So you’re interested in buying an electric vehicle? You can either go down the bespoke route and pick up a Zoe, a Leaf or an i3 or grab something off the shelf like, for example, the e-208 reviewed here.

All Peugeot have done – and this is put very simply so I can understand what I’m talking about – is stripped the internal combustion engine out and replaced it with a battery and an electric motor.

The only real external difference between the fossil fuel-powered and the battery-operated versions is the addition of discreet ‘e’ badging on the car’s rear haunches.

The e-208 is available in the same specifications as its combustion-engined siblings so you can pick one up in Active, Active Premium, Allure, Allure Premium, GT and GT Premium trims.

Climb inside then, and you’re greeted with the same well-thought out and well-built interior as you’d find across the rest of the range. The dashboard sports some pleasantly squishy materials as well as some pleasing to the eye – this eye, anyway carbonfibre-effect inserts that run across the full width of the fascia and flow into the door panels.

It doesn’t just share the good stuff with the rest of the range though, there’s also what, in this reviewer’s opinion, is the mildly irritating. I’m specifically referring to the driving position which – and this is the same in every Peugeot – is dictated by the French firm’s insistence on forcing you to view their iCockpit digital instrument binnacle over the steering wheel rather than through it.

Making the steering wheel smaller, as Peugeot have done, is supposed to help make things easier but it doesn’t matter what adjustments I make there is always a trade-off between comfort and visibility. In the end I settled with sacrificing the very bottom of the display, deciding that I could probably manage without sight of any information displayed there.

Allure Premium trim models and above are equipped with 3D instrument which places a second, transparent LCD display in front of the primary one. It looks very pretty and I found it easy to read (what I could see, anyway) but is it better than a standard set-up? And does that matter?

You can customise the display to prioritise sat nav maps, media info or other driving data to bring important information closer to hand.

Infotainment needs are served up via a seven-inch touchscreen but a 10in display is available as an option on Allure Premium and as standard on GT and GT premium trim. The graphics aren’t amazing and the screen can be a little slow to respond to inputs but both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included at no extra cost.

Once again, though, in an effort to declutter the cabin a manufacturer has buried the climate controls behind the menu on the touchscreen meaning that adjusting the cabin temperature on the go is a much fiddlier affair that it would be with physical controls.

Small though it is the 208 can comfortably accommodate taller passengers in the front. There’s ample head and legroom and the car is wide enough that occupants won’t be competing with one another for elbow room.

Rear-seat passengers are reasonably well catered for too. Legroom is reasonable and there is lots of room under the front seats for feet. There isn’t a huge amount of headroom but it’s comparable with and, in some cases better than, what you’ll find in some of the Peugeot’s rivals.

The rear doors are quite small which can make getting in and out rather more cumbersome than it might be but less awkward than clambering over the front seats which is what you would find yourself doing in some of its rivals like the Fiat 500 or Renault Zoe.

There’s a good amount of storage space onboard, including decent-sized door bins, a number of cubbies and a tray at the base of the dashboard. I probably shouldn’t be telling you this but just above that tray there is a secret compartment that houses the wireless charging pad for your phone, if you’ve opted for one.

Boot space in the e-208 is the same as the other models in the range. Carrying around a battery doesn’t compromise the amount of space available for your weekly shop. What you don’t get, however, is a handy height-adjustable floor.

The steering is accurate, weighting up nicely as you turn into bends, but there’s not much in the way of feedback. There’s noticeable body lean but the e-208 feels secure in faster corners and it offers plenty of grip.

Passengers are treated to a comfortable ride that’s only overwhelmed by sharper-edged imperfections that can send jolts crashing through the car. Refinement is very good. At motorways speeds the cabin is an oasis of calm and quiet such is the excellent job the 208 does at shielding occupants from wind and tyre roar.

The 45kWh battery powers a 134bhp electric motor that will launch the e-208 from zero to 62mpg in reasonably nippy 8.1 seconds. The official range is 217 miles on a full charge but you’re unlikely to get close to that in real world once you factor in small things like the need to stay warm (or cold).

The brakes – as is the case with all electric vehicles – harvest energy while the car is slowing down and send it back to the battery to top it up. Like most regenerative braking systems you’ll currently encounter the middle pedal feels a little woolly when you press it and that can make it hard to slow down the car smoothly.

The e-208 isn’t the cheapest EV and nor does it boast the greatest range, plus there’s that spongy brake pedal to contend with. However, it’s a good-looking car with a classy, premium-feeling interior, decent equipment levels and it’s reasonably engaging to drive.

It might not shine in any one particular area but as a total package the little Peugeot should force itself very close to the top of any shopping list.

Peugeot e-208 Allure

Price: £27,225*

As tested: £28,425

Battery: 50kWh 136

Transmission: Automatic electric drive with fixed gear ratio

Max power: 136bhp

Max torque: 260-300Nm

Max speed: 93mph

0-62mph: 8.1sec

EV range: 217 miles

*Government plug-in car grant included.

For more information visit www.peugeot.co.uk

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