If French cars set your heart aflutter, and you're looking for something small, safe, and affordable, does Peugeot have a car for you?
The Peugeot 108 is the most affordable new Peugeot but only one derivative is currently available in South Africa: The Peugeot 1.0 Active at R219 900.
The Peugeot 108 is surprisingly well-equipped, considering where it competes in the market. It’s an entry-level hatchback and yet it has much in the way of tech and connectivity features. It also comes with a 5-year/100 000 km warranty and a 5-year/45 000 km service plan, which should put young drivers’ minds at ease.
It also happens to be one of SA’s safest small cars. Peugeot explains:
Out of a sample of 27 locally-available models tested from 16 different manufacturers, the Peugeot 108 received the highest safety rating of 110 points in the latest AA_ElVS Report 2020.
It was the only entry-level vehicle to include a curtain airbag, (the Peugeot 108 comes with 6 airbags). The Peugeot 108 is also the only vehicle to include all safety features considered in this report.
A representative of the AA agreed:
The Peugeot 108 would probably have obtained a higher score had it been crash tested, as these tests will not only improve the safety results of the cars but will also provide authoritative demonstrations of the vehicles’ safety levels.”
The Peugeot 108’s ultimate selling point is its strong safety credentials. It has plenty of clever safety technology and equipment as standard, including ABS, electronic stability control, six airbags hill start assist, and two ISOFIX child seat mounts as standard. All these safety features are supported by a sturdy frame.
The Peugeot 108 Active also sports a fashionable interior design with a 3.5-inch colour touchscreen and screen mirroring (Apple CarPlay and Android Auto). The rear seats can be folded flat you need to transport larger items.
Power figures from its 3-cylinder engine are rated at 53 kW and 93 Nm of torque, while fuel economy is a claimed 4.3 litres per 100 km. In my experience with the 108, my average consumption was around 5.3 litres per 100 km. The 108 has a top speed of 160 km/h and will reach 100 km/h from a standstill in 13.1 seconds.
Download a Peugeot 108 brochure here for more details.
Keyword: What is the cheapest Peugeot car?