Mini Cooper vs Peugeot 208

What's the difference?

It’s reassuring to realise that the British-built Mini’s German masters have not stood still over the past eight years.

This second facelift of the third-generation Cooper three-door hatch has freshened up the appearance on the outside, improved the look inside and provided a refined yet dynamic driving experience that fits in with the British brand’s reputation.

But the real shock is how reasonably priced the Classic Plus package is, especially when you consider that the Mini provides a truly unique proposition that’s backed by reassuringly high-quality BMW engineering.

A Cooper offering decent value-for-money? In 20 years, that’s certainly a first worth celebrating.   

The 208 GT-Line is hardly a car purchased on its value offering; it’s an emotional purchase. Fans of the brand know it, even Peugeot knows it.

Here’s the thing, though, the GT-Line looks the part, is true-to-its-roots in how fun it is to drive, and will surprise most with its spacious dimensions and decent spec level. So, while it might be an emotional buy, it’s not necessarily a bad one.

Yes, even after all these years. After all, BMW’s Mini has been more successful commercially than BMC’s original ever managed, primarily due to a massive uptake in the United States and China.

You can see why. The pert bug-eyed looks, frameless doors, chunky cabin, circular interior themes and, of course, the reputation put it in a unique place amongst today’s far more homogenised small car alternatives.

Interestingly, the most recent update in early 2021 has resulted in a sleek and more-focused look that moves away from the over-the-top caricature of previous iterations, though the black band around the nose cone might take some getting used to. Even the OTT Union Jack tail-light LEDs seem toned down.

And, like we said, there’s nothing like it on the market anymore. Once upon a time, close (if not exactly direct) opponents included the Alfa Romeo Mito, Audi A3 three-door, Honda CR-Z, Hyundai Veloster, Peugeot 208 GTi, Volkswagen Beetle… but they’re all gone.

It might not be for you, but I had come around to the 208’s design by the time I handed the keys back. It’s a bit more upright and frumpy than the slick, conservative design of the Volkswagen Polo, or the swish, cutting-edge lines of the Mazda2.

It’s undeniably a European city car in its short and upright stance, but blazes its own path, even compared to French competitors. I grew quite fond of its weird, slopey bonnet, unconventional face and tough rear wheel arches. The way the rear light clusters clasp the rear to bring the design together is quite satisfying, as are the aluminium-brush alloys, recessed lights and the single chrome tailpipe.

It could be argued that this is a path well-travelled, with this 208 mirroring the design cues of the 207 that came before it, but I’d argue it holds its own, even in 2019. If you’re after something radically different, the styling on its replacement, due next year, is one to look out for.

On the inside, things are… unique.

There are cushy, deep seats for front occupants, with a super vertical dash design, leading up from the deep-set shifter (an older look) to the top-mounted media screen, which is slick, with its chrome bezel and lack of buttons.

The steering wheel is awesome. It’s tiny, strongly contoured and covered in nice leather trim. Its small, almost oval shape is super satisfying to wrangle, and enhances the way you interact with the front wheels.

What is extra strange about it is how far separated it is from the dash cluster. The dials are perched way atop the dash in a layout Peugeot refers to as the ‘iCockpit’. This is all very cool and aesthetic and French if you’re my height (182cm), but if you’re particularly short or particularly tall, the wheel begins to obscure vital information.

Other strange things about the cabin mainly involve little bits of plastic of varying quality strewn about the place. While the overall look is very cool, there are some odd bits of chrome trim and hollow black plastics about that probably don’t need to be there.

From the moment you open the light yet solid front door, it’s obvious that the Mini is a different type of small car.

The frameless doors give it a hardtop feel, though it’s a shame the necessary thick B-pillar doesn’t allow for the rear windows to find down for a truly ‘60s American hardtop-style open side experience.

The Classic Plus’ standard front seats are a highlight. Superbly supportive and with extensive adjustment permutations so even taller and heftier folk can find the right position, they help create a snug yet not cramped environment, with a low, focused driving position that’s easy to get comfy behind thanks to endless column and seat adjustability. One does peer over that bulky dashtop though.

The 5.0-inch black-panel instrumentation redesign does much to reduce the old Mini tweeness inside, with motorcycle-style digitised analogue-look dials and fresh new graphics and functionality (with new ‘favourites’ shortcuts added) for the rectangular centre multimedia screen. Based on BMW’s excellent iDrive system, it’s all easy and intuitive to operate.

However, that dash is looking old and messy now, with its small letter-box screen and messy buttons, though the toggle switchgear is pleasant to operate and adds to the Mini’s sense of occasion too. The kerbside mirror won’t automatically dip in reverse, and Android Auto users aren’t accommodated like Apple CarPlay users are.

Still, storage is sufficient for most peoples’ needs as long as the things they need put away aren’t too large, backed up by a foldable armrest-cum-cubby and handy pair of big cupholders ahead of the gear lever – which is an ex-BMW design that takes a minute to get used to but works just fine.

For a three-door four-seater coupe, practicality is better than you might imagine, aided by good all-round vision and thoughtful packaging.

Access to the rear is obviously not going to be the Hatch’s easiest party trick, but a single-action lift-up latch that slides and automatically returns the front seat back to the original spot helps enormously. It’s not too much of a struggle sliding between seat and pillar as well.

Once sat out back, you’ll find a firm but inviting bench and backrest (for two), a pair of cupholders and map pockets, a trio of cupholders as well as elbow rests incorporated into the side panels. All double up as receptacles for odds and ends. Lots of glass and those upright pillars impart a surprisingly spacious feel.

Speaking of back-seat room, because it’s only a two-seater configuration, there’s a welcome amount of acreage for elbows, shoulders and bottoms, while legroom isn’t too bad for a 178cm adult sat behind themselves. There’s nothing cramped or oppressive in the Classic Plus we’re in, save perhaps for the endless black trim.

However, betraying the F56 Cooper’s age, while the front centre-armrest sited smartphone charger is accessible to rear-seat occupants, there are no USB ports of any variety or overhead lighting in this sunroof-equipped example. Nor will you find a folding centre armrest or overhead grab handles. In fact, the latter is only provided for the front-seat passenger.

Also, keep in mind that passengers cannot crack a window back there. 

Further back, a can of goo in lieu of a spare wheel means the boot floor is deeper than you might imagine, with a small compartment below the second floor for added hidden storage. Beyond that, it’s an F56 Mini, so a 211L capacity and a pair of 60:40-folding backrests into the cabin as your lot luggage-capacity wise.

If you want practicality Mini offers the F55 5DR Hatch (278L) or our favourite of the lot, the lovely Clubman with 360L. Or if you don’t mind your Mini looking like a gargoyle, the Countryman extends that again to between 405L and 450L depending on rear-seat position.

The 208 hit me with some surprises here. Firstly, don’t drink and drive this car. And, by that I mean, don’t even begin to think you’ll find a good spot for a decently sized coffee. There are two cupholders under the dash; they are about an inch deep, and narrow enough to accommodate maybe a piccolo latte. Place anything else in there and you’re asking for a spillage.

There’s also an odd little trench there that barely fits a phone, and a top-box arm-rest thing that’s tiny and bound to the driver’s seat. The glovebox is large and also air-conditioned.

The front seats offer heaps of room, though, for arms, head and especially legs, and there is no shortage of soft surfaces for elbows.

The back seat was also a surprise. I was expecting it to be an afterthought, as it is in many cars this size, but the 208 delivers, with excellent matching seat trim and generous legroom.

Sadly, that’s where back-seat amenities end. There are tiny trenches in the door, but no air vents or cupholders. You’ll have to make do with just the pockets on the backs of the front seats.

Don’t be fooled by the 208’s cropped rear, the boot is deep and grants a surprising 311 litres to the shelf, and maxes out a 1152L with the second row folded down. Also surprising  is the inclusion of a full-size steel spare, stashed under the floor.

This Peugeot is never going to be as cheap as a Mazda2 or Suzuki Swift. The current range spans from $21,990 for the base Active to $26,990 for the GT-Line, and that’s all before on-road costs.

Safe to say you’re looking at a $30k hatch then. For the same money you could be hopping into a decently specified Hyundai i30, Toyota Corolla or Mazda3, but Peugeot bank on the fact that this car appeals to a special kind of customer; the emotional buyer.

Perhaps they had a Peugeot in the past. Perhaps the quirky styling calls out to them. But they aren’t interested in value… per se.

So do you at least get a decent standard spec? The GT-Line comes with a 7.0-inch multimedia touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, built-in sat-nav, 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped in some seriously low-profile Michelin Pilot Sport rubber, panoramic fixed glass roof, dual-zone climate control, self-parking function, front and rear parking sensors with a reversing camera, rain sensing wipers, sports bucket seats, auto folding mirrors and GT-Line specific chrome styling touches.

Not bad. The styling is certainly turned up a notch over the regular 208 range and the spec list makes it one of the better-equipped cars in the segment. However, there are some notable omissions which hurt on a car at this price. For example, there’s no option for push-start or LED headlamps.

Safety is okay, but it could use update. More on that in the safety section.

One of the stronger petrol engine families of the last decade is BMW’s B-series modular in-line units, in B38 1.2-litre and 1.5-litre three-cylinder, B48 2.0-litre four-cylinder and B58 3.0-litre six-cylinder formats.

The Cooper uses the B38A15M1, meaning a 1499cc 1.5-litre three-pot turbo featuring an aluminium block and head, a twin-scroll turbocharger, direct injection, variable valve lift (Valvetronic) and variable valve timing (Double VANOS).

It pumps 100kW of power at a peaky 6500rpm and 220Nm of torque from just 1480rpm to 4100rpm ­– enough for a 0-100km/h dash time of 8.2 seconds on the way to a 210km/h top speed.

Mounted transversely, it drives the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) dubbed Steptronic in Mini-speak – a switch from earlier F56 examples from a few years back that used a six-speed torque-converter auto. The floor shifter has the typically-BMW back for up/forward for down shift pattern. For paddle shifters you need to step up to the Cooper S with the B48 2.0-litre engine.

The Mini’s UKL1 platform (Untere Klasse, German for ‘lower class’) modular architecture is spread between the F55 (5DR), F56 (3DR) and F57 (Convertible) models, and employs MacPherson-style struts up front and a multi-link rear end. A longer version of this also underpins the larger Mini Clubman and Countryman as well as BMW’s 1 Series, 2 Series (not coupe and convertible), X1 and X2.

The regular (that’s non-GTi) 208s are offered with just one engine now. A 1.2-litre turbo petrol three-cylinder, which produces 81kW/205Nm. While that doesn’t sound like an awful lot, it turns out to be plenty for the little 1070kg hatch.

Unlike some notable French manufacturers, Peugeot has seen the light and dumped single-clutch automatics (aka automated manuals) in favour of a six-speed torque converter auto, which does its best to have you not notice it.

It also has a stop-start system, which might save fuel (I couldn’t objectively prove that it did) but will definitely annoy you at the lights.

Running on 95 RON premium unleaded petrol, our Cooper managed a worthy 7.1L/100km in a fairly demanding mix of heavy urban commuting traffic and higher-speed performance testing. The trip computer was showing high-6s, so it wasn’t far off the truth.

The official figure should average out at 5.6L/100km, for a carbon dioxide emissions rating of 128 grams per kilometre. With a 44L fuel tank, the potential range-average is 785km.

The claimed/combined fuel number for the 208 GT-Line is a slightly unrealistic-sounding 4.5L/100km. Sure enough, after a week of city/highway combined driving, I produced a number of 7.4L/100km. So, a solid miss. Slightly less-enthusiastic driving should see that number drop, but I still don’t see how you could get it down to 4.5L/100km.

The 208 requires a minimum of 95RON mid-range fuel, and has a 50-litre tank.

In a word, feisty.

Though only a three-pot turbo, the charming B38 1.5-litre engine is one of the best of the breed, offering a broad performance spectrum that allows it to rev cleanly and pull strongly all the way to the 7000rpm limit.

Additionally, the auto shuffles between its seven forward ratios seamlessly, for super-smooth progress.

However, around town, there is the usual momentary DCT hesitation from standstill, which can be quite frustrating if you’re in a hurry. Once that and the turbo wakes up, the Cooper will surge ahead with impressive determination, but instantaneous acceleration isn’t in this Mini’s repertoire. The previous, old six-speed torque-converter auto was far more immediate to throttle inputs.  

Note that selecting Sport in the drive mode kicks things along a little more urgently. As such, and at this price point, we’d like to see a pair of paddle shifters to add to that experience, especially now as there’s no manual gearbox on offer. The 'Green' eco mode, on the other hand, throttles things back to a slightly more leisurely pace to conserve fuel.

Minis are renowned for their direct steering and sharp handling, and the Cooper doesn’t disappoint.

At parking speeds, there’s heaps of electric assistance to make manoeuvring about easy – and don’t forget about the standard park assist system to lend a helping hand here – while out on the open road, the flat, precise and confident cornering imparts a wonderful sense of security and connection with the road that, for keener driver, is worth the price of entry alone.

Never nervous, yet always alive in your hands. Assisted by grippy Goodyear Eagle 205/45R17 rubber, you feel the expensive engineering going on underneath to keep everything in order and precisely where the driver needs the car to be. Even when caned along.

But… you also feel the at-times firm ride over the ragged urban streetscapes that Coopers will undoubtedly traverse most days, though it isn’t as abrupt or choppy as in previous iterations with this-sized wheel/tyre package. Plus, coarse bitumen surfaces make for a fair amount of road noise intrusion at times.

That said, if your regular commute takes in fresh, smooth roads, then the Mini shines.

If all this sounds awfully familiar, then keep in mind that the Cooper is very much a baby BMW in behaviour as well as demeanour.

The 208 is good fun, and lives up to its heritage of making the most of its lightweight dimensions and small figure to make for an agile city-slicker. The engine outputs might look like just any other hatch in this class, but the turbo comes on nice and strong in an impressively linear fashion.

It makes for reliable and strong acceleration, with the peak 205Nm of torque available at 1500rpm.

A featherweight at 1070kg, you’ll find no complaints from me about its performance. It’s no GTi, but it will still be warm enough for most.

Despite its upright figure, handling is fantastic, too. The low-profile Michelins feel planted at the front and back, and, unlike the GTi, you never really feel at risk of understeer or wheelspin.

This is all enhanced by the intense helm, with the small steering wheel giving it a thoroughly engaging feel. You can chuck this car into corners and down alleyways with enthusiasm, and it feels like it loves it as much as you do.

The suspension is stiff, especially at the rear, and the low-profile rubber makes it noisy on coarse-chip surfaces, but you’ll barely hear a peep out of the little engine. Other notable downsides include the slow-to-react stop-start system (which you can turn off) and the lack of active cruise, which would be nice at this price.

On the topic of active cruise, this car is showing its age in the safety department. Available active safety is limited to a camera-based city-speed auto emergency braking system (AEB). The lack of a radar, even optionally, means no active cruise or freeway-speed AEB. There’s also no option for blind-spot monitoring (BSM), lane-departure warning (LDW) or lane-keep assist (LKAS).

Sure, we’re talking about a car which largely dates back to 2012, but you can get cars a full size up with all those features for close to the same money from Korea and Japan.

On the more impressive side, you get an above-average set of six airbags, seatbelt pre-tensioners and rear ISOFIX child-seat mounting points, as well as the expected set of electronic braking and stability aids. A reversing camera is also now standard.

The 208 previously held a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from 2012, but that rating is limited to four-cylinder variants, which have since been phased out. Three-cylinder cars remain un-rated.

Like BMW, Mini offers a three-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, which trails Mercedes-Benz’s five years and behind the seven-year unconditional warranty pioneered by Kia. A three-year roadside assistance package is also included.

Additionally, the car tells the owner/driver when it needs servicing, meaning it is condition-based rather than time-based scheduling. In the UK, it is generally recommended every 12 months or 10,000km is a good rule of thumb, just to be safe.

Owners can also purchase a five-year/80,000km service plan to help save money.

Peugeot offers a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty on its entire range of passenger cars, which is up-to-date and in-line with most segment competitors.

The 208 requires servicing at yearly or 15,000km intervals (whichever occurs first) and has a fixed price to the length of the warranty.

Servicing is not cheap, with yearly visits costing between $397 and $621, although there’s nothing on the optional extras list, that price is all-inclusive.

Total cost over the five-year period is $2406 for an (expensive) average of $481.20 a year.