THERE'S a loveable innocence about city cars.

They appeal to us in the same way that puppy dogs or kittens do.

Unlike pets, however, their motoring equivalent is unlikely to leave a puddle in the middle of the floor or a little present on the carpet.

Step forward the Peugeot 108.

Just look at its little face...

Before we get too carried away though, while puppies and kittens can pretty much trade on their looks, cars, such as the little pug, have to walk the walk.

The 108 shares much of its underpinnings with the Toyota Aygo and Citroen C1 - bodyshell, suspension, gearbox for example - and all three are built at the same factory in the Czech Republic.

Collaborations such as this obviously save time and money, but it can make it more difficult for your model to stand out.

Personally, I think Peugeot has done the best job in this regard, having by far and away the most purposeful exterior of the trio.

If first impressions are anything to go by, then the 108 is leading the pack.

There are five trim levels to choose from with prices starting at just £9,225 on the road. Among them is the five-door TOP! cabriolet with retractable electric fabric roof.

Peugeot has recently introduced a new economical Euro 6.2 engine to the range - the 1.0-litre 72 and 1.0-litre 72 2-Tronic. Part of the company's drive to reduce emissions, the new engine's statistics are between 1g/km and 2g/km lower than the outgoing equivalents.

Additionally, there are two new metallic paint options – named Green Fizz and Calvi Blue. These are available on Allure and Collection models.

The Allure also benefits from the addition of a Raven Black roof and gloss black door mirrors.

The interior of the 108 has also been revamped and there have been a raft of technological enhancements.

These include a new and improved colour touchscreen which is available as standard on Active trim level and above and comes with DAB Digital radio, USB/3.5mm Jack for external audio devices and gloss black surround.

On the safety front, there's Active City Brake and Lane Departure Warning System options, which now feature a traffic sign recognition system. This technology is available on the Allure and Collection trim level as a £480 option.

This is a city car, so boot space is relative, but there's 108 litres to play with, increasing to 868 litres with the rear seats lowered.