New Peugeot 108 vs used Peugeot 107: What are the top 3 differences?

It's unclear how much longer the Peugeot 108 will still be available as a new car from the dealership floor, because the (now fully Toyota-owned) production line in the Czech Republic has officially ended production of the 108 and its Citroën C1 siblings. And, seeing as this was the only place where the 108/C1 was manufactured, it’s probably safe to guess that those 108s still available new must be run-out stock. 

Don’t let that put you off buying one, though. We reviewed one in 2019, and it impressed with its combination of safety features, fuel efficiency, and standard equipment. And, even though time (and the competition) moves on, the 108 is still a viable value proposition (even if it isn’t quite as inexpensive as it used to be). 

But if you really want a bargain, you’d do well to consider a used 107 instead. It used the same platform and mechanical elements as its 108 successor, although it clearly looks like a Peugeot from an earlier era. 

The upshot comes in the pricetag, because a low-mileage used Peugeot 107 can be had for around R 80 000, making for a sizeable bargain in comparison to the pricetag of a new 108's list price on the far side of R 200 000. But, apart from the new-car smell and fresh warranty- and service plans, what else is different between a new 108 and an older 107?

Related: Shop for new and used Peugeot 108 cars for sale here.

 

1. Up-to-date appearance

We alluded to the 108’s comprehensive restyle earlier, but the differences still deserve a closer look. While the 107 and first-generation Citroën C1 were virtually indistinguishable from some angles, the second-gen C1, 108, and Toyota Aygo looked very different in the metal and plastic. 

Between these three, the 108 undoubtedly looks the most grown-up, with its later-generation Peugeot styling cues and some brightwork setting it apart from its siblings. In contrast, the 107 looks somewhat toy-like– great if you want to project a whimsical image, but not so good if you feel like your car should be taken seriously. In short, the 107 looks like an older budget car, while the 108 manages to hide its entry-level positioning with more success.

 

2. Much-improved cabin

In keeping with the 107’s cutesy but clearly budget-inspired styling, its cabin was also decidedly downmarket in both styling and execution. The main controls felt flimsy, and the design and layout shared nothing with the larger Peugeots of its time. Basically, the 107’s interior accurately reflected its toy-like exterior, and looks and feels even cheaper when seen through modern eyes.

In contrast, the 108 projects a much classier, more-upmarket ambience in the cabin, with discreet plaid-cloth trimmings and a more-conventional dashboard design. It’s still lined in hard and scratchy plastic, but it’s very well put together, its switchgear is more solid, and the whole thing feels rather more substantial than the 107 could ever do.

3. Improved infotainment

Love them or hate them, but touchscreens are the flavour of this decade. The Peugeot 108 is absolutely on board with this trend, and features a colour touchscreen infotainment display with smartphone mirroring. The 107 had to make do with a built-in radio unit (albeit with USB and Bluetooth in later examples), with no colour screen in sight, and a multitude of old-fashioned buttons to control it. 

For many users, this may actually be a positive point for the 107, because they find physical buttons easier to operate than poking at a screen, but this doesn’t quite compensate for the fact that the radio’s functionality lags far behind modern standards. Compounding this issue is the fact that it won’t be easy to retrofit an aftermarket audio system in the 107’s dashboard, due to the shape of the OEM radio unit’s face plate.

Related: Shop for used Peugeot 107 cars for sale here.