2012 Peugeot 208 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 93,637 MOT tests, the 2012 Peugeot 208 recorded a 75.6% pass rate. Superminis of a similar age fail 22.6% of the time, so this is 1.8pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in body, structure & corrosion, lighting & signalling and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — body, structure & corrosion (12.4%) and lighting & signalling (10.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are joints, catalyst emissions and exhaust system — joints alone was recorded 9,485 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 30.1% versus 12.9%.
Fuel type barely separates them — diesel fails 23.5% of the time against 24.8% for petrol.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 28.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 22.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 26.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Body, structure & corrosion | 12.4% | 11,583 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 10.5% | 9,883 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 7.7% | 7,211 |
| 4 | Suspension | 5.5% | 5,201 |
| 5 | Brakes | 4.8% | 4,459 |
| 6 | Tyres | 4.7% | 4,358 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joints | 9,485 |
| 2 | Catalyst emissions | 6,117 |
| 3 | Exhaust system | 4,404 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 3,545 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 3,221 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 3,162 |
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 | 28.7% | 26,900 |
| 2 | Brakes | 23.4% | 21,910 |
| 3 | Suspension | 19.2% | 18,017 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 17.4% | 16,320 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 12.6% | 11,761 |
| 6 | Other defects | 7.2% | 6,772 |
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 | 3,799 | 12.9% |
| 30-60k | 26,954 | 20.5% |
| 60-90k | 38,849 | 25.8% |
| 90-120k | 18,120 | 28.1% |
| 120-150k | 4,656 | 28.7% |
| 150k+ | 1,155 | 30.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 60,615 | 24.8% |
| Diesel | 33,022 | 23.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 19,349 | 22.0% |
| 2022 | 19,310 | 23.1% |
| 2023 | 19,101 | 24.6% |
| 2024 | 18,485 | 26.0% |
| 2025 | 17,392 | 26.5% |
What to check before buying a 2012 208
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: body, structure & corrosion accounted for 12.4% of tests. Start there.
- Body, structure & corrosion (12.4% 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+.
- Lighting & signalling (10.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (7.7% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2012 Peugeot 208s pass their MOT?
75.6% of the 93,637 2012 Peugeot 208 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 24.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Peugeot 208?
Body, structure & corrosion, recorded in 12.4% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (10.5%).
Does the 2012 208 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.9% in the 0-30k band to 30.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 93,637 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.