DESCRIPTION

The Peugeot 108 is the French brands entry-level offering and while its not exactly fresh on the scene (its cousin, the Toyota Aygo has been available in South Africa since 2015; theyre produced in the same plant in the Czech Republic), it represents a reasonably affordable budget car in a chic city-car package. Under the bonnet, we find the tried-and-tested 1.0-litre naturally-aspirated 3-cylinder motor. It produces a fair 53 kW and 93 Nm, which may not sound like much, but in a small car with a low kerb weight (Peugeot claims 840 kg), you dont really need a larger-capacity engine. Weve sampled this engine in the Toyota Aygo previously and we noted that it offered sufficient grunt. Speaking of which, fuel economy is one of the best things about this compact Peugeot. While the claim of 4.3 L/100 km is a bit far-fetched, we regularly saw indicated figures of under 6 L/100 km, which we think is more than fair. At best, we spotted a 5.3 on the trip computer. The 1.0 Active delivers an acceptable ride and handling balance; its softer suspension setup and 165/65 14-inch alloys soaked up most of the road imperfections we encountered during the 108s tenure in our fleet. Once youve settled at a moderate cruising speed, the Peugeots engine note settles down appreciably and the steering action is always light and direct. The 108s compact size means it can take gaps in traffic that larger cars cant or shouldnt and, thanks to generous rearward visibility.