Styling
Visually, the 136hp model doesn't really give the game away in a comparison between it and the 101hp version - it has 'GT' badges on its C-pillars and a 'Hybrid' logo on the bootlid, but so would the lower-output variant if you spec that in the same finish - so in GT trim it's all about the black exterior detailing, 17-inch alloys and general tidy look of the 208 overall, which serve to bless the Peugeot with a good slug of kerb appeal. With the redesigned grille and triple-claw light signatures, it remains a smartly handsome thing to behold in this class, despite the fact this generation of the 208 is now six years old.
Interior
Again, on the inside, this is as per any other high-spec Peugeot 208 interior. This is mainly a good thing, as the GT's plush bucket seats team well with the beautifully built dashboard and generally attractive air of the cabin. The key aspect of any modern passenger compartment from the Lion, and whether you'll get on with it, is the i-Cockpit driving position. The small, low-set steering wheel and high-mounted, 3D instrument cluster (10 inches across the diagonal here) won't be to all tastes, but for this average-height reviewer the set-up works just fine. It'd be nice if the central 10-inch infotainment was a little sharper in terms of response rates and graphics, but both wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay can circumnavigate this minor issue anyway, while a wireless smartphone charging pad means that if you're using either mirroring system for the human-machine interface, at least your device's battery won't be utterly rinsed in the process.
Practicality
As with any other second-gen 208, including the fully electric model, the boot space here is a minimum of 309 litres, rising to 1,163 litres with the 60:40 split-folding rear seats tucked away. Those are ordinary rather than extraordinary numbers for the supermini class these days, and furthermore the rear-seat space in the 208 is average - there are better alternatives if you often carry taller passengers in the second row of your runaround.
Performance
The 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol in the 208 Hybrid 136 is augmented by a 21kW (29hp) e-motor and a tiny 0.4kWh battery pack. The difference between it and the 101hp model is an additional 35hp on top, plus a torque advantage of 25Nm (230Nm plays 205Nm). These numbers are enough to trim a huge 1.7 seconds off the 0-62mph time for the 136hp model, which in turn makes it the quickest 208 in the range. Yes, the E-208 has even bigger outputs, of 156hp and 260Nm, but it also weighs a considerable 227kg more than the Hybrid 136, so it's the latter which would win in a drag race to 62mph by a tenth-of-a-second.
And, in practice, this car is a delight to drive. Since we first drove this Stellantis hybrid powertrain in the
Citroen C5 Aircross a while back, big steps have been made in its refinement, even if the six-speed dual-clutch transmission remains shy of the slickest automatic-transmission standards of the day. To that end, we often find it's our preferred go-to powertrain in any model family it is installed in, and the 208 is no exception to this rule.
Peugeot doesn't officially position the resulting Hybrid 136 GT as a performance model in any way, shape or form - GT is simply a trim level, while 111hp/tonne is hardly road-ripping stuff - but the lovely, eager and linear way this 208 accelerates just makes it a pleasure to drive. It sounds good if you have to rev it high, the triple giving off an appealing thrum as all three-pots tend to do, and despite our earlier comments on its refinement, the gearbox proves itself to be largely amenable when switching cogs; it's only occasionally you can coerce it into the odd clunky shift or moment of dim-wittedness in relation to throttle inputs. Anyway, nice brakes and sharp accelerator feel ensure controlling your speed is a doddle, too.
And you don't even seem to pay a penalty with economy, either. We, um,
enthusiastically tested the Hybrid 136 GT for 156 miles of mixed-roads driving at a high average speed of 48mph, and it nevertheless gave back a mighty impressive 56.4mpg in such conditions. That means it strips away any of the range anxiety you might experience in the E-208, while also making the extra power look like a no-brainer against the 101hp/205Nm Hybrid one branch down the family tree.
Ride & Handling
This Mk2 208 has always been kinematically accomplished and capable, albeit not something that's out-and-out thrilling. The same is true of the Hybrid 136 GT version, but as there's just that bit more fizz to its drivetrain, there does feel like you get more reward from pushing the Peugeot closer to its dynamic limits when the mood takes you. Certainly, as a non-hot-hatch B-segment machine with a decent set of outputs to its name, the 208 GT with this powertrain feels every bit as good to drive, if not more so, than the old
Suzuki Swift Sport Hybrid did at the end of its life. And everyone always seemed to hold that Japanese car up as a warm-hatch yardstick.
Yet, again, it's good news on the flipside of the coin here, because the Hybrid 136 GT is by no means uncomfortable to travel in. There's a degree of tyre roar and modest wind noise when you're travelling at speed, but it's not often that the 17-inch alloys intrusively make themselves known by crashing through imperfections in the road. The 208 has generally supple and forgiving suspension, and conducts itself in a grown-up, assured manner that's most relaxing for longer-distance journeys.
Value
With some choice options fitted, our test Hybrid 136 GT was the wrong side of 31 grand. However, that price still compares well to the cheapest E-208 in Allure trim at £29,950, which is only available at that money because (at the time of writing) Peugeot is doing a special deal to fully incentivise people to trade in an ICE car for an EV. And you don't have to go beyond £30,000 with the Hybrid 136 GT to get a great supermini. In short, it's not a cheap car by any means, and this is one area you could make a strong argument for sticking with the 101hp Hybrid instead, but the Pug does feel like a truly class act for the money.
Verdict
It's not in the first flush of youth, but the Peugeot 208 continues to be one of the leaders of the B-segment class. This Hybrid 136 GT is discreet performance car of a sort, one with a well-balanced chassis and punchy drivetrain that will nevertheless not break the bank to run, seeing as it will do 50mpg-plus pretty much anywhere. Sure, the gearbox lacks ultimate polish and in this specification it's not the most affordable 208 in the range, but we happen to think it is - regardless of those last two facts - the best model in the French supermini's line-up.
