Peugeot 206 MOT pass rate & common failures
The Peugeot 206 appears in 406,454 MOT tests spanning model years 1989–2021, and 70.6% of them passed. That is effectively the same as superminis of a similar age (28.9% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
Best and worst 206 years
Ranked across 206 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 — 73.4% of 2007 examples pass against 67.7% of 2000 ones.
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 19.1% of all tests — 4.9 points clear of suspension, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, headlamp aim and exhaust system — position lamp alone was recorded 29,358 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 16.9% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 34.7% once past 150k — 2.1× the risk.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.0pp more often than petrol ones (31.0% vs 29.0%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 33.3% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every 206 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 694 | 65.1% | 34.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 5,041 | 67.8% | 32.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 11,407 | 67.7% | 32.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 27,208 | 69.5% | 30.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 44,829 | 68.8% | 31.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 60,466 | 69.4% | 30.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 82,594 | 70.9% | 29.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 80,142 | 71.3% | 28.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 56,665 | 71.6% | 28.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 22,249 | 73.4% | 26.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 9,983 | 72.6% | 27.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 4,682 | 72.8% | 27.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 255 | 72.2% | 27.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 59 | 81.4% | 18.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2019 | 33 | 87.9% | 12.1% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 19.1% | 77,591 |
| 2 | Suspension | 14.2% | 57,728 |
| 3 | Brakes | 10.5% | 42,827 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.6% | 35,158 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 6.9% | 28,225 |
| 6 | Visibility | 6.9% | 28,066 |
| 7 | Tyres | 5.7% | 23,242 |
| 8 | Steering | 3.1% | 12,433 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 29,358 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 28,677 |
| 3 | Exhaust system | 21,208 |
| 4 | Wipers | 21,194 |
| 5 | Catalyst emissions | 20,840 |
| 6 | Ball joint | 20,069 |
| 7 | Headlamp | 16,184 |
| 8 | Stop lamp | 13,336 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 33.3% | 135,148 |
| 2 | Brakes | 31.1% | 126,265 |
| 3 | Tyres | 29.3% | 119,134 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 20.1% | 81,613 |
| 5 | Other defects | 16.7% | 68,058 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 16.3% | 66,063 |
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 | 13,364 | 16.9% |
| 30-60k | 83,987 | 23.9% |
| 60-90k | 143,605 | 29.3% |
| 90-120k | 103,223 | 32.5% |
| 120-150k | 42,219 | 34.3% |
| 150k+ | 17,548 | 34.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 325,448 | 29.0% |
| Diesel | 80,998 | 31.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 127,021 | 29.9% |
| 2022 | 98,104 | 29.3% |
| 2023 | 77,069 | 29.1% |
| 2024 | 59,486 | 29.5% |
| 2025 | 44,774 | 28.6% |
What to check before buying a Peugeot 206
- Lighting & signalling (19.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (14.2% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Brakes (10.5% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
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 206?
70.6% of the 406,454 Peugeot 206 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 29.4% fail rate, across model years 1989–2021.
What does the Peugeot 206 most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 19.1% of tests, then suspension (14.2%).
Which 206 years are best and worst for MOT results?
2007 has the best pass rate at 73.4% and 2000 the weakest at 67.7%, from 22,249 and 11,407 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect 206 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 16.9% for cars in the 0-30k band and 34.7% for 150k+, a 17.8-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel 206 more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 29.0% of the time against 31.0% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 406,454 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.