Peugeot 206 MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 4,707,077 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 50.2%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Peugeot 206 MOT Reliability Overview
The Peugeot 206 is one of the most widely tested vehicles in the UK, with 4,707,077 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 17 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 49.8% and a failure rate of 50.2%, which is significantly below the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Peugeot 206 earns a "Very Poor" reliability rating. The average Peugeot 206 presents for MOT with approximately 72,541 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 2019 models achieve the highest pass rate at 77.4%, while 1997 models have the lowest at 34.1%. This 43.3 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Peugeot 206 is Brakes, affecting 44.5% of all tests. Brake-related failures include worn brake pads, corroded brake discs, leaking brake lines, and faulty brake servos. These are safety-critical components — any brake deficiency will result in an MOT fail. The second most common issue is Suspension at 42.8%. Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment rounds out the top three at 41.8%. Together, these top 3 failure categories account for a significant portion of all MOT failures for this model.
Top failures across all manufacture years combined. Individual year pages may show different top failures.
What Fails Most
Best Year to Buy
Based on MOT data, 2007 models have the highest pass rate at 56.1%.
Based on 2024 MOT test results only — the most recent data available. "Built" = year of manufacture. Cars need their first MOT at 3 years old, so the newest cars shown are from ~3 years ago.
Bar chart showing pass rate by manufacture year from 1999 to 2008
| Built | Pass Rate | Tests | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 56.1% | 2,311 | 🏆 Best |
| 2006 | 52.6% | 6,397 | 👍 Good |
| 2005 | 52.1% | 9,028 | 👍 Good |
| 2004 | 52.0% | 9,381 | 👍 Good |
| 2008 | 50.6% | 968 | ⚠️ Fair |
| 2002 | 49.0% | 4,715 | ⚠️ Fair |
| 2003 | 48.8% | 6,507 | ⚠️ Fair |
| 2001 | 48.1% | 2,861 | ⚠️ Fair |
| 2000 | 45.9% | 1,243 | ❌ Avoid |
| 1999 | 44.2% | 952 | ❌ Avoid |
📈 How Each Vintage Ages
Tracking how each manufacture year's MOT pass rate changes as the car ages. Showing 12 vintages — click year chips to highlight.
Multi-line chart showing how different Peugeot 206 vintages degrade over time, from age 2 to 26 years.
Only vintages with 100+ tests in at least 3 different test years are shown. Fleet average is the UK-wide pass rate for all cars at each age.
📉 How Age Affects Reliability
MOT failure rate by vehicle age for the Peugeot 206. The dashed red line marks when the manufacturer warranty typically expires (3 years).
Line chart showing MOT failure rate by vehicle age from 3 to 20 years, with warranty expiry marked at 3 years.
💡 What does the warranty cliff mean?
The Peugeot 206 sees a significant jump in MOT failures after the warranty period. Failure rate increases by 66% once warranty cover ends. Budget for increased maintenance costs from year 4 onwards. Peak failure occurs at age 13 (57.6% fail rate).
Note: pass rates may improve for very old vehicles due to survivorship bias — only well-maintained cars remain on the road.
* High Fail Rate badge indicates an MOT pass rate below 65% (failure rate above 35%).
What Fails on This Car?
Click a category to see specific failure items.
View as table
| Rank | Failure Category | Rate (%) | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lamps, Reflectors And Electrical Equipment | 60.5% | 2,848,559 |
| 2 | Brakes | 56.2% | 2,646,696 |
| 3 | Suspension | 52.6% | 2,477,650 |
| 4 | Tyres | 26.0% | 1,225,666 |
| 5 | Exhaust, Fuel And Emissions | 22.7% | 1,070,445 |
| 6 | Driver's View Of The Road | 12.3% | 577,215 |
| 7 | Steering | 6.1% | 288,919 |
| 8 | Body, Chassis, Structure | 2.9% | 136,699 |
| 9 | Noise, Emissions And Leaks | 2.8% | 130,386 |
| 10 | Seat Belts And Supplementary Restraint Systems | 2.4% | 114,189 |
| 11 | Non-component Advisories | 2.3% | 107,876 |
| 12 | Registration Plates And Vin | 2.0% | 93,161 |
| 13 | Visibility | 1.8% | 83,981 |
| 14 | Body, Structure And General Items | 1.6% | 75,430 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 72,541 miFor every 10,000 miles driven, this shows what percentage of MOT tests fail for each category. This accounts for how far cars are actually driven, not just raw pass/fail counts.
View as table
| Category | Rate / 10K mi | Raw % | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamps & Electrical | 8.34 | 60.5% | 2,848,559 |
| Brakes | 7.75 | 56.2% | 2,646,696 |
| Suspension | 7.26 | 52.6% | 2,477,650 |
| Tyres | 3.59 | 26.0% | 1,225,666 |
| Emissions & Exhaust | 3.13 | 22.7% | 1,070,445 |
| Visibility | 1.94 | 14.1% | 661,196 |
| Steering | 0.85 | 6.1% | 288,919 |
| Body & Structure | 0.62 | 4.5% | 212,129 |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 0.38 | 2.8% | 130,386 |
| Seat Belts | 0.33 | 2.4% | 114,189 |
| Non-component advisories | 0.32 | 2.3% | 107,876 |
| Registration Plates and VIN | 0.27 | 2.0% | 93,161 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Peugeot 206 has 72,541 miles when tested for MOT.
📊 Mileage-Adjusted Failure Rate
How often this car fails MOT relative to how much it's driven — a fairer comparison than raw pass rate.
The Peugeot 206 has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 6.92% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is worse than average.
About Peugeot 206 MOT Data
The Peugeot 206 is one of the most widely tested vehicles in the UK, with 4,707,077 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 17 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 49.8% and a failure rate of 50.2%, which is significantly below the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Peugeot 206 owners, these results suggest above-average failure risk — thorough pre-MOT checks are recommended. Focus your pre-MOT checks on brakes and suspension for the best chance of a first-time pass. Use our detailed year-by-year breakdown and failure analysis below to understand how your specific 206 is likely to perform.
Brakes — 44.5% of failures
Brakes issues account for 44.5% of MOT failures on the Peugeot 206. Brake-related failures include worn brake pads, corroded brake discs, leaking brake lines, and faulty brake servos. These are safety-critical components — any brake deficiency will result in an MOT fail. Typical repair costs: £150–400. Pre-MOT check: Listen for squealing or grinding noises. Check brake pedal feel — if it feels spongy or goes to the floor, have the system inspected immediately. Look at brake pad thickness through the wheel spokes (minimum 3mm).
Suspension — 42.8% of failures
Suspension issues account for 42.8% of MOT failures on the Peugeot 206. Suspension failures typically involve worn bushes, leaking shock absorbers, broken coil springs, and damaged suspension arms. These affect ride quality, tyre wear, and road holding. Typical repair costs: £200–500. Pre-MOT check: Look for uneven tyre wear, listen for clunking over bumps, and check if the car pulls to one side. A bouncy ride suggests worn shock absorbers. Visually inspect coil springs for cracks.
Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 41.8% of failures
Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment issues account for 41.8% of MOT failures on the Peugeot 206. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. Typical repair costs: £5–50. Pre-MOT check: Walk around the car and check every light — headlights (dipped and main beam), side lights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, hazard lights, reverse light, rear fog light, and number plate lights. Replace any blown bulbs before the test.
Compare Peugeot 206
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Peugeot 206?
Based on 4,707,077 MOT tests in our database, the Peugeot 206 has an overall pass rate of 49.8% (50.2% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Peugeot 206?
The top 3 reasons a Peugeot 206 fails its MOT are: 1. Brakes (44.5%), 2. Suspension (42.8%), 3. Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment (41.8%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Peugeot 206 reliable?
With a 50.2% MOT failure rate, the 206 is less reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Peugeot 206?
Based on failure data, focus on: Brakes (44.5%); Suspension (42.8%); Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment (41.8%). These are the areas most likely to cause a fail. Also check all lights, tyres (minimum 1.6mm tread), and windscreen condition — these are quick wins that apply to all cars.
Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.