Used Peugeot 208 for sale: everything you need to know

The Peugeot 208 is the latest in a storied line of cars that stretches back for decades. Peugeot has long been a strong proponent of small cars, and the latest Peugeot 208 is its most sophisticated yet – and one of its prettiest. 

The range is future-proofed too, as it is offered in pure electric Peugeot e-208 guise, as well as more familiar petrol and diesel models. Add in a bounty of standard equipment, even on the entry-level car, and the appeal of Peugeot’s smallest five-door hatchback is obvious – even in a competitive sector that includes the Ford Fiesta, Vauxhall Corsa, Volkswagen Polo and many others. 

Should you buy a Peugeot 208? 

The Peugeot 208 revives the spirit that made the iconic 205 so popular. Perfectly proportioned, even the more basic versions look classy and chic, helping them stand out alongside more conventional rivals. 

The interior is also unlike anything else in this sector. The Peugeot i-Cockpit layout brings an ultra-small steering wheel and a broad instrument binnacle positioned above it. Peugeot has further enhanced this with an ingenious full-colour 3D display – it provides plenty of wow-factor. 

The rest of the interior looks upmarket, with plenty of tactile touches. All versions get comfortable seats and even though rear-seat space isn’t up there with rivals such as the Skoda Fabia, it’s still OK for children. The boot is a decent size as well. 

The PureTech 100 petrol engine is the perfect all-rounder, with good fuel economy, a punchy nature and fine refinement. Peugeot retained a diesel engine for those who prefer it, while it’s one step ahead of many rivals in selling a pure electric Peugeot e-208. This is actually the swiftest-accelerating Peugeot 208 of all, and offers a range of more than 220 miles between charges. 

The Peugeot e-208 is far from the cheapest used 208, but Peugeot says you will immediately start to see savings in terms of running costs. 

The Peugeot 208’s desirable nature means retained values are strong. Meanwhile, good build quality and proven reliability mean it’s a dependable car to live with. 

There’s plenty more to the Peugeot 208 than pretty styling, though, from it's impressive equipment levels, to its fun and effortless road manners, to its sheer efficiency and ease of use.

A Peugeot 208 for you? We've got 1000s of used cars for sale to suit all budgets and needs.

What's the best used Peugeot 208 model to buy?

You'll see the Peugeot 208 in its best light if you choose it in Allure trim, which has the fancy digital dashboard that's the perfect addition to the stylish cabin. Allure models also get exterior upgrades that make the most of the car's stylish looks. 

In terms of engines, we'd go for the 100PS PureTech petrol. It's pretty nippy, sounds sporty when you're accelerating, but settles down at a cruise to make the 208 very relaxing on a long journey.  And it does all this while costing buttons to run. 

Used Peugeot 208 fuel economy and performance

The Peugeot 208 is an unusual small car in that it offers petrol, diesel and pure electric powertrains. The regular petrol engines have a five- or six-speed manual transmission, with the 100PS version offering an automatic option. The 130PS engine only comes with an automatic. The diesel is manual-only, while the electric Peugeot e-208 is a two-pedal auto. 

• Peugeot 208 1.2 PureTech 75 petrol: The basic 1.2-litre three-cylinder PureTech 75 is a non-turbo engine. It puts out 75PS and takes a yawning 14.9 seconds to accelerate from 0-62mph. It averages 55.6mpg. A five-speed manual transmission is standard. 
• Peugeot 208 1.2 PureTech 100 petrol: By the addition of a turbocharger, the PureTech 100 sees the 0-62mph time slashed to 9.9 seconds, while pulling power is improved by 75 percent to 151Nm. It even returns better fuel consumption, averaging up to 58.2mpg, while CO2 emissions start from 109g/km. It comes with a six-speed manual gearbox or optional EAT8 eight-speed automatic. 
• Peugeot 208 1.2 PureTech 130 EAT8 petrol: With 130PS and a standard eight-speed automatic transmission, the PureTech 130 does 0-62mph in 8.7 seconds, averages up to 54.8mpg and emits 116g/km of CO2. It’s a compelling set of stats, even if the list price does reflect its sophistication. 
• Peugeot 208 1.5 BlueHDi 100 diesel: Diesel may be falling out of favour, but Peugeot has remainied loyal. The 1.5-litre BlueHDi does 0-62mph in 10.2 seconds and, more significantly, averages up to 73.6mpg. CO2 emissions start from just 101g/km. 
• Peugeot e-208 electric: The 136PS e-208 has a 50kWh battery and a range of up to 224 miles, plus 0-62mph in just 8.1 seconds. It’s the greenest Peugeot 208 – and also the fastest. 

If you want a Peugeot 208 hot hatchback, you need to look at the previous-generation model, which offered an exciting 1.6-litre turbocharged GTI version. 

What used Peugeot 208 trim levels are available?

All Peugeot 208 models have a premium spec that includes climate control air-con, touchscreen infotainment and rear parking sensors. Moving up the trim levels only adds further to the standard features. 

• The Peugeot 208 Active Premium + has a bountiful standard spec that includes LED headlights, power-folding door mirrors and an active safety brake system. 
• The Peugeot 208 Allure Premium + brings standard sat-nav, the eye-catching 3D instrument display and sparkling 3D ‘claw effect’ rear lights. An electric parking brake is a nice convenience feature, too. 
• The Peugeot 208 GT is a sporty-looking Peugeot 208 that carries plenty of classic 205 references. No 205 ever had anything like this level of equipment, though, with full LED headlights, front and rear parking sensors, and connected 3D sat-nav with TomTom Live updates – accessed via an enlarged 10.0-inch touchscreen. 
• The Peugeot 208 GT Premium is the range-topping Peugeot 208, getting Alcantara upholstery, adaptive cruise control and hands-free keyless entry and start.

Used Peugeot 208 dimensions and boot size

The Peugeot 208’s exterior dimensions are: 

• Length: 4,055mm
• Width: 1,745mm
• Height: 1,430mm
• Ground clearance: 119mm

The Peugeot 208’s boot space is:

• 311 litres
• 1,106 litres with rear seats folded

Used Peugeot 208 road tax

No emissions equals no road tax to pay for the e-208 as this is a pure EV. The rest of the range all require you to hand over £180 per year for road tax, with costs correct at the time of writing.

How much is it to insure a Peugeot 208? 

Peugeot 208 insurance ratings start from a group 12 (out of 50) for the 1.2 PureTech 75. Adding a turbocharger in PureTech 100 guise sees this jump significantly, however, to group 19. The PureTech 130 starts from group 24, while BlueHDi diesel models are from group 21. Like the idea of the electric Peugeot e-208? Car insurance is group 26 upwards. 

Read our full Peugeot 208 review