Peugeot Polygon Concept previews the next-generation Peugeot 208

We already knew that the next-generation Peugeot 208, due to be unveiled next year, was set to bring substantial changes.

It will probably become the first Stellantis model to launch the new STLA Small platform. Although designed primarily for electric vehicles, it will retain the flexibility to accommodate combustion powertrains. Major technological debuts have also been confirmed, including steering with no physical connection between the steering wheel and the wheels (steer-by-wire).

It was also known that a concept car would preview the third-generation 208, but few would have expected something quite so radical. The single image released of the Peugeot Polygon Concept sends an unmistakable message: a complete break from the past.

Peugeot Polygon Concept signals a new design direction

Visually, it appears to inherit nothing from the current 208 - or, indeed, from any Peugeot currently on sale. Its silhouette, proportions and styling details all seem entirely new.

Even allowing for the fact that much of what is seen on this concept will be toned down before the production car arrives, the third-generation 208 will mark the opening of a new chapter in Peugeot design.

The Polygon has an exceptionally short front end, while its windscreen reaches down to above the front axle, creating a profile reminiscent of an MPV. Aerodynamics have clearly influenced the shape of several surfaces and components, helping to give this concept a refined, futuristic appearance.

An equally radical interior

The lone Polygon Concept image - with the car set to be fully revealed on 12 November - also offers a glimpse of an interior that promises to be every bit as radical as its exterior.

One key feature will be the debut of the Hypersquare steering wheel, first seen on the 2023 Inception concept. Rectangular in form, it should allow full lock from one side to the other in less than a single turn, thanks to the lack of a physical link to the wheels.

There is also an interesting coincidence in the fact that the new 208 will introduce the next stage of the i-Cockpit story. The original 208, launched in 2012, debuted the layout that has defined the interior of every Peugeot since - and which still divides opinion today.

Speaking to Autocar, Peugeot chief executive Alain Favey said that, alongside the Hypersquare, the Polygon Concept would feature a 21-inch “floating” display, apparently following the formula of the 3008’s curved panel. This is not, however, discernible in the image released.

Full reveal is imminent

The Peugeot Polygon Concept is scheduled for its complete unveiling on 12 November at 12:00 on the brand’s YouTube channel.

Following the Opel Corsa GSE Vision Gran Turismo - which we have already seen in person - the Peugeot Polygon Concept offers clear indications that Stellantis’s next generation of compact B-segment models, based on the new STLA Small platform, will be bolder in appearance and more technologically advanced.