Peugeot e-208 156 Phase 2 vs Honda Civic: which is truly faster?

Off the line, the e-208 156 Phase 2 hits 100 km/h in 8.12 s versus 10.59 s for the Civic. The instant torque of 260 Nm from the electric motor makes the difference. At this point, the e-208 156 Phase 2 leads by 2.47 s and sits roughly 25 m ahead.

At 200 metres, the e-208 156 Phase 2 is doing 119 km/h against 109 km/h for the Civic. The gap is 1.29 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the e-208 156 Phase 2 crosses the line in 16.14 s versus 17.88 s. The 1.74 s gap represents roughly 63 m of track - a gap visible to the naked eye.

Past 400 metres, the gap narrows. The e-208 156 Phase 2 maxes out at 150 km/h while the Civic keeps accelerating towards 178 km/h. At 600 metres, the gap is down to 2.01 s from 1.74 s at 400 metres.

At 1,000 metres, the e-208 156 Phase 2 finishes in 30.57 s versus 32.04 s, with just 1.47 s to spare. The Civic fails to fully close the launch gap.

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the e-208 156 Phase 2 is capped at 150 km/h, the Civic at 185 km/h. This isn’t a physical engine limit - it’s a manufacturer choice, usually for tyre safety or homologation reasons. Neither car reaches its true aerodynamic top speed.

Instant electric torque gives an advantage off the line. The higher top speed of the combustion engine gives an advantage over longer distances. The distance at which one catches the other depends on the top speed differential.

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 16.94 seconds. The 2.47 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.