Peugeot 208 named European Car of the Year

The Peugeot 208 has been named the European Car of the Year 2020.

The French supermini was described as the best small Peugeot for years as it beat competitors from Tesla, Porsche, Renault, Ford, BMW and Toyota.

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The contest is judged by 60 journalists from major motoring publications around Europe and the Peugeot was the clear winner, scoring a total of 281 points, compared with the second-placed Tesla Model 3’s 242 and third-placed Porsche Taycan’s 222 points.

The compact hatchback was praised by judges for its bold looks, enjoyable driving, diverse trim levels, nice petrol and diesel engines and the prospect of an all-electric variant, in the shape of the e-208 which is due in coming months.

Judges praised the 208's bold design and broad range of drivetrains, including an all-electric option (Photo: Peugeot)

“I am particularly proud that the all-new Peugeot 208 has just won the 2020 Car of the Year prize,” said Peugeot’s brand CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato.

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“This trophy underlines the excellence of the work and great commitment of all the teams of the brand and the Groupe PSA. It’s the first time that a Peugeot '2 series' has triumphed.

“Three Peugeot ‘Cars of the Year’ are currently on road, with the 3008 SUV and the 308 alongside the all-new 208. The COTY 2020 legitimates the brand’s “power of choice” strategy. From now on, our customers will be able to choose between the electric Peuoget e-208 Car of the Year and the Peugeot 208 Car of the Year.”

The full shortlist of cars competing for the award also included the BMW 1 Series (133 points); Ford Puma (209 points); Renault Clio (211 points) and Toyota Corolla (152 points).

The 208 is Peugeot's sixth ECOTY winner (Photo: Peugeot)

Judges hailed the 208 as: “The best small Peugeot in years: It looks great, comes with competitive powertrains and even an EV with more than adequate performance.”

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The award is Peugeot’s sixth ECOTY win and puts the brand among the most successful in the history of the competition.

The Peugeot’s victory was announced at a press conference broadcast from the near-deserted Palexpo exhibition centre, which was due to host the Geneva Motor Show before the event’s cancellation due to concerns over the coronavirus outbreak.