3,073 tests in 2025
Peugeot 205 reliability and MOT pass rate
76.1% passed first time. The 23.9% fail rate is 1.3 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 35 years old with 106,722 miles.
Pass rate
76.1%
22.6% of all cars failed; 23.9% of these did.
Fixed on the day
4.8%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
106,722 mi
35 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 0 | — |
| 6-9 years | 1 | — |
| 10-13 years | 0 | — |
| 14+ years | 3,072 | 23.9% |
What the 205 fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment22 dangerous50.4%
- Brakes83 dangerous44.7%
- Suspension26 dangerous31.5%
- Body, chassis, structure24 dangerous26.8%
- Visibility2 dangerous22.3%
- Noise, emissions and leaks4 dangerous20.6%
- Steering2 dangerous10.9%
- Tyres47 dangerous8.7%
Is the 205 getting worse?
The fail rate fell 5 points to 23.9% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 4 years. Ageing alone would predict about 0 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 3,852 | 31 | 28.9% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 3,680 | 32 | 28% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 3,032 | 34 | 26.5% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 3,073 | 35 | 23.9% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical 205 at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a 205 in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Service brake imbalance: across an axle108 tests
- 2Washers: not working94 tests
- 3Rear fog lamp: not working89 tests
- 4Position lamp: not working75 tests
- 5Service brake performance: efficiency below requirements73 tests
- 6Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt72 tests
- 7Horn: not working65 tests
- 8Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength62 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical 205 collects 2.8 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine477 tests
- 2Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded292 tests
- 3Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure222 tests
- 4Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm155 tests
- 5Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened151 tests
- 6Service brake performance: excessively binding119 tests
- 7Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases116 tests
- 8Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn106 tests
Questions
What is the Peugeot 205 MOT pass rate?
76.1% of the 3,073 Peugeot 205 first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 23.9% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 4.8% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Peugeot 205 usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Service brake imbalance: across an axle", recorded on 108 failed tests, followed by "Washers: not working" and "Rear fog lamp: not working". By section, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 50.4% of failures, brakes appears in 44.7% of failures, suspension appears in 31.5% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was n/a%; at 14+ years it was 23.9%. The median Peugeot 205 tested in 2025 was 35 years old with 106,722 miles.
Is the Peugeot 205 getting less reliable?
The fail rate fell 5 points to 23.9% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 4 years. Ageing alone would predict about 0 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every 205 trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
Other Peugeot models
Checking a particular 205?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.