Peugeot 208 goes for light-car jugular
French importer shows true aggression with the pricing of its updated 208 range. There’s a new six-speed auto as wellPeugeot will slash its entry-level pricing to face off against all contenders in the light-car segment with the “most accessible price point ever for a Peugeot” by tagging its base-model 208 Access at $15,990 pre on-road costs.
The appropriately-named Access sits squarely in the middle of the light class where it competes directly on pre-ORC prices with the likes of Hyundai Accent ($14,990), Toyota Yaris ($14,990), Volkswagen Polo ($16,990), Mazda2 ($14,990) and Kia Rio ($15,990).
Previously, the cheapest Peugeot 208 was the Active five-door hatch which started at $19,990 pre on-road costs. The new Access model, in five-speed manual-transmission form, is powered by Peugeot’s normally aspirated 60kW 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine.
The new, redesigned 208 range also comes with a new six-speed Aisin automatic transmission which replaces the previous four-speed box and, in the Access model, teams up with a more powerful 81kW 1.2-litre turbo engine variant to still slip below the $20,000 barrier with a pre-ORCs price of $18,990.
The aggressive pricing approach continues across the 208 range, with the auto-only Active variant tagged at $21,990, the next-step Allure at $$25,990, the sporty GT-Line at $27,490 and the punchy, six-speed manual-transmission GTi at $30,990.
Active city-braking safety technology is available as a $500 option, in conjunction with a rear-view camera, from Allure upwards, while sat-nav doesn’t make an appearance until the Active version, where it’s a $1250 option.
Understandably, the 208 Access is a bit light-on for options with only the six-speed auto transmission and metallic paint making an appearance.
The new 208 range also includes a sporty-look GT-Line that brings much of the gear seen on the top-spec 153kW/300Nm GTi, but with the less powerful 81kW/205Nm 1.2-litre PureTech turbo auto-transmission drivetrain.
The top-shelf three-door GTi will come dressed with 17-inch alloy wheels, a body kit and a tricked-up interior containing half-nappa leather, half mesh cloth sports seats
According to Peugeot Australia’s General Manager, John Statari, “Our compact segment range is the strongest and most competitive it has been in years.”
Peugeot 208 prices (pre-ORC)
Access manual - $15,990
Access automatic - $18,990
Active - $21,990
Allure - $25,990
GT-Line - $27,990
GTi - $30,990
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