Peugeot 208 (2012-2019) review - Reliability and Safety

Peugeot has long struggled to shake off its reputation for flaky quality and poor reliability, but it has made big strides in terms of reliability in recent years.

While the 208 certainly feels more solidly built than its predecessor, some owners have reported electrical glitches, particularly with the infotainment system, and we've experienced problems with the infotainment system on test cars rebooting for no apparent reason. 

The 208 came 73rd out of 200 cars in the 2015 Driver Power Survey, with customers rating it highly for running costs and ride quality.

While the 208’s durability may be a concern, its safety credentials are top-notch. All cars get six airbags, a speed limiter, tyre pressure monitors and stability control, while Active City Brake is now available as a £250 option, reducing the risk of crashes at speeds up to 20mph. The 208 earned a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating, although the test was conducted back in 2012, and the latest test regime is far tougher. 

Warranty

Peugeot’s warranty applies for three years, which is the industry standard. Some rival brands do offer more generous warranty lengths, including Toyota (five years), Hyundai (five years) and Kia (seven years). The fact that Peugeot applies no limit to the mileage covered makes it a definite cut above the norm, though. It’s possible to extend the warranty at extra cost.

Servicing

Most models in the 208 range have service intervals of 12,500 miles, which is about average for this type of car, but you’ll still need to do a service at least once a year to keep the warranty intact. Servicing plans are available to spread the cost on a month-by-month basis (although Peugeot's fixed-price maintenance scheme is more expensive than many rival plans).

If you’re financing your car through Peugeot, it offers a popular programme called ‘Just Add Fuel’ – a single monthly payment that covers all motoring costs such as routine servicing (but not wear parts), road tax, breakdown cover and even comprehensive insurance (provided you’re over a certain age, have had a licence for at two years and already have two years’ no claims discount). This runs over three years, and means you don’t have to think about any of the above items.