PEUGEOT 208 test drive 5 doors since 2012 Hatchback
Peugeot 208. With a Russian accent
Peugeot 208. Price: from 499,000 p. On sale: since March 2013
Which one is with a diesel engine? First of all, I asked at the underground parking lot of the hotel, where there were several new 208s with Moscow rooms. And, having received the key to the right car, he began to configure the seat and steering wheel for himself. The standard procedure would have turned out to be a failure if on the eve of a press conference we were not told how the component of the car’s cabin looks from now on. The small steering wheel is low, the dashboard above it, and next to the right hand, in the center of the passenger compartment, a multimedia system with a 7 -inch sensory display, which is responsible for music, navigation, telephone and an on -board computer, rises. There will be practically no machines without a large screen, it is around it that the entire geometry of the salon is built. Design and style is what attracts the young audience, namely, they were primarily aimed at Peugeot marketers. The popularity of diesel engines in our country is growing from year to year. 1.6 HDI 92 l. With. Paired with a mechanical box provides the same dynamics as the 1.6vti gasoline 120 liters. With. With a machine gun. Of course, this is the merit of a record in the line of motors of the moment of 230 nm. For economical admirers of gasoline engines there is a choice of two power units 1.0 and 1.2, 68 and 82 liters. With. Accordingly, both are offered only with mechanics. Drive through the streets of Bratislava is not much different from movement in any European city. Dynamic starts from a traffic light and relatively low speed. In such modes, the 208th does not cause any problems. The sound of the engine into the salon almost does not penetrate, the tandem of the diesel and the mechanical box works very consistently. 
The differences in the design of the three- and five-door versions are quite harmonious for each modification. As by order for Russian journalists, the day before our arrival in the capital of Slovakia, snow fell. The anti -operating system makes itself felt by the diode to blink on the dashboard, while the behavior of the car remains absolutely stable. Unless, more intelligible feedback of the steering would not prevent the electric power steering from the steering wheel. The roads of Slovakia for a test drive were selected for two reasons: firstly, at the PSA factory, a hero of our test is produced in Trnava, and secondly, there are one of the most beautiful castles in Europe around Bratislava. Yes, and small cities on the way from the castle to the castle are worth it to turn off the highway. 
The stylistics of the rear lights makes the car bright and recognizable. The three of us left the hotel, and the five -door modification came in handy three -door always seemed to me less convenient to use. But in the case of the 208th, it is worth dwelling on this in more detail. The fact is that the design of two machines is different with general style. The main differences in stamping on the doors are small differences in the front bumers. At the same time, the choice of the buyer will remain his personal preference and will not be based on the price: the difference of 10,000 rubles between 3- and 5 -door versions is unlikely to be decisive. Meanwhile, the city streets are replaced by a highway, now and then on both sides of the road wind power plants flash, as if emphasizing the desire of Slovaks for innovation and care for the ecology. To join the stream, overtake, move at high speed to all this power is enough, and the noise level does not force the music to be louder. With rapid movement, the car behaves quite worthy, it is the merit of the grown wheelbase, which, in addition, made it possible to increase the volume of the cabin, even with a decrease in the total length of the car. It seems that it seems that you are driving a class higher by car, driving is quite comfortable in the absence of buildup. The maximum speed of 185 km/h for the city car is more than sufficient, however, when approaching the maximum wiper, I would like more stability, the steering wheel is poured with weight, unfortunately, without adding accuracy of reactions. 
Daytime running lights make the 208th model recognizable in the stream. We notice the trench coat from afar. Even at the entrance to the city, it is clearly visible, since it stands on the mountain. Medieval builders did everything possible to limit the access of uninvited guests inside the fortified walls. But we appeared at the invitation and with good intentions, so we decided to get inside at all costs. There are two ways: you can leave the car below on the city square and stomp up the steep staircase with wooden steps or use an equally steep narrow path that stretches upstairs parallel to that stairs. True, passing by the box office of the box office at the next fortress gates, I doubted the legality of the second path. But to retreat late. There is nowhere to turn around, and the path that is becoming cooler, wider than the car is only a few centimeters. But the engine does not fail here either: despite the snow porridge on top of the slippery paving stones, you can dose traction without allowing slipping. 
Many will like restraint in the design of the dashboard. 
Due to the increased wheeled base, driving long distances does not bother. 
The steering wheel mowed in the lower sector helps when landing. The screen of the multimedia system is attractive. After lunch for the purity of the experiment, we transplant to a car with a gasoline engine and an automatic transmission. For lovers of automatic boxes, only gasoline 1.6 VTI is currently available. The four -speed automatic machine is also familiar to us according to the 206 model, however, it was significantly finalized both structurally and programably, they worked on the firmware to improve dynamic indicators. The mountain road leading to the next castle turned out to be in handy: here you can evaluate the operation of the suspension and a ligament of the engine with a machine gun. When there are more turns, I turn on the sports mode of the box, but more out of curiosity than necessary. The engine speeds in each gear increase, but the sound in the cabin becomes more annoying. No, such a ride is no longer pleasing. In normal mode, you can go not much slower, but clearly calmer both to me and my passengers. In addition, on narrow roads, the quality of the coating is much worse and another feature of the suspension is manifested: collected and quiet on a good coating, it responds with a loud thump on potholes on the asphalt. 
Two types of finishes are available for the salon: a fabric with colored inserts or a leather for 50,000 rubles. The adaptation package for the Russian market, in addition to the metallic protection of the crankcase, includes heating the washer nozzles and another principle of fluid supply, which reduces its consumption by three times. Despite the fact that all day there was little snow and the roads were constantly dirty, the liquid did not end with intense use, and the side glasses remained relatively clean. It is only a shame that the Russian accent does not include a package for bad roads. It seems that Peugeot, before starting the design of 208, asked for a question, what can we do?, What does the buyer want to get?. Bright design, stylish salon, screen, reminiscent of a tablet of one notorious fruit company? All this is, when ordering navigation, there are even two USB ports, probably so that, showing photos from one flash drive, you can listen to music from the second. So it turned out a certain quintessence of wishes, which will certainly find its consumer. Production of the PSA Peugeot Citroen plant, where PEUGEOT 208 has been produced since 2012, is located in the Slovak city of Trnava. This is a full -cycle plant with their stamping and coloring workshops. Before painting, all the bodies pass the galvanizing stage. On one conveyor tape, Peugeot 208 and the Citroen C3 Picasso are collected. The average age of working at the plant is 34 years. This coincides with the age of the main target group of consumers. More than 60% of employees have been working at the enterprise for a long time, there are many social programs for them: from assistance in buying housing and cars to encouraging a healthy lifestyle, conducting sports events with the involvement of family members. The result of such a policy was that the plant in Trnava was one of the best in the PSA concern in the quality of products. 
The automatic lever looks somewhat archaic. Our verdict is a new French model with a current design will attract, first of all, people who are accustomed to stand out from the total mass for whom innovative products are more important than the size of the body. Competition in the small class is very strong, which, of course, is only on the hands of customers. Advantages and disadvantages + attractive design, good basic equipment starting with Active configuration, widely personalized possibilities, a large trunk. - The loud work of the suspension on bumps, the front seats are comfortable, but without a pronounced lumbar support. Driving manageability is well balanced for urban driving, does not tire even when moving along the highway. The salon’s interior will appeal to lovers of everything new. Comfort comfortable riding is overshadowed by the sound of the suspension on bumps. Safety 6 airbags, ESP, ABS+Afu+Ref provided the new model of 5 euro ncap stars. The price of a machine provided for a test costs 665,000 rubles. We love do not like great two USB ports are much more necessary than a CD player, which is available only as an option. Conveniently, the windows buttons with an automatic mode is a trifle, but pleasant. Practically, with the installed children's chair, the opportunity to fold part of the back of the rear row seats remains. Technical characteristics of the dimensions 3962x1739x1460 mm base 2538 mm Equipped mass 1080 kg full weight 1625 kg clearance 129 mm 129 mm volume 311 liter volume of the fuel tank 50 liters of diesel engine, 1560 cm3, 92/4000 l. s./min-1, 230/1750 Nm/min-1 mechanical transmission, 5-speed dynamics 182 km/h; 10.8 C to 100 km/h fuel consumption 4.3 l/100 km in mix. Cycle competitors Opel Corsa, Skoda Fabia, Ford Fiesta, Volkswagen Polo Source: Magazine 5 wheel [March 2013]
