The new Peugeot 108 takes small car versatility to a new level.
With a raft of enhancements over its predecessor, the popular 107, the new 108 is a perfect runabout that is user-friendly for day-to-day motoring.
New exterior styling, a chic ‘about town’ character, and the choice of a cabrio model with an electric fabric roof for the first time, make the Peugeot 108 a small car of distinction. Add in an ultra-modern interior plus a huge range of personalisation options inside and out, and the 108 simply oozes appeal. It arrives in Ireland this autumn.
At 3,470mm bumper to bumper, the car is 40mm longer than its predecessor. The overall width remains the same (1,630mm ), while the maximum roof height is 10mm lower (1,460mm ). Available in three and five-door body styles, the 108’s cabin space is almost identical to the outgoing model with generous space for up to four occupants. Where it is larger is in the boot, with a sizeable improvement in usable space, now boasting 196 litres up from 139 litres. The boot sill is 20mm lower for easier loading. Cabin storage has been upgraded; the passenger-side lidded glove box includes a horizontal cut-out section, designed to take a one-litre bottle.
The goal of Peugeot 108 design director, Ivo Groen, was to give the car a more premium and sophisticated feel, supporting the Peugeot brand’s move upmarket and helping differentiate the 108 from its siblings, the Citroen C1 and Toyota Aygo.
Groen explained: “The 107 had a very cab-forward ‘mono-volume’ silhouette, which at launch in 2005 was very modern. We wanted to give the 108 more of a nose and the powerful feeling that comes with that. We wanted to reduce the glass and increase the sculpting of the body, and at the same time give it a timeless elegance.”
The 108’s nose adopts the Peugeot floating front grille and lion-claw rear lamps, mirroring that of its big sisters, the 208, 2008 and 308. All of the car’s extra length is at the front, improving its impact-protection credentials.
The grille is flanked by advanced bi-focal projector lamp headlights, which, of the three sibling models (C1 and Aygo ), are unique to Peugeot. The hi-tech unit is one of the most compact automotive light clusters available on any car today. Similar technology can be seen on the Peugeot 3008 hybrid, illustrating how premium components from the brand’s larger vehicles are now appearing on its smallest model.
A sporty roof spoiler is standard across the range and houses the high-level brake light. This design feature also helps improve the car’s aerodynamic performance; the Cd value has come down from 0.34 on the 107 to 0.29 on the 108.
