Peugeot has struggled to replace its 1980s hit, the pocket rocket 205. The current 208 has made a decent fist of it, in fairness. Now it's got a mid-life makeover and a little electric surge.
Developed on a new platform it shares with the Citroen DS3 Crossback and the Opel Corsa, the revamped and now electric 208 promises an official range of up to 340km on a single full charge, courtesy of its 50kWh battery stored squarely between the four wheels and under the cabin. That's a decent range for a supermini.
The problem is that it lacks the surge of pace that’s normally standard issue with electric cars. It doesn’t feel special to drive and a 0-100km/h time of 8.1 seconds is positively sloth-like in the electric era.
On the plus side, you do get the handling benefits from having most of the car’s weight under your feet and between the wheels. Of the regular fare, the 1.5-litre diesel is the more refined, as the three-cylinder 1.2-litre petrol can be noisy. Aside from this, the cabin is updated with the latest tech. Price and range may lure Irish buyers to electric lion.
Price range: Circa €26,000 for all-electric version; rest TBC
Co2 emissions: 0 g/km for electric version
Sum up: Little lion goes electric, but lacks some pace.
* A note on Co2 figures: For almost all the cars in the Top 100, we've quoted the stricter WLTP figures for Co2 emissions. A few are still quoted on their older NEDC2 figure, and that's the number they'll be taxed on. If you're confused at all, just consult your local dealer for specific data for the make and model in which you're interested