Peugeot E-208 review
This stylish electric supermini has an upmarket cabin, but its high price dampens the appeal
Our opinion on the Peugeot E-208
Subtle upgrades have helped maintain the visual appeal of the Peugeot E-208 amid a barrage of newer rivals, but the small EV market has moved on since this car came out. It’s still sound enough to drive, has a premium cabin, and offers enough range for those who rarely venture out of town, but it’s increasingly tough to overlook its high price when compared with more capable rivals.
About the Peugeot E-208
Unlike the regular petrol or hybrid-powered Peugeot 208 supermini, the E-208 is all-electric. Launched in 2019 as the e-208, the brand’s smallest electric car was facelifted in 2023, when it became the E-208. Its closest rival is the Vauxhall Corsa Electric, with which it shares numerous Stellantis-sourced components.
We’ve lined up the facelifted Peugeot E-208 against a MINI Cooper Electric in a twin test in order to find the most appealing small EV. Although the little Peugeot returned respectable real-world efficiency and a healthy list of kit, we still came away thinking that the MINI is the better car due to its sharp handling, punchy performance and overall value.
Peugeot E-208 prices and latest deals
There are three trims to choose from with the Peugeot E-208: Allure, GT and GT Premium. Each comes with the choice of either a 134bhp electric motor and a 50kWh battery or a 154bhp electric motor and a 51kWh battery. Prices vary depending on your chosen combination, with the line-up starting from around £28,000 for an Allure with the 50kWh pack, while the GT Premium with the 51kWh battery commands close to £32,500.
Used - available now
Peugeot’s smallest EV is one of a selection of models that qualify for Band 2 of the Government's Electric Car Grant (ECG). This means a £1,500 is automatically applied during purchase.
If you're interested in getting yourself an E-208, we can help. Configure your ideal Peugeot E-208 now to get top offers from local dealers, check out the latest Peugeot E-208 leasing deals, or search for used Peugeot E-208 models with our Buy a Car service. You can even sell your existing car for a great price with Auto Express Sell my Car.
Performance & driving experience
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Even before the introduction of the more powerful 51kWh version, the E-208 was a well-sorted supermini. There’s decent compliance from the suspension around town, and plenty of instant punch to nip into gaps in the traffic.
In a bid to improve efficiency further, the amount of power the electric motor puts out depends upon which drive mode you’re using. The 51kWh version has enough shove in Normal mode for most situations, although stamping on the throttle will activate a ‘kickdown’ that overrides the settings and brings in the full 154bhp and 260Nm of torque. You pay a high price for choosing Eco mode, mind you; it detunes the motor down to 80bhp, and even with 180Nm of torque, you can feel this shortfall.
The 50kWh isn’t too far behind the 51kWh when it comes to power, with 134bhp and 300Nm of torque on tap. In truth, there’s very little difference between the 50kWh and 51kWh versions – the latter is actually slower to 62mph – so it all comes down to whether you need the additional range or the luxuries of the GT model.
| Model | Power | 0-62mph | Top speed |
| E-208 Allure 50kWh | 134bhp | 8.1 seconds | 93mph |
| E-208 GT 51kWh | 154bhp | 8.2 seconds | 93mph |
| E-208 GT Premium 51kWh | 154bhp | 8.2 seconds | 93mph |
Performance, 0-60mph acceleration and top speed
For the quickest sprint, you’ll actually want the more modestly powered 50kWh car because it’ll launch from 0-62mph in 8.1 seconds. That being said, the 51kWh manages it in 8.2 seconds, so the former won’t exactly be leaving the latter in it’s dust. Either way, the pace is steady rather than speedy.
Town driving, visibility and parking
The E-208 is in its element when pootling around town thanks to its light steering and tight turning circle. Unlike some EVs, the throttle is easy to modulate, so you aren’t constantly lurching in stop-start traffic. The suspension does suffer from a little bit of fidgeting at these sorts of speeds, but it’s perfectly tolerable.
Every E-208 gets front and rear parking sensors, but you’ll need to fork out £300 for the parking pack on Allure trim, or go for GT trim and above if you want a reversing camera. You’ll probably want to make this investment, because the back window isn't particularly large. We also found the rear view mirror to be a bit on the small side, so seeing behind us without using the camera did prove an issue at times.
Along with this, the windscreen pillars are rather chunky, and these, combined with remarkably wide B-pillars, made it difficult to see the other cars around us on more than one occasion. A blind spot warning system is part of the parking pack on Allure and GT trims (standard on GT Premium) to let you know of vehicles alongside you when you indicate to change lanes.
Country road driving and handling
On faster roads, the steering weights up a little inconsistently, and there’s a fair bit of body lean and head toss, but in general, the E-208 remains safe and predictable in bends. We wouldn’t say there’s much fun to be had here, though; this is not a car that really appreciates being chucked around. It does, however, have decent cruising comfort and a refined electric powertrain.
Motorway driving and long-distance comfort
That aforementioned refinement and comfort pay dividends when the Peugeot E-208 reaches a motorway. This is one of the better superminis you can buy for the purpose of taking on long journeys. However, road and powertrain noise do make themselves known.
“Step from the MINI Cooper Electric into the Peugeot, and on a twisty road the first thing that’ll strike you is that there’s quite a bit less grip in the 208. That’s more of a reflection of just how resolutely the MINI’s front end sticks to the road than it is a criticism of the Peugeot, though.” - Alex Ingram, former chief reviewer.
Range, charging & running costs
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The Peugeot E-208 has been available from launch with a 50kWh battery that can deliver a driving range of 225 miles on a combined cycle. In 2022, this was joined by a larger 51kWh battery that boosts the range to 268 miles between charging.
When we tested the GT model with a 51kWh battery against the MINI Cooper Electric, we saw an average efficiency of 4.3 miles per kWh, which equates to around 219 miles of range. The MINI, meanwhile, managed 4.5 miles per kWh from its 36.6kWh pack, returning around 165 miles - which was also some way below its official claim (190 miles).
The E-208 features 100kW DC charging as standard, so en-route recharges of 10 to 80 per cent should take around 30 minutes.Those using a typical 7.4kW home wallbox can fully recharge an E-208 in seven-and-a-half hours.
The E-208 is supplied with a Model 3 Type 2 cable for wallbox charging, but you’ll pay extra for the cable required for charging via a three-pin domestic plug socket. An 11kW three-phase on-board charger is also available as an option on all models, although this might not be worth having if you don’t have a three-phase electricity supply at home.
| Model | Battery size | Range | Insurance group |
| E-208 Allure 50kWh | 50kWh | 225 miles | 31 |
| E-208 GT 51kWh | 51kWh | 263 miles | 32 |
| E-208 GT Premium 51kWh | 51kWh | 261 miles | 32 |
Insurance groups
Despite its size, no variant of the Peugeot E-208 will bring particularly low insurance premiums, as the line-up sits in groups 31 to 32 (out of 50). Compare this with the Renault 5, which ranges between groups 18 and 22.
Tax
The revised £50,000 electric luxury car tax surcharge won’t be an issue here because even the range-topping E-208 ducks well below this threshold. Company car buyers can breathe an even bigger sigh of relief, because fully electric cars attract the very lowest Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax rates.
Depreciation
Our market data shows that the Peugeot E-208 EV is only expected to retain between 30 and 31 per cent of its original value after a period of three years or 36,000 miles, which is particularly dire when you consider its premium pricing.
The combustion-powered Peugeot 208 comes out much better than its zero-emission sibling here, as it manages 44 to 46 after the same length of time. Other electric superminis put on a much better show, too, with the Renault 5 holding on to 47 to 49 per cent.
Interior, design & technology
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Thanks to prices around the £35,000 mark, the Peugeot E-208 has to deliver a premium experience to justify its numbers, hence it has received upgrades designed to pile on features and keep it looking fresh.
The most obvious evolution is at the front, where the E-208 has been brought sharply into line with the Peugeot 308 and Peugeot 408. The ‘claw’ daytime-running-light motif remains, but it’s been pushed towards the edges of the car’s nose, making it appear wider. There’s a redesigned bumper, too, plus Peugeot’s updated logo and some flashes of body colour in the (flush) grille. These are worthy upgrades to our eyes, giving the car a slightly more aggressive appearance.
Interior and dashboard design
Peugeot’s i-Cockpit arrangement is as divisive as ever. With its tiny steering wheel and a driver’s display designed to be looked at over the wheel rather than through. It all takes quite a bit of getting used to and can be a dealbreaker for some buyers.
Materials and build quality
The materials chosen for the cabin are a prime example of the difference between perceived quality and structural quality. They generally looked smart enough to us in our GT test car, but the carbon-fibre weave-effect door panels and swathes of piano-black plastic don’t feel premium to the touch. There was a considerable disparity between the dashboard tolerances on either side of our car’s cabin, too – surprising on a car that’s been in production for several years.
Despite all of this, it’s still a slightly plusher environment in an E-208 than you’ll find in Vauxhall Corsa, and the materials are probably better resolved than they are in the likes of the BYD Dolphin or the MG4.
Infotainment, sat-nav and stereo
A 10-inch touchscreen is fitted to all post-facelift E-208s, along with a 10-inch digital instrument cluster. The GT and GT Premium also overlay projection-based 3D graphics onto the display.
The infotainment system is packed with features, but the menu system can be confusing at times, and it’s less intuitive than the units you’ll find in an equivalent electric Hyundai or Kia.
Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity are standard across the range, as is voice control and DAB radio. The GT Premium model is also equipped with a wireless charger for keeping your smartphone topped up on the move.
“Compared with the open, airy feeling you get from the MINI Cooper Electric’s interior, the Peugeot seems much more snug. The high dashboard line plays a large part in that, giving the impression that you’re sitting quite low, but in reality making it just slightly harder to see out.” - Alex Ingram, former chief reviewer.
Boot space & practicality
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The Peugeot E-208 offers a reasonable amount of boot space compared to some key players in the supermini sector, but it’s a long way from being a practicality class leader.
Dimensions and size
The Peugeot E-208 is ever so slightly shorter than the Vauxhall Corsa Electric with which it shares a platform, but it boasts the bigger boot of the two.
| Dimensions comparison | |||
| Model | Peugeot E-208 | Vauxhall Corsa Electric | Renault 5 |
| Length | 4,055mm | 4,060mm | 3,922mm |
| Width | 1,765mm | 1,765mm | 1,774mm |
| Height | 1,430mm | 1,430mm | 1,498mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,540mm | 2,540mm | 2,540mm |
| Boot space | 309 litres | 267 litres | 277 litres |
Seats & passenger space
Climb aboard the E-208, and you’re instantly reminded that this is one of the more compact superminis that’s devoted to stylish touches more than outright practicality. The header rail feels low as you slide into either of the front seats, and with our road testers’ ample frames, we felt like we were wearing the car instead of sitting in it, and had to pull the wheel out too far for our liking, just for it to clear our knees
Things are even more compromised in the back, where headroom, legroom and kneeroom are all tight for anyone over six feet tall.
Boot space
The boot is a respectable 309 litres, but this is achieved through a fairly high load lip, and there’s no space beneath the floor, so you’ll have to throw your shopping on top of the charging cables.
If you’re carrying something bulky, you can fold the rear seats flat to create up to 1,118 litres of luggage space.
“The five-door layout makes access easy, but once inside, the space isn’t as stark as the 208’s overall length might lead you to believe.” - Alex Ingram, former chief reviewer.
Reliability & safety
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The Peugeot 208 (the E-208’s combustion-powered twin) finished in 50th place out of 50 cars on the most recent Driver Power best cars to own scoreboard. While it’s no headline figure, the fact that it still made the grade means it’s clearly continuing to tick a few boxes with buyers.
The Peugeot brand is putting smiles on faces, too, as it wound up in a respectable seventh place out of 31 brands on the best manufacturer list. Vauxhall fared even better, though, in fourth place.
Less positive is the fact that the Peugeot 208 could only muster a four-star rating when it was tested by independent safety experts Euro NCAP in 2019, but due to the ever-increasing stringency of NCAP’s testing, this rating has now expired. However, it’s still important to be aware that the 208 was criticised for its poor whiplash protection for rear-seat passengers, and because a more advanced autonomous emergency braking system that recognises pedestrians and cyclists at night is reserved for GT trim and above.
On the plus side, all versions of the E-208 are equipped with six airbags, a speed limit recognition system to prevent you from breaking the law, lane-keeping assist to keep you in lane on a motorway, two Isofix points in the back, cruise control with speed limiter and tyre pressure monitoring. Unfortunately, blind spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control are only available as options, or reserved for the most expensive GT Premium model.
| Euro NCAP safety ratings | |
| Euro NCAP safety rating | Four stars (2019/expired) |
| Adult occupant protection | 91% |
| Child occupant protection | 86% |
| Vulnerable road user protection | 56% |
| Safety assist | 71% |
Buying and owning
- Best buy: Peugeot E-208 Allure 51kWh
While we wouldn’t go wandering too far up the trim-level list, we do think that it’s worth paying a bit extra to fit the larger 51kWh battery to the base Allure model. This way, the price is kept in check, but you’ll still get decent standard kit along with increased battery range. It’ll also be worthwhile adding the £300 parking pack for the benefit of a reversing camera and blind spot monitoring to aid your visibility, and a £400 heat pump will help preserve your driving range in colder weather.
Peugeot E-208 alternatives
Aside from the petrol and hybrid versions of the Peugeot 208, the E-208’s closest relation is the Vauxhall Corsa Electric. Both are similarly priced but the E-208 has a more upmarket feel and, although looks are subjective, a more eye-catching design.
A number of competitive electric superminis have arrived from other brands, though, including the retro Renault 5, the funky MINI Cooper Electric and the budget-conscious BYD Dolphin. There’s also a former Auto Express Car of the Year to consider, the Citroen e-C3.
Key updates of the Peugeot E-208 review
10 April 2026: Updated to include the latest trim level, pricing and powertrain information.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Peugeot E-208 is covered by a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty, and the battery pack is covered by a separate eight-year plan.
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