Peugeot 208 GTi Prestige

The Peugeot 208 GTi Prestige is the more lavishly equipped version of the French brand's hot hatchback. The 'Prestige' part of its name mainly comes down to the addition of some very desirable extras like satellite navigation, a panoramic roof and part-leather heated sports seats. That's on top of all of the little GTi details dotted inside and out the hot hatchback and performance parts like stiffer suspension and strong Brembo brakes.

Just like the standard GTi, the Prestige is fitted with a 208bhp 1.6-litre petrol engine. It's capable of launching the car from 0-62mph in just 6.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 143mph. That sub-seven second acceleration time means it shames sports cars like the Mazda MX-5 in terms of straight line speed.

Fuel economy is decent too; a claimed 52.3mpg is possible, which is around 5mpg more than a Renault Clio RS 220 Trophy or a Ford Fiesta ST. Carbon dioxide emissions of 125 grams per kilometre means that road tax is £110 per year - £20 cheaper than the Clio RS and Fiesta ST.

The 208 GTi has been sharpened since its introduction in 2013, due to a power increase, special edition models (like the 30th Anniversary version) and a facelift in the summer of 2015. These changes have kept the 208 GTi fresh and helped to shake off its reputation for being a little softer to drive compared to the Fiesta ST, but it still lags behind. The 208 GTi is still an impressively capable car, though, and one that is willing to excite you when you want it to - just not as much as the Ford will.

Good points

The 208 GTi Prestige might have sports suspension but ride quality doesn't suffer. Because of that, the hot hatchback is just as capable on a motorway cruise as it is on a B road.The GTi's better fuel economy and lower rate of annual road tax means it's cheaper to run than some of its rivals.The GTi Prestige is the only model in the whole of the 208's range that has a panoramic roof, sat nav and heated seats as standard, so it definitely lives up to its 'Prestige' title.

Bad points

The smaller wheel's placement is a little awkward. It might be a clever idea, but if you adjust it too low it can hit your knees. Adjust it too high and you can't read the dials clearly.The Ford Fiesta ST-3 is around £400 cheaper without any optional extras equipped and is a much more fun car to drive than the 208 GTi.The boot space on offer is small compared to other hot hatchbacks of a similar size. Both the Ford Fiesta ST and Renault Clio RS offer more total volume, if only by a handful of extra litres.

What you get

• Alloy wheels
• Folding rear seats
• Panoramic roof
• Electric folding wing mirrors
• Alarm
• Rear parking sensors
• Tyre pressure sensors
• Passenger & Driver airbag
• Front side airbags
• Curtain airbags
• Front fog lights
• Auto climate control
• Leather steering wheel
• Height adjustable driver's seat
• Heated front seats
• Front electric windows
• AUX stereo input
• DAB Radio
• Cruise control
• Sat nav
• Automatic wipers
• Sports suspension
• Part leather seats
• Sports seats
• Bluetooth

Recommended optional extras

• Metallic paint

Our choice

There's only one. A 208bhp 1.6-litre petrol engine that takes just 6.5 seconds to reach 62mph and is capable or returning up to a claimed 52.3mpg. Road tax is just £30, thanks to relatively low CO2 emissions of 125g/km.