3,202 tests in 2025
Peugeot 306 reliability and MOT pass rate
65.6% passed first time. The 34.4% fail rate is 11.8 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 26 years old with 103,827 miles.
Pass rate
65.6%
22.6% of all cars failed; 34.4% of these did.
Fixed on the day
5.2%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
103,827 mi
26 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 3 | — |
| 6-9 years | 0 | — |
| 10-13 years | 1 | — |
| 14+ years | 3,198 | 34.4% |
What the 306 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.
- Brakes176 dangerous46.5%
- Suspension43 dangerous38.2%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment31 dangerous32.9%
- Body, chassis, structure16 dangerous26.9%
- Noise, emissions and leaks6 dangerous25.6%
- Steering4 dangerous19.1%
- Visibility18.2%
- Tyres154 dangerous13.6%
Is the 306 getting worse?
The fail rate fell 2.7 points to 34.4% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 4 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (-3.7 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 6,309 | 22 | 37.1% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 4,970 | 23 | 35.1% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 3,685 | 24 | 36.5% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 3,201 | 26 | 34.4% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical 306 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 306 in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements190 tests
- 2Steering rack: gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt129 tests
- 3Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases109 tests
- 4Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits105 tests
- 5Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt93 tests
- 6Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn89 tests
- 7Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively87 tests
- 8Catalyst emissions: carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits84 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical 306 collects 3.41 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 engine703 tests
- 2Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened402 tests
- 3Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure394 tests
- 4Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded363 tests
- 5Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm358 tests
- 6Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases302 tests
- 7Registration plates: inscription illegible247 tests
- 8Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn210 tests
Questions
What is the Peugeot 306 MOT pass rate?
65.6% of the 3,202 Peugeot 306 first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 34.4% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 5.2% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Peugeot 306 usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements", recorded on 190 failed tests, followed by "Steering rack: gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" and "Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases". By section, brakes appears in 46.5% of failures, suspension appears in 38.2% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 32.9% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 33.3%; at 14+ years it was 34.4%. The median Peugeot 306 tested in 2025 was 26 years old with 103,827 miles.
Is the Peugeot 306 getting less reliable?
The fail rate fell 2.7 points to 34.4% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 4 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (-3.7 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
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 306 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 17 safety recalls naming the Peugeot 306: Peugeot 306 recalls.
Other Peugeot models
Checking a particular 306?
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.