Peugeot 208 receives accolades for European Car of the Year

KUALA LUMPUR: The Peugeot 208 beat six finalists to claim the prestigious European Car of the Year award for 2020. It is interesting to learn how the chic French supermini, in petrol, diesel and electric variants, won over models offered by Tesla and Porsche. A very delighted French automaker stated that the judges were highly impressed by 208’s design and technology.

A statement received from the judges itself mentions that “it was the 208’s exceptional choice of powertrains that separated it from its competitors, offering an all-electric option alongside its petrol and diesel variants”.

The French marque’s hatchback finished with 281 points, beating the runner-up, Tesla’s Model 3 by 39 points, which scored 242 points.

Despite the cancellation of the Geneva Motor Show, the European Car of the Year was announced on Monday at the Palexpo convention center in Geneva.

Peugeot 208 is considered a supermini car, mainly because it has a cute and cuddly appearance, with its own French touch. Possessing dynamic driving abilities, the model is available with gasoline as well as a diesel engine and also has a battery-electric drivetrain. A jury-bench of 58 European automotive journalists found the Peugeot 208 from among seven finalists, which included the Tesla Model 3, the Porsche electric Taycan and Ford's compact SUV, the Puma.

Installed in the 208 is Peugeot's next-generation is the 3D i-Cockpit which has hologram technology. Essentially, 3D holograms are displayed on the configurable 3D head-up display. This basically allows information to be closer to the driver’s vision in order to highlight and send alert for potential hazards.

Notable features of Peugeot include the adaptive cruise control and active lane positioning assist. Peugeot says the 208 also comes with pervasive Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity as standard.
Though Peugeot’s brand director, Mr. Imparato was not present at the ceremony, he accepted the award through video conferencing. "We are delighted that the Peugeot 208 has been honored ‘Car of the Year’,”. It's fantastic to be recognized by a jury of experts like the Car of the Year jury". Mr Imparato said.

This award marks the sixth time a Peugeot car has been able to grab the title.

Also Read: Next-gen Peugeot 308 to be available with plug-in hybrid powertrain