The passenger compartment of the 208 remained stable in the frontal offset test. Dummy readings showed good protection of the knees and femurs of the driver and passenger. Peugeot demonstrated that a similar level of protection would be provided to occupants of different sizes and to those sitting in different positions. In the full-width rigid barrier test, readings of chest compression in the driver dummy indicated a marginal level of protection for this body area. Otherwise, protection was good or adequate for all critical body regions, for both the driver and rear passenger. In the side barrier test, the 208 scored maximum points with good protection of all critical body areas. In the more severe side pole impact, protection of the chest was marginal and that of other body areas was good. Tests on the front seats and head restraints demonstrated good protection against whiplash injury in the event of a rear-end collision. However, the rear seat row was ineligible for scoring because the centre seat is not equipped with a head restraint on some trim levels. The 208 has autonomous emergency braking (AEB) as standard equipment. In tests against another car at the low speeds, typical of city driving, at which many whiplash injuries occur, the system performed well with collisions avoided or mitigated in all scenarios.

In both the frontal offset and the side barrier tests, protection was good for all critical body areas for both the 6- and 10-year dummies, and the 208 scored maximum points for this part of the assessment. The front passenger airbag can be disabled to allow a rearward-facing child restraint to be used in that seating position. The Maxi Cosi Easybase2 could not be properly installed in the second row outboard seats owing to the position of the buckle tongue-stop belt webbing loop, which prevented the lock-off being engaged. Otherwise, all restraints could be properly installed and accommodated.

The protection provided by the bonnet was predominantly good or adequate over its surface but poor results were recorded along the base of the windscreen and on the stiff windscreen pillars. The bumper offered good protection to pedestrians' legs but protection of the pelvis was mixed, with good and poor results recorded. The AEB system of the 208 can detect pedestrians, as well as other vehicles. In tests, the system performed adequately. The standard system is camera-based and cannot respond to faster-moving vulnerable roadusers like cyclists. A radar-based system is available as an option which offers enhanced AEB performance and functionality, but was not assessed here.

A seatbelt reminder is standard for the front and rear seats. A camera-based lane support system helps to prevent inadvertent drifting out of lane by alerting the driver and by gently applying corrective steering. The system does not intervene in more critical situations, as some other vehicles do. A speed assistance system detects the local limit and presents the information to the driver, allowing the limiter to be manually set to the appropriate speed. The AEB system performed adequately in tests of its response to other vehicles at highway speeds.