When Peugeot unveiled the all-new 208 earlier this
year at the Geneva Motor Show, the automotive press hailed it as a game
changer, with its bold styling receiving high praise.
It definitely looks spectacular for a supermini, but
buyers should know that lower-priced versions are way less impressive. You see,
automakers always display the high-end versions of their new models at auto
shows, and Peugeot is no exception.
The French automaker only showed the top versions,
such as the Allure, GT Line and e-208 exclusive GT in Geneva. As it turns out,
there is a good reason for that. Caradisiac has discovered what the base model
looks like by accessing Peugeot Belgium’s configurator – and while it’s
basically the same car, it’s far less impressive-looking.
In Belgium, the entry-level 208 grade is called
Like, but there’s not much to actually like about it. Gone are the black wheel
arch trims from the GT Line and GT, and the standard 15-inch steel rims with
hubcaps are probably the first thing you’ll want to replace if you care about
how your ride looks.
Unlike the range-topping versions, the 208 Like also
lacks painted door handles and mirror caps, and the trim piece connecting the
taillights is matte grey instead of gloss black. Of course you didn’t expect
LED lighting in a base supermini, did you? Good, because the standard model
comes with halogen headlights and Peugeot has even deleted the LED DRLs
replacing them with black plastic trim. Given that the new Renault Clio comes
with standard LED optics, this is one cost-cutting measure that could have been
avoided.
It’s the same story inside, although the base 208
retains the i-Cockpit layout. However, it features analog dials instead of a
fully-digital instrument panel and, more importantly, a tiny 5-inch touchscreen
instead of the 10-inch one found on high-end models. Elsewhere in the cabin,
there’s no ambient lighting and the door panels seem made
from hard plastic. There are no power windows switches for the
rear doors, no buttons on the steering wheel, and the piano keys on the center
console are black instead of silver.
