The Peugeot 208 GTi is the second hot hatch I’ve driven this month, which is great, as it cheers up an otherwise dull November.

It was also an instantly likeable car. Very quick and fun to drive, it has a turbocharged 1.6-litre engine with an impressive 200bhp (25bhp more than the 207 GTi), while power is sent to the front wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox.

And so followed a smooth and rather exhilarating ride in a car that soaked up bumps really well and took on bends effortlessly

It is responsive and the in-gear acceleration is also worth a mention, accelerating from 50mph to 75mph in less than seven seconds in fifth gear.

Its 17-inch wheels, red brake calipers, front and rear spoilers and twin chrome exhausts give this supermini some real clout on the styling front. The optional panoramic glass sunroof is particularly striking and well worth the extra £400. There was no reverse parking camera though, so I had to concentrate a bit more and reverse the car the old-fashioned way (though with the help of parking sensors).

It’s a three-door model, so not exactly child-friendly, but the interior is notably sporty with a colour scheme combining red, black and satin chrome and red GTi overstitching throughout, so the chances are you won’t want to let children anywhere near it.

Its seven-inch colour touchscreen gives access to the various functions – radio, Bluetooth hands-free kit or the playing of music files via a USB connection or audio streaming, although again changing radio stations on the touchscreen was a tad fiddly. But although it has received some criticism, I liked the small steering wheel – it suited the car perfectly – and I had a clear view of the dash.

Safety features include the latest-generation ESP (Electronic Stability Programme) which includes ASR (Anti-Skid Regulation), EBA (Emergency Brake Assist) and EBFD (Electronic Brake Force Distribution) plus CBC (Cornering Brake Control). The ESP also has intelligent traction control, which improves the vehicle’s dynamic ability by authorising more or less wheel slip on each of the front wheels.

In the event of a serious accident (measured by the triggering of airbags), the system will automatically contact the appropriate emergency services and pinpoint to them the exact location of the car.

Fact File:
Car: Peugeot 208 GTi
Price: £18,995
Top speed: 143mph
0-60mph: 6.8 seconds
Fuel: 60.1mpg (extra urban)
CO2 emissions: 139g/km