Johannesburg - Peugeot has re-entered the budget hatchback market in South Africa with the 108, which goes head to head in a hotly contested part of the market.
The little French hatch goes up against the likes of Kia’s Picanto, Volkswagen’s Up and the Toyota Aygo, with which it shares a platform, and for now there’s only one model option called the 1.0 Active, and it’s priced at R179 900.
The Peugeot is both compact and light, measuring just 3.47 metres in length and 1.62m in width, with a luggage capacity listed at 227 litres, and the car tips the scales at a mere 840kg. This makes the job a little easier for the 1-litre normally aspirated three-cylinder engine, which produces 53kW and 93Nm. At this stage only a five-speed manual gearbox is available.
The 108 is generously appointed, both in terms of comfort and safety. In addition to ESP stability control and ABS, it also has six airbags, including curtain level bags which are a rarity in this class.
The 108 Active also ships with a touchscreen entertainment system as standard, which offers both Bluetooth and MirrorLink connectivity. The latter is compatible with AppInCar, Android, RIM and Windows devices.
Also included in the price is air conditioning, multi-function steering wheel, electric front windows, height-adjustable driver’s seat and central locking.
On the outside, the 108 is fitted with LED daytime running lights and also gets full colour coding as well as 14-inch steel wheels with plastic covers.
The car is covered by a service plan and warranty, both of which are valid for five years or 100 000km.