76 Peugeot 208 207kW GTi 51kWh 5dr Auto

Jonathan Crouch checks out Peugeot's fastest small EV, the E-208 GTi.

Ten Second Review

Peugeot revives its most famous hot hatch badge with this E-208 GTi. This potent pocket-sized EV shopping rocket isn't quite as distinctly 'Peugeot' as some of its most illustrious predecessors, but it marks a welcome return for the brand to the performance market. Can the E-208 GTi trade on more than just nostalgia? Let's see.

Background

Peugeot, Renault and Volkswagen all reckon they invented the idea of an affordable supermini-based hot hatch. And all are now represented in this segment for the electric era. Peugeot's class entry, this E-208 GTi, revives 'GTi'-branded models from the marque - not seen since the last combustion 208 GTi went out of production in 2018. And builds on a classic bloodline of hot hatch models from the company that goes all the way back to the iconic 205 GTi of 1984. There's never previously been an electric Peugeot GTi model. And sceptics might wonder whether there really is now, since all the engineering that matters here has been borrowed from Stellantis Group cousin models like Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica Veloce and the Abarth 600e. But Peugeot insists that the E-208 GTi has distinct brand DNA. Let's take a closer look.

Engines and Tech Spec

The links between this car and the old 205 GTi model it was supposedly inspired by amount to more than just a few trimming cues. One of the key engineers behind this E-208 GTi, Jean-Marc Finot, now Senior Vice-President of Stellantis Motorsport Operations, was also one of the engineers who created the 205 GTi back in the Eighties. And Finot was determined that this modern EV would have all that original model's 'typical Peugeot GTi agility and steering feeling'. So lots of work's gone into a sport suspension set-up 'with specific hydraulic stops' which drops ride height by 30mm. The engineers also fitted a limited-slip differential and widened the track - by 56mm at the front and 27mm at the rear. Ages was spent tuning the steering rack for more feelsome feedback. And the bespoke 18-inch wheels are fitted with grippy Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres. The engineers here had less influence on the drivetrain, borrowed directly from existing Stellantis Group contenders in this segment like the Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica Veloce and the Abarth 600e. Here, it puts out 278bhp - a vast increase over the 154bhp output of the regular E-208. As a result, thanks to 345Nm of torque, 62mph takes 5.5s, which is 0.4s quicker than the 255bhp MINI John Cooper Works Electric and 0.9s faster than the 217bhp Alpine A290. Top speed is 112mph. There's a slightly larger 54kWh battery than the usual 51kWh unit fitted to a conventional E-208, but despite that, EV range is just 233 miles (down from 268 miles you get in a regular E-208).33

Design and Build

If like us, you'd always wondered what a properly sported-up version of the current Peugeot 208 might look like, well here it is. The brand hopes your eye will be drawn to the bold 18-inch 'Hole' alloy wheels, supposedly based on the rim design used by the classic 205 GTi 1.9. Along with the wider track, they emphasise this car's more purposeful stance, feature a set of big 355mm brake discs and are shod with grippy Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 rubber. There's more aggressive bodywork too of course - a large roof spoiler, a deeper front lower splitter and a rear diffuser complete with a racecar-like fog light. Plus there are red accents for the headlights, the extended wheel arches and the badgework. Peugeot says it's all enough for this model to be easily identified 'by those who know'. Inside, the 205 GTi retro references continue - primarily with the two-tone upholstery. Alcantara has been added to the seats and steering wheel. And there are red flashes on the carpets, air vents, digital dials, ambient lighting, stitching and seat belts. Plus you get GTi badging on the i-Cockpit steering wheel and kick plates. The centre touchscreen has a set of 'Performance Pages' added for keen drivers, who will be well placed on the thickly-bolstered branded performance seats. Otherwise, it's much as in any other E-208, which means back seat space is tight and boot room is somewhat limited at 311-litres.

Market and Model

Pricing starts at £35,000, but from that you can deduct a £1,500 government Electric Car grant. To give you some segment perspective, the asking figure at around the level of a MINI John Cooper Works Electric - and just below an Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica Veloce. For reference, the most expensive E-208 156hp model with top 'GT Premium' trim costs around £28,000. At least you get plenty of equipment with this GTi. Including a central touchscreen that's larger than the one on the standard E-208, with Connected 3D navigation and 'Apple CarPlay' and 'Android Auto' connectivity. In our 'Design' section, we outlined all of the bodywork and trimming differences that set this E-208 GTI apart. Along with all of those, it gets all the equipment that would normally come with a highly-specified conventional E-208. In addition, Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) capability enables the E-208 GTi to power compatible external electrical devices for added convenience. That means full-LED headlights with smart beam assist and automatic height adjustment, eight-colour interior ambient lighting, keyless entry, full-LED rear lights and an HD colour reversing camera. There's also an acoustic windscreen, all-round parking sensors, power-folding mirrors and an electrochromic rear view mirror. You can also tick off aluminium pedals, luxury carpet mats, special branded door kick plates, heated front seats, a 15W wireless charging plate and a heat pump to preserve driving range in cold conditions. As for safety, well this GTi model comes with the brand's 'Drive Assist Pack Plus' package, which includes adaptive cruise control with stop & go, lane positioning assist and the most advanced version of the company's 'active safety brake' autonomous braking set-up.

Cost of Ownership

As we told you in our 'Driving' section, despite provision of a slightly larger 54kWh battery pack than the 51kWh unit featuring on the conventional top-spec E-208, driving range is down from 268 miles in the usual model to just 233 miles here (14 miles less than a rival MINI John Cooper Works Electric, for instance). And obviously, Peugeot's range figure will fall like a stone from that figure if you drive this car as its maker intended. The charging speed isn't much to write home about either, being the same as the standard model's, which means that it can only DC-charge at up to 100kW when plugged into a public rapid charger. Peugeot reckons that a 20-80% top-up will take just under half an hour - which meets the class norm. The nickel-manganese-cobalt battery pack is much the same as that in the standard car, but Peugeot says it has adapted the software around it using developments from its Hybrid-powered 9X8 endurance racer, so as to reduce temperature under high loads and improve energy recovery. If you're AC-charging using a 7.4kW wallbox at home, you'll need 4 hours 40 minutes to fully recharge. One unexpected touch is provision of an eight year warranty as standard, which comes courtesy of Peugeot's latest 'Allure Care' package, provided you maintain the car at a franchised dealer.

Summary

You might think it impossible for a 1.6-tonne electric small hatch to truly replicate the fun, agile feel of the late-20th century shopping rocket. But Peugeot has made every effort to try and revive that classic driver's formula here. Not long ago, this kind of little fast compact EV sporting package would have felt quite unique, but now it must compete in a crowded segment, with some contenders rather better engineered than others. With the E-208 GTi, Peugeot seems to have done the job properly. In reality of course, it's nothing like its 205 GTi spiritual predecessor; this is something different. Something better? Only you can decide.