Both Hyundai and Peugeot are some of the most popular carmakers in Europe because they combine affordable pricing with lots of tech, a great variety of models, and electric powertrains. As the world keeps shifting toward EVs more and more, both of these brands have been making significant changes to transform their respective lineups to include more EVs than ever before.
The Peugeot e-208 is the smallest Peugeot EV which also makes it an entry-level Peugeot EV. The Hyundai Kona is still the smallest Hyundai hybrid/EV, but this is going to change really soon as Hyundai is planning to come out with multiple smaller EVs soon. Either way, we are going to compare the Peugeot e-208 vs Hyundai Kona and tell you which one of these two is the better car.
We are going to compare these in regard to pricing, design, power, battery size, range, charging speeds, practicality, driving experience, and features. It’s worth mentioning that both models are likely going to be replaced with newer iterations in a year or two as both are based on relatively old platforms.
By the end of this article, you ought to have a broad understanding of what makes both these so popular, and why one is better than the other.
Peugeot e-208 – The Smallest Peugeot EV
With a starting price of £31,345 in the UK, €32,250 in the Netherlands, and €35,350 in Germany, the e-208 seems to settle on the lower end of the EV spectrum, but it does cost a lot more than its ICE cousin. For this price, you are getting a subcompact 2/4-door electric car with FWD, a single electric motor making 139hp, and really attractive looks.
The e-208 also features a 45kWh usable battery which should be good for between 125 miles and 265 miles of range depending on how you drive the car and the temperature outside. You can recharge this battery from 10% to 80% using a slow 7.4kW AC charger in 7 hours and 15 minutes or in 25 minutes if you take advantage of a 150kW DC fast charger.
The design of the e-208 is one of its strong suits as it looks really sharp both inside and out. The space on offer is in-line with the rest of the segment, but we can’t hide from the fact that these cars are rather too small for many drivers.
The equipment on offer is really good while the driving experience is really composed as the small e-208 handles much better than its ICE cousin.
Hyundai Kona – The Entry-Level Hyundai EV/Hybrid
For the purpose of this article, we are going to focus on the Hyundai Kona EV/Electric as that is the only model that directly competes with the e-208. The Kona Electric starts from €36,400 in Germany, £32,450 in the UK, and around €39,000 in the Netherlands. Top-spec models go for €42,900 in Germany, €46,795 in the Netherlands, and £37,750 in the UK.
The Hyundai Kona is a subcompact crossover SUV which means that it offers a slightly raised-up driving position which gives you better visibility and makes you feel a bit cooler on the road. You can choose between a smaller 39kWh usable battery or a larger 64kWh battery for the top-spec model. The 39kWh model pushes out 139hp while the 64kWh model offers 201hp.
You can expect a range of between 110 and 235 miles for the 39kWh model or 175 and 370 miles for the 64kWh model depending on your driving temps and habits. The 39kWh model charges via an AC 7.2kW charger that recharges the battery in 6 hours whole DC fast-charging at 44kW takes 47 minutes. The 64kW offers an 11kW AC 7-hour charging while AC is capped at 77kW which equals 44 minutes.
The Hyundai Kona looks quirky and enjoys an urban design language that many people like. It comes with good standard equipment, more space, but isn’t as entertaining to drive as the e-208.
Conclusion – The Hyundai Kona EV Is The Better Car
The Peugeot e-208 has been somewhat of our favorite in most of these comparisons, but the Hyundai Kona EV takes its crown. The reason why the Kona EV is better is that it is a compact crossover with more seating and trunk space, slightly better technology, a bigger battery, more range, better visibility, better safety credentials, and better resale value.
The e-208 is indeed more affordable and offers faster charging speeds, but it falls short when it comes to overall usability and popularity as crossover SUVs are now all the rage in Western markets.
FAQ Section
Is The Hyundai Kona EV Safer Than The Peugeot e-208?
The Peugeot e-208 was never tested by Euro NCAP as the latest 208 tested was the 2019 ICE model, but we can take the 208 as a reference point as Peugeot didn’t really change much with the e-208 except adapting it to house an electric powertrain. With that being said, the e-208 enjoys a 4 out of 5-star rating which is decent.
The Hyundai Kona on the other hand is a 5-star Euro NCAP-rated car with really good safety credentials across the board. The Kona also gets more standard safety tech compared to the e-208 while the optional equipment palette is also more widespread.
Is The Hyundai Kona An Off-Road SUV?
Even though the Hyundai Kona is classed as an SUV, it has absolutely no place on an off-road track. Modern-day SUVs aren’t hard-struck on being amazing off-roaders as they used to as most contemporary SUV buyers prefer luxury, comfort, and great on-road driving characteristics.
The Kona does come with AWD and a slightly raised ground clearance which does make it usable in mild off-roading and snow driving.
What Makes A Good Electric Car?
A good electric car is one that is convenient to use, isn’t overly expensive, has adamant fast-charging speeds, has more than 250 miles of range in most environments, has good autonomous technology, and does not overcompensate by being an EV.
This means that good EVs go about their business without shouting to the world that they are EVs. These cars are well-made, spacious, superiorly safe, and also hold their value really well and don’t break down nearly as often as internal combustion engine cars do.