Peugeot 108 - minimal motoring in a perfect package

A few years ago the answer was a round half dozen; yes, six trips through the showroom doors as the potential buyer weighed up the merits of the metal temptation sitting under the spotlights.

Now that same shopper visits a showroom ONCE, and then probably with a print out of the best price they've found on the internet. The main question to the sales staff is: "OK, then, can you match this figure?"

Which means first impressions count more than ever, with only a single chance to romance a buyer into signing on the bottom line. Better start with a good looking car, then.

The man who made the new Peugeot 108 look the way it does is a sharp-dressing Dutchman called Ivo Groen, design director for this model, and for the car it replaces, the strong selling 107.

He's honest enough to admit the two cars share rather a lot of the bits you can't see, and they're built in the same factory in the Czech Republic as the new Toyota Aygo and Citroen C1, so making them look different is vitally important.

Are old and new baby Peugeots as different as chalk and cheese? There is honesty again in Ivo's answer: "No, they're like cheese and cheese because they share the same roots. But while the 107 is the kind of cheese you would have with a baguette, the 108 is a cheese you would like to eat with a nice glass of red wine."

What a very French way of thinking, from a Dutchman, no less. But he's right, the 108 does look a more sophisticated take on minimal motoring than the 107.

Crucially, it also looks a lot more separated in style from the other two near identically engineered and priced rivals from the same factory.

And like the Toyota and Citroen, there are any number of ways you can make your own 108 look more different still.

The new range starts at £8,245 for an Access model with 1.0 litre engine, three doors and a specification that includes electric windows and remote central locking, but won't be bought by many attracted to a new 108.

They are much more likely to head for something like an Active grade car (from £9,495) and the goodies it brings, from air conditioning to DAB digital radio and a seven inch touchscreen.

Passing through the Allure we reach the pinnacle of 108 motoring with the Feline grade, from £11,845. That brings a larger, 1.2 litre engine and temptations like alloy wheels, dual zone air conditioning and eather seats. So, a grown up spec in a little car.

Then we get to the bit Peugeot hopes will have you ticking the options' boxes; with the standout extra a folding fabric roof for £850 that lets a lot of light into the car, even though it's rather less the Cabrio that Peugeot calls it than a giant sunroof.

You can then go mad with add-on patches of colour inside and out. Perhaps a dashboard striped like a supermarket bar code gone colour crazy, or a two tone finish, perhaps in purple and grey? Fancy a style upgrade after you've bought the car and your dealer will happily change a trim panel or two to suit your fancy.

That won't make the car drive differently, of course, but it's pretty good in standard form anyway. The little engine sounds enthusiastic as it pulls you along at a perfectly reasonable pace, while recording an impressive 57.6mpg on a test run over city, country and motorway tarmac.

There's not much room in the rear (and the boot is small) but this is a car designed for life in the city, where the optional and dearer 1.2 litre engine would prove of little benefit.

It pulls better once out of the 30mph limit and still topped 50mpg, but for most people, most of the time, the little engine will do the job just fine.

Bumper to bumber

Peugeot 108 Active 1.0 5-door

Engine: 1.0 litre 68bhp petrol engine

Warranty: Three years or 60,000 miles

Economy: The Peugeot 108 can reach 68.9mpg officially

Insuance group: TBC

Price: £9,895