Peugeot 208 1.6 e-HDi 92 CV, road test (Engine, performance, handling and consumption)

For more than 30 years, Peugeot has been one of the leaders in the city car segment, thanks to the 205 in the 1980s and the 206 and 207 in the 1990s and 2000s. At the end of last year, the successor to the latter arrived, the 208, which was presented with many new features in terms of styling, technology, equipment and engines. It also offered greater interior space and a slightly larger boot, all with a slightly smaller body.

A few months ago, my colleague Diego G. Moreira had a first hands-on experience with the 208, in his case with the 1.4 VTi 95 CV petrol engine. Now we have been able to test the diesel version, the 1.6 e-HDi 92 CV, perhaps the most interesting in the range for being the most balanced. It is the intermediate variant in terms of power and price among the diesels, has an engine that responds well and consumes little, and can offer plenty of equipment. All of this makes the 208 1.6 e-HDi 92 CV a very interesting option.

Engine and performance

The 1.6 e-HDi 92 CV diesel engine fitted to our test car sits above the 1.4 HDi 68 CV and below the 1.6 e-HDi 114 CV. We said it may be the most interesting and balanced version because it doesn’t fall short on power like the 68 CV, and has enough strength, provided the gearbox is used properly, so you won’t miss the 22 CV over the more powerful variant.

This diesel unit e-HDi 92 CV responds well to the driver’s demands through the accelerator pedal once revs rise above around 1,800–2,000 rpm. From there, power delivery is clear, making it possible to gain speed quickly in a short distance. This allows, for example, overtaking safely on two-way roads or joining a fast road with confidence that the manoeuvre can be completed without any problems.

If the engine is allowed to drop in revs and work in the lower part of the rev counter, below those 1,800–2,000 rpm, a better response is missed. The solution is simple: drop a gear. This restores enough power on the accelerator to handle almost any situation on the road. Therefore, correct gearbox management will ensure full satisfaction as far as engine response is concerned.

This engine, somewhat noisy, especially when cold and at low revs, is paired with a five-speed manual gearbox with a less soft feel, which has been the trend at Peugeot in recent years, something to be grateful for. It has short, well-defined gear travel that makes shifting from one gear to another easy.

Although this e-HDi 92 CV engine is not a marvel of smoothness, as it produces some vibrations when pulling away from a standstill, its automatic stop-start system (‘Stop & Start’) at stops, such as traffic lights and jams, is very pleasant, being quick and smooth. It is one of the best systems of its kind available today. So that the driver always knows how long the engine has been stopped, and therefore not consuming fuel, there is an ‘ECO’ indicator on the instrument cluster showing the minutes and seconds during which Stop & Start has been active.

Handling

If the 207 was already a very satisfying model, the 208 is a little more so because it is more stable, easier to drive in tricky situations such as fast linked bends, and is less unsettled during sharp changes of load on winding stretches.

Overall, the 208 is one of the city cars that conveys the best feel to its driver, responding best thanks to its precise reactions and good suspension. The suspension does its job well because it is neither harsh nor firm, it filters road irregularities well and holds the body adequately, preventing large lateral or forward movements.

The steering feels slightly soft at first. That is what it conveys when manoeuvring at standstill and at low speed. However, once under way, as speed builds, that impression disappears, since the steering becomes firmer and offers better, more precise feedback.

On motorways, dual carriageways and two-way roads, as well as on the ring roads of large cities, the 208 feels at home because it has good stability and makes long journeys comfortable. Urban driving is also its natural habitat, perhaps even more so, since its small size makes it very manageable.

Its smaller-than-usual steering wheel, one of its characteristic features, also contributes to this. It allows very easy manoeuvring, aided by its ability to turn sharply in a small space. This makes it easy to negotiate narrow streets. Parking also requires little effort thanks to the combination of all these factors.

Perhaps its only drawback, for some drivers, is that the pedals are rather close together and that visibility from the driver’s seat is not as good as it should be in certain turns due to the generous size of the windscreen pillars. As the rear window is not very large, the rear parking sensors are very useful.

Consumption

One of the strong points of the 208 1.6 e-HDi 92 CV is that it uses little fuel in all circumstances. This version has an approved average consumption of 3.8 l/100 km, both with the five-speed manual gearbox and with the six-speed automated manual (‘CMP’). It is hard to reach that low figure, but it is not difficult, with efficient driving, to achieve consumption close to 5.0 l/100 km.

On motorways and dual carriageways, driving normally and accelerating decisively when necessary, for example to climb a steep gradient or to overtake, average fuel consumption sits at around 5.5 l/100 km at an average speed of about 120 km/h.

On two-way roads and around urban areas, when cruising at 90–100 km/h, consumption is closer to 5.0 l/100 km. In town, provided you pay some attention to your driving and don’t push the gears too hard, you will achieve consumption close to 6.0 l/100 km. To exceed that figure you would have to drive constantly with the engine at high revs and without paying attention either to efficiency or to the gearbox.

The 208, like many models on the market today, has a recommended gear indicator, useful for achieving the lowest possible consumption.

In the second part of the test of the 208 we will focus on the design of the body and interior, as well as detailing the most notable features of the cabin, with special attention to the space available, the materials and the fit and finish, as well as the multimedia system with touchscreen that allows control of various devices.

Photos | Jaime Arruz and the test team

Technical specifications of this car

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