Peugeot 208 MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 1,118,928 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 23.2%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Peugeot 208 MOT Reliability Overview
The Peugeot 208 is one of the most widely tested vehicles in the UK, with 1,118,928 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 14 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 76.8% and a failure rate of 23.2%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Peugeot 208 earns a "Excellent" reliability rating. The average Peugeot 208 presents for MOT with approximately 44,857 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 2021 models achieve the highest pass rate at 90.3%, while 2009 models have the lowest at 51.6%. This 38.7 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Peugeot 208 is Tyres, affecting 18.7% of all tests. Tyre failures include tread depth below the legal minimum of 1.6mm, cuts, bulges, exposed cords, and incorrect tyre pressure. Tyres are one of the most common and easiest-to-prevent MOT failures. The second most common issue is Brakes at 14.3%. Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment rounds out the top three at 13.5%. 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, 2019 models have the highest pass rate at 81.8%.
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 2012 to 2019
📈 How Each Vintage Ages
Tracking how each manufacture year's MOT pass rate changes as the car ages. Showing 8 vintages — click year chips to highlight.
Multi-line chart showing how different Peugeot 208 vintages degrade over time, from age 2 to 20 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 208. 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 12 years, with warranty expiry marked at 3 years.
💡 What does the warranty cliff mean?
The Peugeot 208 sees a significant jump in MOT failures after the warranty period. Failure rate increases by 71% once warranty cover ends. Budget for increased maintenance costs from year 4 onwards. Peak failure occurs at age 12 (40.5% 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 | Tyres | 18.7% | 209,624 |
| 2 | Lamps, Reflectors And Electrical Equipment | 14.6% | 163,453 |
| 3 | Brakes | 14.3% | 159,569 |
| 4 | Body, Chassis, Structure | 10.4% | 116,855 |
| 5 | Suspension | 7.6% | 85,079 |
| 6 | Noise, Emissions And Leaks | 5.8% | 65,324 |
| 7 | Visibility | 2.8% | 31,068 |
| 8 | Non-component Advisories | 2.0% | 22,166 |
| 9 | Exhaust, Fuel And Emissions | 0.8% | 9,348 |
| 10 | Steering | 0.7% | 7,353 |
| 11 | Seat Belts And Supplementary Restraint Systems | 0.5% | 5,723 |
| 12 | Road Wheels | 0.4% | 4,227 |
| 13 | Identification Of The Vehicle | 0.3% | 3,889 |
| 14 | Driver's View Of The Road | 0.3% | 3,462 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 44,857 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 4.18 | 18.7% | 209,624 |
| Lamps & Electrical | 3.26 | 14.6% | 163,453 |
| Brakes | 3.18 | 14.3% | 159,569 |
| Body & Structure | 2.33 | 10.4% | 116,855 |
| Suspension | 1.70 | 7.6% | 85,079 |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 1.30 | 5.8% | 65,324 |
| Visibility | 0.69 | 3.1% | 34,530 |
| Non-component advisories | 0.44 | 2.0% | 22,166 |
| Emissions & Exhaust | 0.19 | 0.8% | 9,348 |
| Steering | 0.15 | 0.7% | 7,353 |
| Seat Belts | 0.11 | 0.5% | 5,723 |
| Wheels | 0.08 | 0.4% | 4,227 |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.08 | 0.3% | 3,889 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Peugeot 208 has 44,857 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 208 has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 5.17% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is better than average.
About Peugeot 208 MOT Data
The Peugeot 208 is one of the most widely tested vehicles in the UK, with 1,118,928 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 14 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 76.8% and a failure rate of 23.2%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Peugeot 208 owners, these results suggest a reliable vehicle that generally passes its MOT without major issues. Focus your pre-MOT checks on tyres and brakes 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 208 is likely to perform.
Tyres — 18.7% of failures
Tyres issues account for 18.7% of MOT failures on the Peugeot 208. Tyre failures include tread depth below the legal minimum of 1.6mm, cuts, bulges, exposed cords, and incorrect tyre pressure. Tyres are one of the most common and easiest-to-prevent MOT failures. Typical repair costs: £50–200 per tyre. Pre-MOT check: Check tread depth with a 20p coin — if the outer band is visible, the tyre is too worn. Look for bulges, cuts, or embedded objects. Ensure all tyres match the recommended size and load rating.
Brakes — 14.3% of failures
Brakes issues account for 14.3% of MOT failures on the Peugeot 208. 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).
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 13.5% of failures
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment issues account for 13.5% of MOT failures on the Peugeot 208. 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 208
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Peugeot 208?
Based on 1,118,928 MOT tests in our database, the Peugeot 208 has an overall pass rate of 76.8% (23.2% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Peugeot 208?
The top 3 reasons a Peugeot 208 fails its MOT are: 1. Tyres (18.7%), 2. Brakes (14.3%), 3. Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (13.5%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Peugeot 208 reliable?
With a 23.2% MOT failure rate, the 208 is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Peugeot 208?
Based on failure data, focus on: Tyres (18.7%); Brakes (14.3%); Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (13.5%). 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.