Peugeot 208 History
A sharper, lighter supermini with a 200-hp GTi and the award-winning e-208 electric variant.
Photo: “Mondial de l'Automobile 2012, Paris - France (8660368565).jpg” by Mic from Reading - Berkshire, United Kingdom / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0. Cropped to 16:9.
History
Launched in 2012, the Peugeot 208 was a deliberate return to the 205's formula — lighter than the 207, sharper to drive, and more boldly styled. The first generation's performance 208 GTi (2013–2018) used a 200-hp turbocharged 1.6-litre engine and earned strong enthusiast reviews.
A fully redesigned second generation arrived in 2019, introducing the e-208 battery-electric variant that won the European Car of the Year award for 2020 — the first electric car to take the prize. In 2025 Peugeot revealed the E-208 GTi, reviving the GTi badge on an all-electric platform.
Generations
First generation · A9
Photo: “Mondial de l'Automobile 2012, Paris - France (8660368565).jpg” by Mic from Reading - Berkshire, United Kingdom / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0. Cropped to 16:9.
A lighter, more driver-focused supermini; included the 200-hp 208 GTi hot hatch.
2012 Photo: “Mondial de l'Automobile 2012, Paris - France (8660368565).jpg” by Mic from Reading - Berkshire, United Kingdom / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0. Cropped to 16:9.
Second generation · P21
Photo: “2019 Peugeot 208 GT Line PureTech Automatic 1.2 Front.jpg” by Vauxford / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped to 16:9.
All-new platform with the award-winning e-208 electric variant (Car of the Year 2020).
2019 Photo: “2019 Peugeot 208 GT Line PureTech Automatic 1.2 Front.jpg” by Vauxford / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped to 16:9.
2020 Photo: “2020 Peugeot e-208 Allure Front.jpg” by Vauxford / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped to 16:9.
2024 Photo: “Peugeot 208 B facelift Automesse Ludwigsburg 2024 IMG 1527.jpg” by Alexander-93 / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped to 16:9.
Body styles
- Hatchback
Notable special editions & performance variants
208 GTi
First-generation performance model — 200 hp turbocharged 1.6-litre, in the tradition of the 205 and 306 GTI.
e-208
Battery-electric 208 — 136 hp (rising to 156 hp with updated versions); European Car of the Year 2020.
Related models
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