• Light and efficient, great economy
• Frugal diesel is the best performer
• Least powerful petrol not far behind

What are the running costs?

Like all new cars the Peugeot 208 has been developed to limit the amount of CO2 it produces – to this end it is lighter than the model it replaces and has better aerodynamic properties too. As a result the potential fuel economy is very impressive – the best performer being the old 1.5-litre diesel with low emissions and a potential real-world MPG figure of more than 60mpg. The Hybrid does similar numbers, at least on paper.

Even the petrols are good in this respect. The lowest powered 1.2-litre unit with 75hp will reward you with more than 45mpg in daily driving. The manual and automatic 100hp versions will actually beat that, while the 130hp auto will easily top 40mpg despite its lively performance. As for the Hybrid, we saw mid to high 40s mpg, with around 50mpg possible if you’re very careful.

As far as other running costs go we wouldn’t expect the diminutive 208 to be particularly costly to run – although all the cars we’ve driven were fitted with Michelin Pilot Sport tyres, which won’t be cheap to replace like-for-like. At least it’s one of the cheapest options for monthly finance.

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Servicing and warranty

Peugeot offers a variety of service plans for periods ranging between three and five years. Packages start from around £10 per month for a three-year contract with either the petrol or the diesel model, climbing to almost £20 per month for a five-year contract.

Every version of the 208 also comes with a two-year unlimited mileage warranty. Buyers can choose to extend it by another year free of charge (and we honestly have no idea why anyone would choose to decline that). Buyers can also select an optional roadside assistance package for an extra cost.

Reliability

• Tried and tested engines
• Active trim is low tech
• Neatly assembled interior

The Peugeot 208 is emerging as a reliable choice in this market sector, which should come as no surprise as the 1.2-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel engines are both tried and tested elsewhere in the range. Peugeot’s reliability record these days is vastly improved from, say, 10 years ago.

The Active trim with its analogue dials is probably the place to head if you’re at all concerned about the longevity of the 208’s interior tech. Otherwise though this hatchback feels well assembled and uses harder plastic trims in areas of high wear, so we don’t think you’ll have anything to worry about in the cabin.