Not every car suits every kind of driving. A tight city centre with scarce parking and a clean air zone rewards something small and easy to place, while a longer commute wants something a bit more comfortable over distance. Peugeot's smaller range covers a decent spread of that, three sizes built around the same basic idea, and whether they actually deliver on it is worth picking apart properly. There's also a genuine reason to pay attention right now: Peugeot's running 0% APR finance across the entire range, including the electric versions, but only on orders placed before 30 September.
Peugeot 208, the most affordable way into the range
The 208 is about as easy to live with day to day as a car gets. Small enough to nip down narrow streets that would make an SUV driver wince, and easy enough to squeeze into parking spaces most cars would just drive straight past. It's genuinely nice to look at too, which shouldn't matter but somehow always does when you're the one parking it outside work every morning.
The catch with small, stylish cars like this is usually the ride. Skinny wheels and a firm setup don't always get on with Britain's pothole collection, so don't judge it on a smooth showroom floor and assume that's what you'll get on your usual roads. Take it out, find a rough stretch, and see how it copes before you sign anything.
It's up against some proper heavyweights here too. The Corsa, Clio and Polo all live in the same £20k to £30k neighbourhood, and if we're honest, the Polo's usually the comfier ride of that group. Where the 208 pulls ahead is inside: the 3D digital dial cluster and configurable ambient lighting give the cabin a lift that most rivals at this price simply don't try for, and it shows the moment you sit in it.
Go electric with the E-208 and you get the same easy-to-park footprint, minus the fuel costs and any clean air zone charges if that's something you deal with regularly, plus the £1,500 Government grant knocked straight off the price. Both the petrol GT and electric E-208 GT are on 0% APR right now, from £219 and £249 a month.
Peugeot 2008, more room without losing the easy-to-park size
Step up to the 2008 and you get a higher driving position and a bigger boot, without giving up much of what makes the 208 so easy to live with. Sitting a bit higher also means you can actually see over the van in front at the lights, which counts for more than you'd think when you're stuck in traffic on the school run or the commute.
It's not a dramatically different drive to the 208 underneath, so before you pay extra for it, it's worth asking yourself if you actually need the space. If you don't, save your money and stick with the smaller car.
It's not the cheapest way into this class, the Mokka and Puma both undercut it by a few thousand pounds, but you're getting a cabin that feels a proper step up for the money, with sharp 3D instrument graphics and a layout that still feels like Peugeot rather than a rebadged cost-cutting exercise.
Both the petrol 2008 GT and electric E-2008 GT are on 0% APR at the moment, from £259 and £289 a month.
Peugeot 3008, the one for longer journeys as much as short ones
The 3008 makes more sense if you've got a proper commute rather than just quick trips across town. It's bigger, comfier over distance, and has enough tech to make the motorway stretch of a longer journey actually bearable, while still being manageable enough to park once you're somewhere tighter.
This is the toughest fight on this list, the Qashqai, Karoq and Sportage all start from around £31,000 and have been at this game for years. The 3008 doesn't quite match the Sportage for outright boot space, but it makes up ground with genuine design flair inside: a curved panoramic screen wrapped around the driver, configurable ambient lighting, and a lower, more car-like driving position than the taller, boxier cabins you get in most of that group.
The hybrid version makes particular sense here, giving you efficient running on the motorway and low-emission running once you're back in town. The 3008 GT Hybrid and the fully electric E-3008 GT are both currently on 0% APR finance too, from £299 and £329 a month.