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REVIEW
Peugeot 208 Active 2012 Review - International
Peugeot's tres bien triple makes the entry-end 208 the pick of the litterPeugeot 208 Active 1.2 VTi
Quick Spin
Sintra, Portugal
Sintra, Portugal
Thirty minutes with Peugeot’s new EB-series three-cylinder engine was time enough to discover just how good it really is. Fitted under the bonnet of a pre-production 208 Active 1.2 VTi three-door hatch -- in Portugal to coincide with the launch of the new Peugeot 208 range -- we find an elastic powerplant brimming with accessible low-end torque, yet equally happy in its upper reaches.
Delivering 60kW at 5750rpm and 118Nm at 2750rpm the three-pot tiddler is hardly what you’d call quick, but it is deceptively sprightly in a car weighing 975kg (dry) -- a 173kg saving from similarly equipped petrol-powered 207s.
Running two-up through the Sintra Mountains west of Lisbon, 208 Active 1.2 VTi proved willing, and despite a large step between its first and second ratios, was geared well enough to offer flexible roll-on acceleration. It presents a delightful warble under load, but at the same time is free from the nasty vibrations that plague some other three-cylinder-powered vehicles.
Like the remainder of the range, the entry model’s five-speed manual transmission is positive and well weighted, though some may baulk at the shifter’s mechanical feel. The pedal box is suitably weighted and well spaced, meaning even taller drivers should feel at home behind the go-kart-like steering wheel.
The go-kart feel doesn’t end there, either. Due to its low fat diet, the base 208 feels lighter on its feet than the 1.6-litre models tested previously, and is noticeably more responsive to steering input; the front wheels communicate freely with the driver.
That said, the car did lose tyre grip on Portugal’s damp mountain roads long before the chassis surrendered. It is obvious this is a fault of the low rolling resistance OEM tyres and not the car’s dynamic abilities -- the slide and subsequent lift-off oversteer even catching the stability control system unawares.
208 Active 1.2 VTi uses the same pseudo-Mac Pherson strut (front) / deformable cross-member (rear) suspension arangement as the remainder of the 208 range, but receives disc/drum combination brakes measuring 266 x 22mm (disc) at the front and 203mm (drum) at the rear. Up-spec models receive all-wheel disc brakes.
It’s the first time Peugeot has used an in-house developed three-cylinder in its production vehicles, though the formula is not alien to the brand [Toyota-sourced 1.0-litre models have been used previously]. The new all-aluminium engine benefits from an exhaust manifold integrated into the cylinder head to save weight. It also uses variable valve timing on both the inlet and exhaust camshafts and a variable capacity oil pump to further improve efficiency. Fuel consumption is rated at 4.5L/100km on the NEDC combined cycle while emitting just 104g/km of CO2.
The model tested will become the entry-level 208 upon its release in Australia this October. It is likely to be priced identically to the outgoing entry-level 207 at $18,990. The Australian market will not receive the low output (50kW/95Nm), 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol 208 variants offered in its home market.
Peugeot 208 1.2 VTi models will be offered from launch with a five-speed manual transmission only. An automated transmission with follow early in 2013.
For more information on the new Peugeot 208, visit our international launch review
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Written byMatt Brogan
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Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
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