entirely new and wide range of latest generation engines that meet the Euro 6 emissions standard. In total, seven VTi petrol and BlueHDi Diesel engines are available at launch, delivering 75 to 120hp.

They provide an answer for all types of use, while having fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions that are 15% lower on average than the engines they replace:

• 1.6-litre VTi 98hp, 5-speed manual with CO₂ emissions from 148g/km, saving 7g;
• 1.6-litre VTi 120hp, 5-speed manual with CO₂ emissions from 148g/km, saving 16g;
• 1.6-litre BlueHDi 75hp, 5-speed manual with CO₂ emissions from 113g/km, saving 22g;
• 1.6-litre BlueHDi 100hp, 5-speed manual with CO₂ emissions from 113g/km, saving 22g;
• 1.6-litre BlueHDi 100hp S&S, 5-speed manual with CO₂ emissions from 109g/km, saving 14g;
• 1.6-litre BlueHDi 100hp S&S ETG6, 6-speed electronic with CO₂ emissions from 109g/km, saving 6g;
• 1.6 litre BlueHDi 120hp S&S, 6-speed manual with CO₂ emissions from 113g/km, saving 16g.

BlueHDi engines offer optimum driving enjoyment due to improved torque and power, together with the adoption of a 6-speed manual gearbox on the BlueHDi 120 version. Furthermore, the 1.6-litre BlueHDi 100 S&S version has record low CO₂ emissions in the segment, from 109g/km.

Always adaptable to the user’s needs and desires

When driving on their own, with the family or among friends, the new PEUGEOT Partner Tepee continues to offer great modularity and remarkable flexibility, adapting to every day needs, as well as for leisure, going away activities or for practical requirements.

Available in 5 or 7 separate seat versions, with 3 removable seats in row 2, as well as 2 more removable seats in row 3 in the case of the  7-seat version, the Partner Tepee presents a flat floor and a load volume of between 675 and 3000 litres - among the best in the category. Loading the boot is facilitated in all conditions due to its large tailgate.

The Partner Tepee offers a multitude of configurations so that both people and objects can be carried with ease. This is the freedom to be able to take their children and friends to school or to transport bicycles for a weekend away.

With the Zenith sunroof, this unique fitting in the leisure activity segment, the occupants already feel outdoors. Ingeniously, it combines:

• Great brightness with its four dark tinted glass panels;
• Improved temperature control for the rear passengers with 3 additional air vents;
• 94 litres of additional storage space in the roof. There is an overhead storage bin at the front, storage spaces either side of the centre roof console and at the rear a compartment accessible both from the cabin and the boot. This is in addition to the 90  litres of open and closed storage space already present around the cabin;
• Also, a modular exterior loading capacity due to its roof bars, which can be secured longitudinally or transversely as required.