First drive of the new Peugeot 108 in Paris

We travelled to Paris to try the new Peugeot 108 - a model that breaks with the past and aims to stir things up in the hotly contested city-car segment.

Last week I flew to Paris to meet the new Peugeot 108. In my suitcase: two days’ worth of clothes and a handful of expectations. The clothes lasted the two days; the expectations didn’t. I drove the little Peugeot 108 through Parisian streets, along the broken-up roads of the Vexin French Regional Natural Park, and on the fast approach routes into the City of Light.

Over more than 200 km of close acquaintance, I’ll admit I was pleasantly surprised by the overall behaviour of this “little lion”. I wasn’t anticipating such a noticeable step forward.

"Inside, the revolution is total. Build quality is strong, and the materials match that progress."

This is a car you’ll get to know in greater detail in the lines below, and it has been developed largely with a female audience in mind. Even so, it still managed to win over this male specimen who’s more used to spending time with very different kinds of cars: me.

Peugeot 108: a more premium take on the city-car formula

The Peugeot 108 draws a clear line under its predecessor. The 107’s pared-back, slightly austere look has been replaced by styling full of design flourishes and a cabin that feels genuinely pleasant to sit in. For this class, the standard of assembly is commendable.

Peugeot is well aware that 70% of the A-segment market is female, and that this audience is becoming more demanding. The brief is straightforward: a small car that still delivers modernity, image, efficiency and comfort. In other words, people who like to be on-trend, but don’t want (or can’t…) spend a great deal on a car. That checklist is exactly what guided the 108’s development.

At the launch, the brand made one point very clear: this isn’t a car intended to win on price versus rivals, but on its overall qualities.

Bodywork: colours and design for every taste

The design language follows the cues seen across Peugeot’s newest models. Up front, the LED running lights evoke a lion’s eyebrows, while the rear lamps echo “three claws” - visual signatures that align the Peugeot 108 with its bigger siblings, the 208 and 308.

The 108 is offered in eight colours, with two exclusive finishes: Aïkinite (a copper-gold look) and Purple (a violet shade similar to the 208 XY). Reserved for the 3-door model are the two-tone combinations: Lipizan White/Aïkinite or Purple/Gallium Grey.

Beyond paint, customers can also specify seven exterior themes:

• Dressy, a rework of the timeless pied de poule
• Kilt, inspired by a tartan-style check
• Diamont, playing with the contrast between matte surfaces and the shine of a prism effect
• Dual, linking the colours on two-tone bodies
• Barcode, recreating a barcode graphic
• Tattoo, based on a metallic floral theme
• Sport, explicitly aimed at a male audience

New to the range is the TOP version, which brings a retractable fabric roof (available in black, grey and purple). It’s a variant that should appeal to anyone who enjoys driving with the wind in their hair.

Interior: more equipment, better perceived quality

Step inside and the change is dramatic. The build feels more substantial, and material choice has moved in the right direction too. Even so, the biggest talking point is the availability of equipment that, in some cases, is completely new for the A segment.

A prime example is the 7-inch touchscreen in the centre of the dashboard - optional on the Active (entry) version and standard on the Allure. The screen houses the radio interface, trip computer and the rest of the car’s settings.

The major innovation here is Mirror Screen technology, which allows you to connect an Android smartphone (and, shortly, iOS as well) and display on the Peugeot 108’s screen what you see on your phone - including sat-nav, music, messages and photos.

There’s more: a reversing camera, automatic air conditioning and a Start/Stop button are among the options that can make the Peugeot 108 even more appealing. It’s also worth noting that all engine versions come with Hill Assist, a hill-start support system that prevents the car from rolling back.

Engine options, driving impressions and July launch

Despite being a city car, the Peugeot 108 doesn’t shy away from longer trips. Perhaps to make that point, Peugeot set up a route that included several kilometres of motorway driving.

Like any small urban model, it feels light and nimble in town, but it also copes frankly well on the open road. Comfort remained a strong point throughout.

As for engines, the 108 comes with two petrol options: the 1.0 VTi with 68 hp and the 1.2 PureTech with 82 hp. With the 1.0 VTi you can choose between a manual gearbox, an electronically controlled automated transmission, and a manual gearbox with Start/Stop.

Official fuel consumption figures quoted by the brand range from 3.8 l/100 km to 4.3 l/100 km. With the 1.0, it was easy to keep consumption around 4.4 litres, while the stronger availability of the 1.2 effectively cost an extra 0.7 l per 100 km. These are figures that still need confirmation over a longer period of driving.

Measuring 3.47 metres long and 1.62 metres wide, the Peugeot 108 has a turning radius of 4.80 metres, underlining its natural agility. Thankfully, that urban manoeuvrability doesn’t translate into nervous behaviour at speed. It’s not a kilometre-devouring long-distance machine - but if you need it to, it won’t refuse.

Market launch during July

Peugeot will go on sale in Portugal from July, with prices starting at €11,700. The brand’s target is to secure a 7% market share in Europe and maintain the 9% it already holds in Portugal. For more detail, you’ll have to wait for the Portuguese road test, on home roads.

I’ll admit I liked the sensations the Peugeot 108 gave me. It’s a city car, yet it doesn’t behave like a “small” car; it has the substance of something bigger. It may have been designed with a female audience in mind, but I wouldn’t feel awkward driving one every day. In short, it feels like more car than its dimensions suggest - and it represents a notable evolution over the old 107.

Enjoy our image gallery:

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