Peugeot 2008 MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 21 model years and 682,599 tests, the Peugeot 2008 passes its MOT 84.7% of the time. Against small SUVs of a similar age (13.0% fail rate), the 2008 comes out 2.3pp worse. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, body, structure & corrosion and tyres.
Best and worst 2008 years
Ranked across 2008 years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
Not every year is equal — 93.1% of 2022 examples pass against 76.6% of 2013 ones.
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (8.1%) and body, structure & corrosion (6.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are joints, registration plate lamp(s) and headlamp — joints alone was recorded 39,234 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 28.3% versus 6.9%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 9.0pp more often than electric ones (19.1% vs 10.0%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 24.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 12.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 17.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every 2008 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 33 | 69.7% | 30.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 45 | 75.6% | 24.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 21,895 | 76.6% | 23.4% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 2014 | 98,726 | 78.1% | 21.9% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 2015 | 105,281 | 80.3% | 19.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 109,539 | 82.9% | 17.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2017 | 96,122 | 85.5% | 14.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2018 | 89,218 | 88.9% | 11.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2019 | 67,717 | 90.8% | 9.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2020 | 37,870 | 90.7% | 9.3% | Visibility |
| 2021 | 38,552 | 90.3% | 9.8% | Visibility |
| 2022 | 16,692 | 93.1% | 6.9% | Visibility |
| 2023 | 867 | 93.9% | 6.1% | Visibility |
| 2024 | 32 | 96.9% | 3.1% | Other defects |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 8.1% | 55,433 |
| 2 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.2% | 42,088 |
| 3 | Tyres | 3.9% | 26,626 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.3% | 22,369 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.9% | 20,065 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.5% | 16,858 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 2.0% | 13,765 |
| 8 | Steering | 0.4% | 2,431 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joints | 39,234 |
| 2 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 26,239 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 20,079 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 16,002 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 15,224 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 13,162 |
| 7 | Brake discs | 12,626 |
| 8 | Exhaust system | 10,825 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 24.4% | 166,809 |
| 2 | Brakes | 23.4% | 159,568 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 9.2% | 62,446 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 8.2% | 56,154 |
| 5 | Other defects | 8.1% | 54,949 |
| 6 | Suspension | 7.5% | 51,447 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 191,235 | 6.9% |
| 30-60k | 294,411 | 15.4% |
| 60-90k | 144,963 | 22.4% |
| 90-120k | 41,745 | 26.4% |
| 120-150k | 8,459 | 27.4% |
| 150k+ | 1,737 | 28.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 399,392 | 13.2% |
| Diesel | 262,054 | 19.1% |
| Electric | 21,148 | 10.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 100,694 | 12.2% |
| 2022 | 119,539 | 13.7% |
| 2023 | 135,222 | 15.5% |
| 2024 | 155,264 | 16.8% |
| 2025 | 171,880 | 17.0% |
What to check before buying a Peugeot 2008
- Lighting & signalling (8.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (6.2% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
- Tyres (3.9% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Peugeot 2008?
84.7% of the 682,599 Peugeot 2008 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 15.3% fail rate, across model years 2004–2024.
What does the Peugeot 2008 most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.1% of tests, then body, structure & corrosion (6.2%).
Which 2008 years are best and worst for MOT results?
2022 has the best pass rate at 93.1% and 2013 the weakest at 76.6%, from 16,692 and 21,895 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect 2008 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 6.9% for cars in the 0-30k band and 28.3% for 150k+, a 21.4-point difference.
Is the electric or diesel 2008 more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the electric fails 10.0% of the time against 19.1% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 682,599 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.