The 208 is an underrated supermini in a sea of rather faceless small cars. It’s no secret Peugeot has its own way of doing things, and the 208 makes no exception to that rule. In Black Edition form, the subcompact hatchback gets even better.
Despite its name, the Black Edition is available in more than just Nera Black. The color palette is completed by Bianca White and Hurricane Grey. On the visual front, all paint jobs are offset by 16-inch Titane gloss black alloys that are beautified with white laser engraving. The equalizer grille with 3D details also sports a black finisher, a treatment also carried by the door mirror caps.
Once inside, the 208 Black Edition doesn’t woo you with anything. It’s just a 208 with a nice level of specification, with the dashboard dominated by a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The latter boasts DAB Digital Radio, Bluetooth connectivity, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and MirrorLink as well.
Expected to become the key model in the United Kingdom for the 208 three-door range, the Black Edition carries an on-the-road price of £14,595. That’s OK-ish considering the configuration and what hides under the hood. For this model, Peugeot decided on the 1.2-liter PureTech three-cylinder engine with 82 PS (81 hp) and 118 Nm (87 lb-ft), which is mated to a five-speed manual.
Before you boo and hiss, bear in mind the least exciting variant of the five-door starts from £14,000, the GT Line from £17,000, and the 208 GTi hot hatchback from £22,900. The 208 Black Edition, then, is that rare sort of specially appointed econobox that actually makes sense financial-wise.
It’s also set apart by Catie Munnings, the first female British driver to win a European rally title in almost half of century. She did so with the race-ready Peugeot 208 R2 as part of the Sainteloc Junior Rally Team. And here she is today, a brand ambassador for the French auto company’s UK operations.
“I think the Peugeot 208 Black Edition is a brilliant car," commented Catie. "It looks and feels great and I really think its sporting appeal sets it apart.”
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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