The Peugeot e-208 and 208 \ gets a small nip and tuck but it has been missing in Malaysia for this generation.
When it comes to fun little hatchbacks, few can deny that the Europeans are masters of the genre. The French in particular have had a long history with sub-compact hatchbacks with strong design elements and fun-to-drive attributes often missing in the ‘econobox’ category. For awhile, Malaysians got treated to this in the form of the Ford Fiesta and the Peugeot 208 – but both of these have been dropped due to poor market reception as pricing is out of the hands of local distributors.
That being said, our hopes for a comeback of the Peugeot 208 could just be rekindled. Over the weekend we heard that the B-segment hatchback had been given a refresh for 2024. What’s more relevant though is the e-208, the electric-powered variant of the 208. That model too will be getting a facelift and we can’t help but wonder if Bermaz sees a case for such a vehicle in Malaysia.
Update To Keep European Appeal Strong
The Peugeot 208 in this generation has been a major hit in Europe, taking the sales crown from the Volkswagen Golf despite being a size smaller.
The new 208 and e-208 get very similar updates with this facelift as the 2008 and e-2008 models, which are essentially crossover versions of this hatchback. The changes include:
- Use of the redesigned Peugeot emblems
- More dramatised three-claw signature that extends into the bumper
- A new grille pattern with body-coloured accents
- New 16″ and 17″ alloy wheel designs
- Basalt Grey Peugeot badges and Blue and White “E” badges
- 10″ infotainment as standard
- New instrument cluster design with 3D effect on GT model
- Ambient lighting for GT model
- New manual shift knob for GT model
- Black Alcantara upholstery with Adamite Green stitching available on GT
- Extra USB ports
- Faster wireless charging pad (15W)
- Higher definition parking cameras
Case For the Peugeot e-208 in Malaysia?
It’s tough to say if there’s a case for the e-208 in Malaysia. Bermaz has already shown the e-2008 to the public on a few occasions, which shows they are very interested in bringing in an electric option for Peugeot.
The Peugeot e-208 gets a 154bhp electric motor that takes power from a 51kWh battery which gives it about 400km of range. Charging can be done with with a 7.4kW single-phase charger or an optional 11kW three-phase charger. 100kW Fast Charging is available, allowing 20% to 80% charging in under 25 minutes.
That’s about where the industry standard is at the moment, though some makes can offer up to 500km under RM200,000.
What do you think of the E-208? Would it be a great way for Malaysians to experience French hatchbacks again? Perhaps the only way a French hatchback could be presented as a decent value option in the Malaysian market?
