MOTORING NEWS - After an absence of a few years, the Peugeot 108 is back in South Africa and this elegant city car is a chic addition to the Garden Route's roads.
Hilton Cook, dealer principal of Peugeot Citroën George, is thrilled to welcome the sophisticated Peugeot 108 to their range.
The 108 gives Peugeot exposure in the entry level segment of the vehicle market, an area where Peugeot has been absent for the last three years.
Exterior
Typical of the Peugeot design, feline characteristics are emphasised in the 108. The little fangs in the lights ensure a distinct feline look. This is a compact car, and the designers left nothing to chance. The upmarket look includes chrome surrounds on the grill, xenon headlights featuring an LED strip, with two LEDs lower down, in the bumper. The side mirrors and bumpers are also colour coded, adding to the sleek upmarket appearance. The rear lights are shaped like three claws that appear to emerge from the bodywork. The design incorporates a high-level break light - a handy safety feature.
The Peugeot 108 has a beautiful design.
Interior
The chic, youthful design continues into the interior. The seats boast high-quality material and the front seats are height adjustable - a rare feature in entry level vehicles.
All controls are well placed and within easy reach. The 108 has a huge digital information panel behind the steering wheel that provides various forms of connectivity such as Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Mirror Link, depending on what phone you have. Control buttons on the steering wheel allow the driver to answer his or her phone and control the volume and the driving modes. This entry level vehicle has an automatic mono-zone air conditioning system that regulates and optimises cabin temperature, air flow rate, air distribution and air intake. For added comfort it has adjustable steering and many conveniently placed cup holders in the high-quality interior. USB and auxiliary sockets are situated in the centre console. The Peugeot 108 offers 230 litres of boot space that extends to about 700 litres with the seats folded down. An added nice-to-have is the full-size spare wheel.
The seats are covered in high-quality material and the front seats are height adjustable.
Safety aspects
The Peugeot 108 has six airbags and a Euro NCap 5-star rating - the highest a vehicle can score. The 108 also has EBD, ABS, EBA and stability control with hill start assist. It is one of the safest entry level vehicles in the market.
Engine
The Peugeot 108 is powered by a 1.0-litre PureTech engine that has been named International Engine of the Year for five consecutive years up to 2018.
The 3-cylinder, 53kW motor generates 93Nm of torque. It is also fuel efficient and has a proclaimed fuel usage of 5,2 litres per 100km. The vehicle weighs 840 kilograms, so in the Peugeot 108 we have a very capable engine ensuring excellent drive dynamics and great economy.
It has 230 litres of boot space and 700 litres with the seats down.
Driving
During my quick drive around town and on the highway, the 108 never lacked for power. The car quickly reached 120km/h and just wanted to go faster. The cabin is quiet, even at higher speeds, and the 108 handled like a dream. The gears changed smoothly ensuring a most enjoyable drive.
Pricing
The Peugeot 108 Active sells for R179 900 and includes a 5-year comprehensive
100 000km warranty plan as well as a 5-year 100 000km service plan - an excellent deal and one of the best buys in the A segment class. The Peugeot 108 is an economical, high quality vehicle with great design.
The big information panel gives access to various forms of connectivity.
If you are looking for a small vehicle, be sure to check out the 108.
Hilton Cook invites you to visit Peugeot Citroën George at 78 York Street for a first-hand experience of the new Peugeot 108. Contact them on 044 873 2582 | 044 873 2882 | 082 418 9000.
'We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news'
