Peugeot 208 GTI: The affordable everyday hero car

OK, SO affordable is relative here, but bear with me as I give you a rundown of the 208 GTi’s merits: few cars below P2 million offer as much pace, fun, performance and practicality as the cute Pug.

Previously, when we think affordable performance car, we always fall towards Japanese offerings: the dearly departed Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, or Subaru’s WRX and STI rally replicas.

We’ve also seen Korean offerings from Hyundai (the Genesis coupe and the turbocharged Veloster hatchback which recently hit the market), and the Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ twins.

I’d like to mention the Honda CR-Z, but sadly, Honda is axing the hybrid coupe in August this year. If’ you’re a fan, hurry up and snatch one now from your Honda dealership!

But back to the Peugeot. It seems like the French have finally decided to get serious once again.

The 208 GTi is roughly 165 kilograms lighter than its predecessor, and offers more interior room as well.

The interior room adds more practicality, whereas the loss in weight aids fuel consumption and exhaust emissions, meeting Euro V standards where the necessary fuel is available, and also significantly helps performance: acceleration, braking, cornering and responsiveness.

Power comes from Peugeot’s 1.6-liter 16-valve direct injected twin-cam THP (turbo high pressure) Prince engine producing 200 horsepower and 275 Newton-meters of torque, sending it to the front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission.

This is the same family of engines co-developed with BMW-MINI, and used in the previous generation MINI Cooper line.

THE PEUGEOT 208 GTi’s balance of power, grip and suspension means few cars can live with it.

The 208 GTi is underpinned up front by conventional Macpherson struts, whereas the rear has a more sophisticated multi-link design.

Gone is the small-sized Peugeot GTi’s predilection for lift-off oversteer. In its stead is now a reliable grip that comes in vast amounts.

But if you are so inclined, turn off the traction/stability control, do a quick scandy-flick on throttle, jump off the gas, and turn in, and yes, there’s still a decent amount of tail-happy antics, but nowhere near that of its predecessors.

The interior is a nice place to be. Big, comfy and very supportive seats, a light and snappy clutch pedal which encourages quick shifting, slightly soft but well-modulated brakes for on-track hooliganism, and a long-travel pedal which helps meter the power as evenly as possible, despite the sudden slug of torque that the 1.6 THP mill delivers at times.

Complaints? The i-cockpit instrument cluster is horribly bad: you can’t see the gauges due to their position relative to the small but thick-rimmed steering wheel. The 3-spoke wheel itself is small, a good size given the type of driving the 208 GTi urges you to do, but the thick rim is somewhat difficult to hold and handle. I myself have fat fingers so it makes it a tad less easy to come to grips with it during manic driving.

The suspension is well-sorted. It’s not as firm as a MINI’s (the Peugeot’s natural enemy) or as bouncy as an Audi A1 (another of the 208’s rivals, but not exactly that of the GTi), yet still properly European firm.

It swallows big bumps with aplomb, but the small road irregularities do permeate into the cabin, a reminder that you’re driving a performance variant of what is otherwise a small family hatchback from Europe.

So, why is it an affordable hero car, you might ask? Find a proper winding stretch of road, such as the roads around the infamous Tanayburgring in Rizal, or the Naval Reserve Area in Subic  heading out to the Morong gate—or perhaps the ultimate challenge, going up to Baguio via Kennon Road.

The Peugeot 208 GTi’s balance of power, grip and suspension means few cars can live with it. It’s fast, but not overly so, and the 17-inch wheels and tires plus the suspension are both pliant enough to tackle rough surfaces yet retain massive body control to regulate unnecessary movement.

THE PEUGEOT 208 GTi’s balance of power, grip and suspension means few cars can live with it.

The brakes are more than enough to reign in the lightweight 1160-kg Peugeot to a complete standstill with ease while offering fade-free performance.

And yet the latest 208 GTi has dual airbags, ABS brakes, traction/stability control, a sophisticated digital radio, rear parking sensors plus other modern niceties in a body that meets 5-star ratings at the Euro NCAP safety assessment.

Indeed, the wonders of modern technology have helped enthusiasts greatly!

On these same roads, a traditional RWD sports car will be lairy at best, a mega HP all-wheel drive car like a GTR will be limited by its uber-stiff suspension and mega HP output, and an exotic will scrape its underbelly and ding its wheels in these conditions. Add some water (nee rain), and these mega-peso sportscars are like wet chicks scurrying for cover.

For the Peugeot 208 GTi, it just opens up another level of showboating.

On the highway, despite the its short wheelbase, the Peugeot makes for a decent long distance tourer, albeit one that seems easily affected by crosswinds.

Be careful when driving fast on the Skyway or SCTEx with this one as you will feel it being pushed, which could be a disconcerting sensation for the uninitiated.

The 208 GTi is truly a driver’s car. You really feel like you’re the latest Sebastian Loeb-driving god/legend/hero behind the wheel of the 208 GTi.

Sure the engine feels flat at the upper end as Peugeot had to limit the power potential on the 208 GTi to make room for its big brother 308 GTi which uses the same engine.

There’s noticeable torque-steer which becomes alarming on slippery roads, the gear-change isn’t rifle-bolt precise like a Mazda or Honda, let alone a BMW or Porsche.

And while the interior is a nice departure from the usual Japanese norm, it’s not that much of a change to land it in Audi/BMW/Mercedes-Benz/Jaguar territory just yet.

Sure, the black leather with red stitching and perforated sections ooze something quote exotic, plus the rubber-dotted aluminum pedals look so racy too.

But the overall dash architecture isn’t as refined as the premium brands, and the quality of materials used is still closer to mass market than premium.

But that is missing the point. The 208 GTi is meant to offer fun, performance and practicality at a price-point seemingly unheard of.

The Asians are indeed cheaper, but the Peugeot brings with it a certain charm and air of nobility/confidence/arrogance (depending on how you look at it) that you will never find in an Asian-made car.

Fast, fun, rare, European—and all things considered, relatively affordable. The Peugeot 208 GTi is truly one of the greats.