Peugeot 308 MOT pass rate & common failures
The Peugeot 308 appears in 869,451 MOT tests spanning model years 2006–2025, and 77.9% of them passed. Against small family cars of a similar age (18.8% fail rate), the 308 comes out 3.3pp worse. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and tyres.
Best and worst 308 years
Ranked across 308 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 — 92.0% of 2022 examples pass against 67.3% of 2007 ones.
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (11.1%) and suspension (8.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, tread depth and coil spring — headlamp aim alone was recorded 42,570 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 8.5% in the 0-30k band and 30.1% in the 150k+ band, a 21.6-point spread — more than double.
The hybrid cars hold up better: 9.7% fail against 23.1% for diesel, a 13.3-point gap across 589,585 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 28.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 20.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 23.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every 308 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 8,384 | 67.3% | 32.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 70,854 | 69.3% | 30.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 90,110 | 70.7% | 29.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 90,228 | 72.6% | 27.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 65,628 | 75.5% | 24.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 67,673 | 76.4% | 23.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 68,729 | 76.1% | 23.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 77,319 | 78.8% | 21.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 86,289 | 81.6% | 18.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 88,614 | 82.4% | 17.6% | Tyres |
| 2017 | 53,660 | 85.0% | 15.0% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 48,980 | 86.6% | 13.4% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 32,354 | 89.4% | 10.6% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 12,548 | 91.0% | 9.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2021 | 3,610 | 91.0% | 8.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2022 | 4,229 | 92.0% | 8.0% | Tyres |
| 2023 | 215 | 94.4% | 5.6% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 11.1% | 96,228 |
| 2 | Suspension | 8.5% | 73,903 |
| 3 | Tyres | 6.3% | 55,070 |
| 4 | Brakes | 6.1% | 53,295 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.4% | 38,489 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.6% | 31,297 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 3.6% | 31,204 |
| 8 | Steering | 2.2% | 19,455 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 42,570 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 35,429 |
| 3 | Coil spring | 34,931 |
| 4 | Joints | 34,921 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 27,078 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 24,519 |
| 7 | Stop lamp | 22,842 |
| 8 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 21,455 |
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 | 28.9% | 251,249 |
| 2 | Brakes | 25.3% | 219,748 |
| 3 | Suspension | 16.4% | 143,011 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 10.2% | 88,862 |
| 5 | Other defects | 9.1% | 78,893 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 8.0% | 69,277 |
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 | 69,709 | 8.5% |
| 30-60k | 219,011 | 16.1% |
| 60-90k | 267,634 | 23.4% |
| 90-120k | 186,586 | 27.2% |
| 120-150k | 85,766 | 29.1% |
| 150k+ | 40,187 | 30.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 588,804 | 23.1% |
| Petrol | 279,840 | 20.0% |
| Hybrid | 781 | 9.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 181,546 | 20.8% |
| 2022 | 181,844 | 21.1% |
| 2023 | 178,265 | 22.3% |
| 2024 | 168,456 | 23.1% |
| 2025 | 159,340 | 23.2% |
What to check before buying a Peugeot 308
- Lighting & signalling (11.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (8.5% 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.
- Tyres (6.3% 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 308?
77.9% of the 869,451 Peugeot 308 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 22.1% fail rate, across model years 2006–2025.
What does the Peugeot 308 most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.1% of tests, then suspension (8.5%).
Which 308 years are best and worst for MOT results?
2022 has the best pass rate at 92.0% and 2007 the weakest at 67.3%, from 4,229 and 8,384 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect 308 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 8.5% for cars in the 0-30k band and 30.1% for 150k+, a 21.6-point difference.
Is the hybrid or diesel 308 more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the hybrid fails 9.7% of the time against 23.1% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 869,451 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.