Peugeot e-208 reliability & safety
The electric Peugeot 208 has good safety equipment, although others fare better in crash tests and there’s no space-saver spare wheel
| Euro NCAP | Adult protection | Child protection | Safety assist |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 stars (2019) | 91% | 86% | 71% |
The Peugeot e-208’s four-star official Euro NCAP crash-test rating looks low compared to others, but keep in mind it was tested under the latest and most stringent Euro NCAP crash-test rules, while many rivals were tested under an earlier iteration. Weak points included pedestrian safety.
Peugeot e-208 reliability & problems
It’s hard to comment on reliability given that the e-208 is brand new, from the batteries to the platform and motor. However, as a rule, electric cars are very reliable given that the motor has far fewer moving parts than a petrol or diesel engine.
Peugeot fared well in the latest 2020 Driver Power satisfaction survey, finishing eighth overall – in a long list of 30 manufacturers. What's more, the previous-generation 208, which is now approaching a decade old, finished a very respectable 44th in the rundown of the top 75 cars.
Safety
There’s a host of standard driver aids on the e-208, including autonomous emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance and traffic-sign recognition that beams the relevant speed limit onto your dials.
However, you do have to go for GT Line or GT trim to get upgraded autonomous emergency braking that uses radar rather than a camera-based sensor, and which can respond to a cyclist or pedestrian as well as a vehicle. You also only get adaptive cruise control as standard on the GT trim – it’s optional on the GT Line.
It’s a shame that you can’t get a space-saver wheel (there isn’t room in the boot, as the batteries take up too much space). Finally, standard full LED lights on the top two trims promise great night vision.
