Peugeot 208 GT-Line 2016 Long-term review - 3

Peugeot 208 GT-Line
Long-Term Test (Update #2)

Little but lovely, Peugeot's 208 GT-Line blends sporty performance and handling with high-spec packaging and a high level of interior trim. With its three-cylinder, 1.2-litre PureTech turbo-petrol engine offering 81kW and 205Nm, it's a compact package with plenty of go, although it is hampered by relatively thirsty fuel economy and a hefty (for this category) $28,990 (plus on-road costs) price tag.

The diminutive Peugeot 208 GT-Line wouldn't be first choice for many for family transport, but that's exactly the role into which it was recently pressed when a visit to friends in central Victoria beckoned.

It's a smart-looking city runabout on the outside, more at home squeezing into inner-city car spaces or navigating multi-storey carparks, but opening the doors reveals a surprisingly luxurious level of interior trim.

With my command, "And keep your feet off the seats!" ringing in my two sons' ears – one aged six, the other eight – and the present for yet another kid's birthday party safely stowed in the boot, my family of four was off and soon settling in for the ride.

To be fair, the process didn't take long. There's plenty of room in the back for two youngsters and there were no complaints from my wife in the passenger seat. It took me a little longer, however, to find the right position in the driver's seat – I'm not a fan of the headrest and I did feel a little cramped, although at 188cm tall the 208 GT-Line probably wasn't designed with the likes of me in mind.

The seating itself is a sumptuous, leather-accented affair, with the red contrast stitching really creating a classy visual allure. It's augmented by the piano black armrests with red striping, and indeed the small leather-wrapped sports steering wheel, again with red stitching.

The dash continues the stylish theme, with a tasteful and quality assembly of dark plastics of various textures, more piano black and chrome highlights. It really all looks very attractive, and a cut above what most would expect from this niche.

After finding my way around the 208's various controls I soon felt very much at home – everything is a short stretch away, including the central touchscreen multimedia display with its large, easy-to-hit buttons.

I'm a big fan of the cruise control too, with everything located on a dedicated panel off the left of the steering column.

The armrest is in just the right spot for cruising down the highway but it is, as previously pointed out in Ken Gratton's introduction to the model, in the way when reaching for the handbrake.

It's no big issue to push it out of the way – we're talking first-world problems here – and it does at least have a nifty internal storage cavity.

Performance from the little 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol is lively; as soon as the tacho touches 2000rpm it takes off and pulls quite strongly through to its 6250rpm redline. The six-speed auto flicks through its ratios quickly and cleanly, and in general this is a fun little beastie to throw around.

To that end its handling is also sporty, to the extent that it's actually pretty firm with one person in the car. Driven solo, I found the 208's springs transmitted plenty of little bumps and dips, but with the entire family along for the ride a lot of this road rash smoothed out.

The engine emits quite a low-pitched growl – something else I wasn't expecting from a small-capacity city car – while there is quite a lot of road noise at highway speeds, especially over coarse-chip surfaces.

Drowning out that din is an altogether more palatable one: the 208 GT-Line's stereo system produces quality sound that won't readily distort – even when you pump the volume in an attempt to distract the two kids belting each other in the back seat…

The 208 GT-Line is equipped with an idle-stop system but when the engine fires back into life the car tends to lurch forward a touch. It's a bit annoying really, but probably more disconcerting when, at T-junctions, the car with right-of-way misconstrues that lurch as you beginning to pull out in front of them. The system can be switched off, thankfully.

Other niggles? Only one. Filling the car up to the brim would bring the fuel gauge needle level with one calibration below that indicating a full tank. Stuff like that irks me. Oh, and while on the subject of fuel, this little pocket rocket will only slurp 95 RON PULP or better.

After 600 kilometres or so of predominantly highway running the 208 GT-Line returned an average fuel economy of 7.0L/100km. I guess that's not too bad with a full load on board, but I was still expecting a little better from a small engine largely held on cruise control. Still, that's the price you pay for the fun factor when you bury your right foot…

There simply isn't the luggage space for easy interstate trips for a family of four, but this outing amply proved Peugeot's 208 GT-Line is more than a one-trick pony. While it will always call the city home, this is one compact car that will handle family day trips with ease – and in comfort and no small degree of style.

Related reading:
Peugeot 208 GT-Line Long-Term Introduction
Peugeot 208 GT-Line Long-Term Update #1
Peugeot 208 GT-Line Video
Peugeot 208 v Skoda Fabia v Suzuki Baleno Comparison Test