Skip advert
Advertisement

Peugeot 208 GTi and GTi by Peugeot Sport review - a return to 205 GTi form? - Peugeot 208 GTi Design

The Peugeot 208 GTI trying to channel the spirit of its seminal predecessor, the original 205 GTI. Does the latest hot hatch get close?

Evo rating
RRP
from £19,515
  • Best Peugeot hot hatchbacks in years; fast and involving
  • Ford Fiesta ST runs it very close

The 208 has become quite a familiar shape on UK roads, but it’s not an unattractive one and both GTis feature all the appropriate hot hatch addenda – lower bumpers, large wheels (18 inches in this case) and striking colour schemes.

Most striking of all is the Peugeot Sport’s ‘Coupe Franche’ paintwork. Inspired by the dividing line on Peugeot’s copper and carbonfibre Onyx concept from 2012, the cut is designed to create a triangle shape at the back of the car – hence the seemingly random location of the paint divide.

On the 208 you get a matt-black, textured finish to the front of the car, and a bright red to the rear. It’s an acquired taste, but will undoubtedly become a defining feature when looking back on the car in years to come.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Elsewhere there’s a checkered flag motif to the front grille, and on the Peugeot Sport there’s appropriate branding on the 205 GTi-style ‘soap dish’ trim element that trails the rear side windows.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Volkswagen XL1 (2013) review – Bugatti-level engineering aimed at MPG not MPH
Volkswagen XL1 – front
Reviews

Volkswagen XL1 (2013) review – Bugatti-level engineering aimed at MPG not MPH

Another hair-brained Piëch passion project, the XL1 is shot through with hypercar engineering, all to an end of saving fuel
16 May 2025
Best French cars – the greatest performance cars from France, past and present
Best French cars
Best cars

Best French cars – the greatest performance cars from France, past and present

From hot hatches to sports cars, none do light weight, delicate and danceable quite like the French
16 May 2025
Mercedes-AMG GT 2025 review – is it now a match for the Porsche 911?
Mercedes-AMG GT – front
In-depth reviews

Mercedes-AMG GT 2025 review – is it now a match for the Porsche 911?

A sophisticated new chassis, up to 805bhp and a more practical cabin provides the AMG GT with everything it needs to take on the best in the business …
16 May 2025