Tested: Peugeot 208 GTI - A car worthy of its GTI Badge

These days if you want performance and handling for a certain price it would have to be the hot hatchback. These hot hatches were basically souped up versions of compact and supermini sized hatchbacks in either 3 or 5 door variants with added on bodykits, larger wheels and a more powerful engine. Gone were the days where affordable sportiness meant a coupe body. Ever since the first few hot hatchbacks arrived in the late 1970s and early 1980s, this was the way to go for affordable performance.

Peugeot was one of the early ones. They burst into the scene with the 205GTI in 1984. It was a stupendous car. It had a 1.6liter engine with 105hp in the beginning. This would not sound like much in current times but in those days, cars were pretty light. This was an era before airbags, side impact bars in the doors and other safety kit. So the 205GTi had around 900kgs to lug around. This still meant decent acceleration and performance. And at that point of time, 1.6liter family hatchbacks had an average of 95hp to begin with. So the 205GTI reigned supreme. It even liked to cock its inside rear wheel if one drove it vigourously in the bends. It was, a classic. Still is actually. I do wonder what happened to the few I used to see running around in the mid 1990s.

But it has been awhile since Peugeot has actually come up with a car worthy to succeed the 205GTI. The previous GTI made by Peugeots have been a tad bit pudgy. Filled up with too much croissants and foie gras to be nimble. Even the previous generation of the 308THP Turbo felt like it had too much french cuisine to feel properly fast and nimble. But I am actually glad to say that with the Peugeot 208GTI I tested recently that it's back.

The Peugeot 208GTI basically starts out as a normal 208 but adds a different front grille with a very slightly different front and rear bumpers to go with it. It also adds a rear rooftail spoiler and thin wheel arches which the normal models don't have. It also gets 17inch alloy wheels with 205/45/17 tyres on them. Aside from these, there are 'GTI' badges on the C-pillar and on its rump. Internally, it gets red to black plastic trimming, a leatherette covered dashboard with real red stitching, a sporty flat bottom tiny leather steering wheel and a nice chunky weighted gearknob for your manual shifting. The seats are like the 1.6VTI but covered in a GTI specific finish and are grippy yet comfortable too.

Internally, the car gets a turbocharged 1.6liter four cylinder engine coupled to a 6 speed manual gearbox. It gives out 200hp and a very useful 275nm torque. The chassis gets quite extensive mods such as a reinforced subrame up front, larger sized and retuned dampers, different springs (which only lower the car by 8mm unfortunately), larger anti-roll bars, larger brakes and a revised steering turn in rate to boot. Quite a fair bit has been done to the little Pug. Oh, the car is also pretty light. It weighs only 1160kg. A pretty impressive figure these days. Consider this weight with 200hp and things do get pretty interesting actually.

The interior is very well equipped. I think for the price Peugeot is charging – RM139,888otr with insurance, you get a premium feel interior, great front seats, a very useful touchscreen info-tainment system that sounds pretty good, a panoramic roof and parking sensors too. Being a 3 door hatchback also means two longer doors than usual. It is actually quite acceptable to get in or out from the rear seats as the seats slide forward and the longer doors help ingress and exiting.

When you get seated in the 208GTI you actually feel quite good. It feels upmarket compared to some other hatchbacks in the same price range and category. Build quality is pretty good but since its French, it does have its idiosyncrasies. Some of its fittings here and there could be done better. But compare this to any run of the mill Japanese hatchback, the Pug feels special. And also a bit whacked out too. Its the super small steering wheel and that above the steering wheel instrument cluster point of view. You have to get used to the size of the steering and then in the right place, it will block half of the digital speedometer reading, the rev counter above 6,200rpm (which is right at the redline) and speeds below 30kmh on the analog speedometer (see the pic right above - this is what I would see in the Pug with my upright seating and high up steering position actually). Only the French would be able to pass off a design like that and then try to get away with it. Other peeves are the still small glovebox due to the unwillingness of relocating the fusebox in right hand drive cars and the bonnet release on the left side of the car too.

Driving the 208 GTI

Anyway, you get comfy in the nicely scuplted seats and start up the car. Here it slightly disappoints. The engine and exhaust note feels slightly ordinary. The exhaust note is only slightly sportier than usual and can only be heard if you're outside of the car. If you're driving the 208GTI there is only a mere hint of sportiness in the engine or exhaust note. I suppose the 200hp and 275nm torque just wants to be felt and not heard.

But it does make itself felt on ways other than its exhaust note. In the sub RM150,000 price range I do not think any brand new car can touch the darn thing in all out acceleration. Peugeot claims 0-100kmh in 6.8seconds. I think they're just being conservative. I do believe I managed two or three runs with times at least in the low sixes. The engine feels linear and smooth most of the time. But from a standstill, it is really, really rapid for a supermini sized hot hatch. Stock Golf GTIs would actually be surprised if they were trying to follow one. The overall feel of the engine is compliant and tractable at all speeds. It isn't hard to drive in traffic and works well at all speeds. Yes, the only issue is that it does so pretty quietly. Like refined transport instead of hot hatchback noise. Not that it matters. I state again that I do not think any brand new car under RM150,000 can touch this car in a straight line. 

As for handling, the 208GTI is somewhat like its engine. Smooth and tuned for overall driving instead of just balls out driving. Maybe this is why Peugeot only dropped the car by 8mm. The ride is actually quite good for a hot hatch. It isn't as jiggly as some of the others in its class and actually rides better than the base 208 sold here. That one feels light, floaty and glides over bumps instead of absorbing is a little. Well sorted in terms of ride but the price to pay is in its ultimate grip and handling. 

Whilst the 208GTI handles 200hp quite well by not torque steering on most road surfaces on acceleration, it steering suffers from being a little darty. Maybe its the small size of the wheel and the slightly lack of feedback through the wheel. If you really push the 208GTI through a corner it will actually run wide with understeer and when you feed in more steering, or try adjust on the throttle, it will react by wagging its tail (and cocking that inside rear wheel). It isn't just any nose led hatchback out there. So its a very good thing even though IT could basically use more front end grip ultimately. But once you get the hang of it progress made in one can be very rapid especially with the performance given by the engine.  

So aside from what was stated above, the car is bloody satisfying. I truly love the fact that Peugeot has packaged a very fast junior hatchback with a  premium looking interior, good ride, good equipment and only slightly flawed handling coupled with a price below RM140,000. Yes it does have some drawbacks but honestly, I am drawn by the engine performance it gives me even though it does not sound like it and it may have some front end grip issues (which I believe could be solved with custom alignment and better tyres). This is the first French hatchback that I have truly fallen for in a long long time. In fact, I don't really remember falling for any in a long time and no doubt, it is worthy of its GTI badge. (Do see below for a comparison between the Peugeot 208GTI and its rivals)

Pros:  Sorted ride, Engine gives good performance, very well equipped, premium looking interior, 
Cons: Understeers a bit early for my liking, smallish steering makes it slightly darty, small glovebox, quiet sounding for a hot hatch, that small steering wheel and compromised view of the instrument cluster 

Conclusion: Possibly the best overall packaged hot hatch under RM150,000 that money can buy. Worthy of its GTI badging.

Specifications
2015 Peugeot 208 GTI

Engine: 1598cc twin scroll high pressure (THP) turbocharged 4 cylinder 
Horsepower : 200bhp
Torque: 275nm @ 1700-4500rpm

Transmission: 6 speed manual
Weight: 1160kg

Max. Speed: 230kmh (claimed)
0-100kmh: 6.8seconds (claimed) 6.5seconds (tested)

Fuel Consumption: I averaged around  8.8ltr/100km in a combined cycle – 5.9litrs/100km claimed

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The Peugeot 208GTI vs its rivals


So would I buy this over its natural rivals like the Ford Fiesta ST, the Renault Clio 200RS or the Volkswagen Polo GTI.?

Yes, yes and yes. 

The Fiesta ST is by far the best handler here but it cost RM10,000 more (which is actually opposite as the Pug is more expensive than the Ford in the UK). It would give you the best in terms of outright handling and overall performance but its cabin is a tad more basic looking and less premium than the 208GTI. I could live without that 10% less of handling finesse for the extra (almost) 20hp in engine performance and that slightly more premium interior (for day to day driving) that the Pug would give me. Call me superficial and slightly cheap (as its RM10,000 cheaper to buy). But I like my creature comforts and powaaahhhhhhh more than just handling. At this price range mind you.

As for the Polo GTI, as stated before the car in isolation is good enough with its rorty sounding twincharged 1.4liter engine. It loses out badly on the handling stakes by being only slightly better than a stock 1.2TSI. It should give more than this. I think when Volkswagen comes out with the face lifted and revamped 1.8liter Polo GTI here then things may get better for this car.

The Clio RS? Well, you get the same 200hp and in Dual Clutch form. It costs over RM170,000 in terms of list pricing. How much can they cut off?RM30,000? Note that you could get the others with at least RM6,000-10,000 minimum too. Too overpriced in my opinion. Too many electronics and less driver interaction too.

And so, unlike what most motoring journos over in the UK or Europe say, I choose the Peugeot 208GTI as my favourite junior hot hatch by the thinnest of margins.......for the moment that is.