• Appealing interior
• Eye-catching tech available from Allure trim
• 3D i-Cockpit screen is cool but largely cosmetic

How is the quality and layout?

The Peugeot 208 has one of the best-looking interiors in the sector, featuring loads of tech that is available across a broad spread of trims and neatly integrated so as to not stick out like a novelty sore thumb. It’s also neatly laid out and comes with some considered design decisions, such as tucking the smartphone charging pad away behind a door, away from the driver’s eyes.

Everything is centred around Peugeot’s i-Cockpit interior design, featuring a small wheel with plenty of reach and rake adjustment, raised dials and the orientation of all the controls towards the driver.

This was a divisive design when it was first revealed, with some of the Parkers team unable to get in a comfortable position, and others loving the overall effect. The French manufacturer says there are now six million customers enjoying its unique cabin layout, so it must be doing something right.

The quality of fit and materials used feels on par with a car of this size. There are a few rough looking panel gaps and cheaper plastics lower down, but all 208s get a padded dashboard and carbon fibre-effect material across the dash and doors. Overall the effect is very good indeed.

Infotainment and tech

In the 208 you get a 10.0-inch touchscreen infotainment with MirrorLink, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Allure trim boosts this to a higher resolution, but sat nav is optional. Both are capacitive like a phone, making them feel very responsive.

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Physical buttons to navigate to things like the map or climate control are lined up horizontally in a piano-like format, which is a great effect, with extra touch sensitive buttons for other functions. The latter can get quite wet with condensation from the air conditioning if you run it cold enough, and are quite easy to tap by mistake, however.

You get the 3D i-Cockpit dial screen, which is standard on all but the base level Active trim. This layers up data with critical info like a digital speedometer, tachometer (rev counter) strip and the speed limit projected on a foreground screen, and secondary stuff set further back. It looks super cool.

Comfort

• Comfortable seats up front
• A little claustrophobic in the rear
• You’ll find a Fiesta more accommodating

The Peugeot 208’s seat and steering column have plenty of adjustment, once you’ve dialled into its odd driving position with those high-mounted instruments. The good news is that even the tallest of drivers will be able to get comfortable, although it’s not such a positive story for shorter people.

The GT’s sports seats are very supportive, with a particularly good lumbar setting, but the less sporting models are still equipped with very comfortable pews up front.

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Rear legroom is a little tighter than we’d like, and the backrest is a little on the vertical side. But there’s enough room for two adults in the back, so they won’t complain too much on longer journeys. However, the cheaper SEAT Ibiza is a much better bet for those who regularly carry passengers.