117,675 tests in 2025
Peugeot 308 reliability and MOT pass rate
70.6% passed first time. The 29.4% fail rate is 6.8 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 11 years old with 80,318 miles.
Pass rate
70.6%
22.6% of all cars failed; 29.4% of these did.
Fixed on the day
6.3%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
80,318 mi
11 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 8,489 | 10.5% |
| 6-9 years | 36,149 | 22% |
| 10-13 years | 41,293 | 32.5% |
| 14+ years | 31,561 | 39% |
What the 308 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.
- Suspension507 dangerous41.6%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment153 dangerous31.5%
- Brakes4,858 dangerous25.7%
- Tyres9,419 dangerous25.5%
- Body, chassis, structure181 dangerous19.3%
- Noise, emissions and leaks69 dangerous14.6%
- Steering344 dangerous11.7%
- Visibility14 dangerous10.9%
Is the 308 getting worse?
The fail rate rose 4.2 points to 30.3% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (5.2 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 146,004 | 9 | 26.1% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 140,803 | 10 | 28.1% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 114,785 | 10 | 29.9% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 112,182 | 11 | 30.3% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical 308 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 308 in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Coil spring: fractured or broken5,537 tests
- 2Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt4,928 tests
- 3Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm3,670 tests
- 4Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick3,264 tests
- 5Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play3,257 tests
- 6Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn2,728 tests
- 7Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect2,151 tests
- 8Stop lamp: not working2,149 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical 308 collects 2.68 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.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm24,421 tests
- 2Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened16,611 tests
- 3Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick11,480 tests
- 4Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn9,947 tests
- 5Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine9,243 tests
- 6Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure8,632 tests
- 7Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn4,296 tests
- 8Service brake performance: excessively binding3,783 tests
Questions
What is the Peugeot 308 MOT pass rate?
70.6% of the 117,675 Peugeot 308 first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 29.4% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 6.3% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Peugeot 308 usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Coil spring: fractured or broken", recorded on 5,537 failed tests, followed by "Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" and "Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm". By section, suspension appears in 41.6% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 31.5% of failures, brakes appears in 25.7% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 10.5%; at 14+ years it was 39%. The median Peugeot 308 tested in 2025 was 11 years old with 80,318 miles.
Is the Peugeot 308 getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 4.2 points to 30.3% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (5.2 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 308 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 39 safety recalls naming the Peugeot 308: Peugeot 308 recalls.
Other Peugeot models
Checking a particular 308?
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.