31,945 tests in 2025
Peugeot 206 reliability and MOT pass rate
62.8% passed first time. The 37.2% fail rate is 14.6 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 21 years old with 79,739 miles.
Pass rate
62.8%
22.6% of all cars failed; 37.2% of these did.
Fixed on the day
8.8%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
79,739 mi
21 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 1 | — |
| 6-9 years | 3 | — |
| 10-13 years | 4 | — |
| 14+ years | 31,937 | 37.2% |
What the 206 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.
- Suspension414 dangerous47.4%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment134 dangerous45.7%
- Brakes1,274 dangerous33.2%
- Body, chassis, structure147 dangerous27.1%
- Noise, emissions and leaks27 dangerous22.3%
- Visibility7 dangerous17.7%
- Tyres2,275 dangerous17.3%
- Steering33 dangerous10.1%
Is the 206 getting worse?
The fail rate fell 1.6 points to 37.2% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 0.2 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 73,653 | 18 | 38.8% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 58,174 | 19 | 38.4% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 39,568 | 20 | 39% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 31,942 | 21 | 37.2% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical 206 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 206 in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Position lamp: not working1,571 tests
- 2Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn1,521 tests
- 3Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases1,322 tests
- 4Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively1,221 tests
- 5Linkage ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt1,012 tests
- 6Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect999 tests
- 7Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits952 tests
- 8Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements941 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical 206 collects 3.36 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 engine6,830 tests
- 2Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure5,223 tests
- 3Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm4,858 tests
- 4Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened4,309 tests
- 5Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn3,200 tests
- 6Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded3,181 tests
- 7Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases3,045 tests
- 8Non-component advisories: Play in steering rack inner joint(s)2,917 tests
Questions
What is the Peugeot 206 MOT pass rate?
62.8% of the 31,945 Peugeot 206 first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 37.2% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 8.8% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Peugeot 206 usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Position lamp: not working", recorded on 1,571 failed tests, followed by "Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn" and "Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases". By section, suspension appears in 47.4% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 45.7% of failures, brakes appears in 33.2% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 0%; at 14+ years it was 37.2%. The median Peugeot 206 tested in 2025 was 21 years old with 79,739 miles.
Is the Peugeot 206 getting less reliable?
The fail rate fell 1.6 points to 37.2% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 0.2 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 206 trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
DVSA has published 15 safety recalls naming the Peugeot 206: Peugeot 206 recalls.
Other Peugeot models
Checking a particular 206?
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.