2020 Peugeot 508 — MOT failures & pass rate
5,653 MOT tests on the 2020 Peugeot 508 are in this dataset, and 86.2% of them passed. Against large family cars of a similar age (10.9% fail rate), the 2020 508 comes out 3.0pp worse. Failures cluster in visibility, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — visibility (6.7%) and tyres (5.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, tread depth and brake pads — wipers alone was recorded 413 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2020 508 fails 10.5% of the time in the 0-30k band and 10.7% at 120-150k, a spread of only 0.2 points.
The hybrid cars hold up better: 12.6% fail against 14.8% for diesel, a 2.2-point gap across 5,361 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 23.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 10.1% of tests failed in 2022 against 13.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 6.7% | 378 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.8% | 329 |
| 3 | Brakes | 3.4% | 190 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 2.0% | 112 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.5% | 85 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.7% | 39 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 413 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 251 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 155 |
| 4 | Pins and bushes | 92 |
| 5 | Washers | 85 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 73 |
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 | 23.7% | 1,339 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.0% | 962 |
| 3 | Other defects | 5.4% | 306 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.4% | 247 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.3% | 129 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.7% | 94 |
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 | 1,601 | 10.5% |
| 30-60k | 2,730 | 15.2% |
| 60-90k | 1,022 | 15.1% |
| 90-120k | 225 | 16.0% |
| 120-150k | 56 | 10.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 3,425 | 14.8% |
| Hybrid | 1,936 | 12.6% |
| Petrol | 292 | 10.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 139 | 10.1% |
| 2023 | 1,835 | 14.4% |
| 2024 | 1,886 | 14.4% |
| 2025 | 1,781 | 13.1% |
What to check before buying a 2020 508
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: visibility accounted for 6.7% of tests. Start there.
- Visibility (6.7% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Tyres (5.8% 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.
- Brakes (3.4% 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
How many 2020 Peugeot 508s pass their MOT?
86.2% of the 5,653 2020 Peugeot 508 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Peugeot 508?
Visibility, recorded in 6.7% of tests, followed by tyres (5.8%).
Does the 2020 508 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.5% in the 0-30k band to 10.7% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 5,653 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.