Earlier this year, the Peugeot 205 GTi was elected the best hot hatch in history by AutoCar and PistonHeads.com. This election boosted the confidence of Peugeot and opened the way for auto enthusiasts to look with even better eyes for its sports cars. Thirty years later – the Peugeot 205 GTi was released in 1984 – we have the latest French hot hatch: The Peugeot 208 GTi by Peugeot Sport. It still looks good, has great fuel economy, it’s practical, drives great and it’s fun. In conclusion, those are the 5 things I love about this car.
Those Peugeot 208 GTi by Peugeot Sport Looks
Most of all, the first thing I love about the 208 GTi is the looks. Peugeot Sport nailed it in black and red paint, side skirts and black 18 inch wheels. In the front, the subtle red on the grille and the LED daytime running lights gives a sporty touch to it. Inside, you have red floor mats and grey sport seats with red stitching. The steering is small and great to handle, and the red lighting around the dials enhances my passion for the Peugeot 208 GTi.
Fast With Low Fuel Consumption
The second thing I love about the 208 GTi is that you have a hatchback, which drives fast, but it has a low fuel consumption when you compare it to similar sport cars. This lightweight car makes 52.3 mp/g, and the 1.6 THP engine’s CO2 checks at 125 g/km. The annual road tax is £110 after the first year, which is free.
Highly Practical Features
Although it’s a sport version of the Peugeot 208, it doesn’t lose its practical value. Yeah, it’s a 3-door car, but it has enough space for two adults in the back seat. It has dual zone AC, touch screen multimedia system, rear parking aid, cruise control with speed limiter option. After all, you have a hot car to have fun with and to drive from point A to B just like a normal vehicle.
Driver’s Car
The fourth thing I love about this car is that you actually have fun driving it. The impression you get from it is that it’s begging you to drive it, as soon as you get inside. You can turn the traction control off and the steering is neat. The sound you get from the exhaust pipes compels you to want to break the sound barrier. Also, with it being a small car, it makes you feel like you’re going faster than it actually is.
6-Speed Manual
The gearbox is a 6-speed manual managing the power to the front wheels. The Peugeot 208 GTi has a limited-slip differential, and that’s what controls how much the wheels spins, also when it comes to handling there’s little understeering.
1.6 Litre Turbo High Pressure Engine
Save the best for last. I decided to talk about the ”heart” and what ultimate reason it gives us to drive it on the last paragraph. Peugeot put a 1.6-litre Turbo High Pressure engine, AKA THP, that delivers 208 PS at 5800 rpm and 300 Nm of torque, available from 1750 rpm. This hot hatch goes from 0-60 in 6.5 seconds with the maximum speed peaking at 143 mph. These are the five things I love about the 208 Gti, and it costs £19,145.
