Peugeot 208 review - Reliability and safety

Peugeot has continued to make good progress with overall quality and reliability. Although the 208 is too new for it to be rated in our Driver Power customer satisfaction survey, its sister car, the 2008, finished 33rd out of 100 cars, in our 2019 poll. Peugeot also placed highly in our customer feedback on the best brands, coming 12th out of 30 manufacturers and beating the likes of Ford, Renault, SEAT and Volkswagen. 

The previous-generation 208 achieved a maximum five-star Euro NCAP safety rating, albeit under a less-stringent testing procedure. The new 208 has been awarded a four-star rating from the tougher new test, but you should still view the latest model in context as a definite move forward. 

All cars get six airbags, lane keeping assist, speed limit recognition and recommendation, tyre pressure monitors and stability control. Also included as standard is Peugeot’s Active Safety Brake (pedestrian) system, which is able to auto-activate the car’s braking at low speeds, if there is a risk of collision. The GT Line adds a night and cycling function to the active safety brake system, while the e-208 GT includes adaptive cruise control, lane positioning assist and blind spot monitoring.

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

Peugeot offers flexible service plans for up to five years, with various mileage options. All packages remain at a fixed cost for the duration of the plan and can be paid for either as a one-off sum, or monthly direct debit arrangement. An approved Peugeot service plan can be purchased up to 12 months after the car’s first registration date.