Which Peugeot 208 makes the best company car?

Written by Debbie Wood Updated: 14 April 2014

When it comes to small cars there are few manufacturers that have had as much success as Peugeot.

The French manufacturer’s history is steeped in small car heritage including the celebrated 205 of the eighties.

This latest generation 208 has so far proved a success for Peugeot, holding its own against the likes of the Ford Fiesta and Vauxhall Corsa and finishing tenth in the 2013 best-seller list.

With numerous trim levels to choose from and many engine options, picking the car that is best suited to your lifestyle, that also has low enough tax costs and high fuel efficiency, is a difficult balance to get just right.

To help, we’ve picked our favourites from the line-up, highlighting those that make the most sense as a company car choice.

The Diesel Choice

1.6 e-HDi Active five-door

When it comes to value for money and keeping costs down the 1.6 e-HDi start/stop diesel engine ticks all the boxes, while still offering enough in the way of performance with 92bhp on offer and a 0-62mph time of 10.9 seconds.

With CO2 emissions of 95g/km meaning a BIK tax band of 14 percent for the current 2013/14 tax year, coupled with a P11D value of £15,040, leaves a 20 percent tax payer only £35.09 a month to pay for this model with no optional extras.

The 208’s impressive combined fuel economy figure of 78.5mpg should also mean fewer trips to the fuel station – another bonus, especially when paying for your personal mileage.

When it comes to kit, the Active trim offers good value for money,with 15-inch alloy wheels, DAB radio, Bluetooth and cruise control all included as standard.

One feature we would really miss is a sat-nav which can be added as an optional extra for £400 and is worth considering.

There is a bit of a price jump between trim levels after Active costing £1,200 extra to opt for the Allure trim which adds tinted windows, automatic headlights, rain sensing wiper, 16-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone air conditioning, leather interior touches and LED Daytime Running lights.

The Feline trim is a further £2,100 on top of that which includes sat-nav and 17-inch alloy wheels.

Full the full review of the Peugeot 208 range, click here.

The Petrol Choice

1.2 VTI Active five-door

The same as the car above except the engine, which makes more sense financially if you plan to travel fewer miles and drive mostly around the city.

This car is almost £2,000 cheaper than the diesel at £13,090 and thanks to low CO2 emissions at 104g/km, tax costs are kept really low too. A 12 percent BIK tax band (for the current 2013/14 tax year) means a 20 percent tax payer will only pay £26 per month.

Performance is only slightly down on the diesel option too with 82bhp on offer and a 0-62mph time of 12.2 seconds.

A little something extra…

A high-performance model is always going to be difficult to justify to your fleet manager as they usually have CO2 emissions and a P11D price that won’t fit within company requirements.

However, the 208 GTI’s low running costs and competitive tax bill may help sway the decision.

The GTI comes loaded with kit befitting its £18,715 price tag and headline figures are competitive with 139g/km of CO2 and an official combined fuel consumption of 47mpg. That means a BIK tax band of 19 percent (for the current 2013/14 tax year) and a 20 percent tax payer forking out less than £60 per month.

The 208 GTI’s 1.6 THP petrol engine offers an impressive 200bhp helping it to acclerate from 0-62mph in 6.8 seconds.

The only real compromise is it is only available with three doors.

Read the road test for this model here

Full the full review of the Peugeot 208 range, click here