I drove the new Peugeot 208 Style – it looks fresh and is simple to use but I have some niggles

THERE’S a gadget on some new cars that no one seems to be shouting about. 

So I will. 

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It’s better than a heated steering wheel, even now it’s turned nippy. 

It’s better than a clever satnav that keeps you out of jams. 

It’s better than a reversing camera that guides you into a space first time. 

It’s even better than those three ­combined. 

It’s a simple shortcut button that switches off all the beeps and bongs from the safety tech manufacturers are forced to stick in new cars. Basically, it’s pain relief for drivers. 

Take this Peugeot 208 Style. 

Jump in, start the engine, press the little car graphic on the dash to silence the alarms, put it into first, and go. 

Magic button 

You won’t be interrupted by speed warnings for doing 48 in a 50 – because the car didn’t see the 50 signs on the way out of town and it still thinks you’re in a 30. 

You won’t have to fight with the steering wheel because you’ve nudged over the white line to give a cyclist some room. 

This one little button makes me happier than a teenager finding the wifi password. 

And so does this car. 

The 208 Style is the smallest and cheapest Peugeot at £20k. Yet also my favourite Peugeot on sale today. 

Looks fresh. Simple to use. Good fun. Great value. That’s all you want from a small car. 

The 1.2-litre turbo is hooked up to a six-speed manual. So you’re in charge. It’s got a pull-up manual handbrake. So you’re in charge. It’s got buttons to adjust the volume and air con. So you’re in charge. 

You won’t spend a lot on fuel either. 

We averaged 60mpg on a 130-mile motorway run, beating the official 54mpg. The kit list is strong for an entry-level car.

The cloth grey seats with orange stitching add a bit of style. The rear wiper triggers automatically when you pop it into reverse. All things that please. 

But I do have some niggles. 

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I’m not a fan of Peugeot’s obsession with small steering wheels. Taller drivers who like to sit low can’t see the instrument ­cluster clearly, unless they set the steering wheel stupidly low. 

The foot rest is too close to the clutch pedal. I kept catching it when changing gear at first. 

If you can live with that, 208 Style is a good buy. Especially when you press that magic button. Finance from £199 a month.