Ah, la petite lionne! The 2022 Peugeot 208 1.2 PureTech 100 in its Active Premium guise is, quite simply, a delightful reminder that the French still know how to make a small hatch with flair, intelligence, and that unmistakable je ne sais quoi. Slip behind the wheel and you're greeted by Peugeot?s i-Cockpit ? that idiosyncratic raised instrument binnacle and dinky steering wheel combo ? which some may question, but I find rather charmant. It encourages a more engaged driving position, and once you adapt, it feels like second nature. Under the bonnet lies the plucky 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, putting out a very respectable 100 horsepower. It sings with that characteristic off-beat thrum only a triple can deliver ? a sound that?s not unlike a Gallic shrug turned into a melody. Paired with a slick six-speed manual gearbox, the 208 dances through traffic and bends with an agility that reminds you why the French excel at making cars for the routes sinueuses of the countryside and the tight alleyways of the city. As for the Active Premium trim, it's not dripping in opulence ? but what it offers is curated with typically French good taste. A 7-inch touchscreen with smartphone mirroring, automatic headlights and wipers, rear parking sensors ? all the essentials are present, and wrapped in that chic Peugeot design language with crisp surfacing and sharp LED lighting signatures. It?s a car that whispers sophistication rather than shouts, and in today?s overly shouty supermini segment, that?s très rafraîchissant. In short, the 208 1.2 100 Active Premium is not just a method of transport ? it?s a mood, a baguette under the arm, a quick espresso at the café counter. Not perfect, but utterly likeable ? like all the best French things.