Peugeot Polygon Concept previews the next-generation 208

No Peugeot has ever looked like this. It is called the Polygon Concept, and it previews the styling of the next-generation 208, which is due to be unveiled sometime next year.

Its extreme design leaves little room for doubt: the Polygon Concept aims to be disruptive inside and out, to the point that Peugeot appears to have reinvented the wheel - or rather, the steering wheel.

The intention could not be clearer: break with the past and focus solely on the future. On paper that sounds bold, but we spent time with this prototype in Portugal and came away surprised by what it brings to the table. Take a look:

Reinventing the wheel

The Polygon Concept is far more than a concept car with unconventional looks; it has been conceived as a rolling laboratory - a functional testbed designed to trial technologies that, from 2027 onwards, will begin filtering into Peugeot production models.

One of those technologies forces a rethink of one of the car’s most traditional components: the steering wheel. That is because Peugeot wants to bring Steer-by-Wire to more mainstream segments, removing the mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the road wheels.

First introduced by Infiniti in 2013 on the Q50, and subsequently experimented with by both Mercedes-Benz and Saab, Steer-by-Wire is currently only found on the Tesla Cybertruck, the Lexus RZ and the NIO ET9. Now Peugeot is testing it too, and it is expected to appear - for the first time - on the next 208, paired with the new rectangular Hypersquare control, which replaces a conventional steering wheel.

Beyond its unusual shape, Hypersquare also features four tactile pods (no, they are not cupholders…), intended to operate the car’s various functions while driving.

Returning to Steer-by-Wire, it is worth remembering that Lexus, working with an external supplier, took 10 years to bring this system to a production car - a clear sign of just how complex it is.

During the Polygon Concept presentation in Portugal, we asked a Peugeot engineer about the development timeframe for this solution. He would not give a figure, but he did insist it was much less than the 10 years the Japanese manufacturer needed - even though the same supplier that worked with Lexus has also collaborated closely with Peugeot.

What changes in the Polygon’s steering?

With no physical link between steering wheel and wheels, Peugeot says the driving experience becomes more direct and more engaging - something made possible by removing the friction and latency associated with conventional systems.

Feedback is delivered purely electronically, but tuned to retain a sense of the road while filtering out unwanted vibrations. At least, that is Peugeot’s promise.

On top of that, the system can adjust how the steering behaves (or its “style”) to suit each scenario: on the motorway, for instance, you may want slower, less direct steering that prioritises stability; on a twistier road, you may prefer quicker steering with larger angles at the front axle.

In theory, this is the future of steering. But will it truly feel that way? In two years’ time, when we can try this system in a Peugeot production car, we will revisit the conversation.

Peugeot Polygon Concept: built for the future

Another core pillar of the Peugeot Polygon is personalisation, because almost everything can be tailored to taste - from interior trims to cabin ambient colours, not forgetting the wheels and even the Hypersquare control itself.

Everything has been created around modular parts that can be slotted in and swapped out in just a few minutes. Even the tyres - developed by Goodyear - have been pulled into this rethink, using laser engraving on the sidewalls to allow different patterns and colours to be combined depending on the driving mode.

There is more besides. With the Polygon Concept, Peugeot is also signalling a commitment to sustainability and circularity in its future models. That is why the structure and cabin of this prototype make use of several types of recycled materials.

The cabin floor and panels are covered in forged textiles, made from seats taken from older Peugeot models; the seats are 3D-printed using recycled plastic (R-PET); and the interior paint uses pigments derived from end-of-life tyres.

More than an exercise in radical styling, the Polygon Concept is a manifesto of what Peugeot believes the car of the future should be. Only time will tell whether the French brand is right - but for now, one thing is certain: it is impossible to feel indifferent about this prototype.