Peugeot 208 Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Peugeot 208 fails its MOT on, with rough repair costs, and how each model year's MOT pass rate compares with other cars of the same age. Based on 310,524 MOT tests across 10 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: small family car | Fuel: Diesel, Petrol
80%
Peugeot 208 pass rate
83%
Peugeot average
82%
All-model average
The Peugeot 208 has an average MOT pass rate of 80%, which is 3 points below the Peugeot average and 2 points below the average across all models in our data. Newer Peugeot 208s pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 8 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the Peugeot 208 Fails Its MOT On
Of the 57,749 MOT tests on the Peugeot 208 that failed at the first attempt in 2025, the share that failed on each part of the test, next to the share for all cars and vans of the same ages. A test that failed on two areas counts in both.
Lights and electrics
42%Cars and vans the same age: 34% · Typical repair £15-£200
Body, chassis and structure
26%Cars and vans the same age: 9% (the 208 fails on this more often) · Typical repair £200-£1200
Exhaust, emissions and leaks
24%Cars and vans the same age: 9.9% (the 208 fails on this more often) · Typical repair £80-£800
Suspension
21%Cars and vans the same age: 31% (the 208 fails on this less often) · Typical repair £150-£600
Tyres
18%Cars and vans the same age: 24% (the 208 fails on this less often) · Typical repair £50-£300
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Drive shaft CV boot split or insecure (15% of failed tests, body, chassis and structure)
- Headlamp: not working on dipped beam (12% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
- Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (11% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
Source: CarCostCheck analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT test results and failure items for 2025: first attempt at each MOT, fail and pass-after-repair defects, DVSA's defect categories (names shortened). Repair costs are rough UK ranges, not quotes. Method and national figures: MOT failure reasons 2025.
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Peugeot 208 Years to Avoid
Every car in the 2024 MOT data was tested at the same age as the other cars first registered that year, so each 208 year is compared with all cars from the same year. Years with 1,000+ tests that were at least three years old are included.
Failed more often than cars their age
Passed more often than cars their age
No year passed 3 or more points more often than other cars of the same age.
A lower pass rate means that year failed its MOT more often in 2024; it does not mean every car from that year is bad. Old cars still on the road are often the best-kept ones, which can lift the pass rates of the oldest years. How a car has been looked after matters more, so check the MOT history of the car you are looking at.
Peugeot 208 Reliability by Year
MOT pass rate for each model year, from DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024 (retests included). Newer cars usually pass more often simply because they are younger. All Cars is the pass rate of every car first registered that year, with the gap in points. Highest and lowest are marked among years with 100+ tests that were at least three years old when tested. Fuel and engine size are a guide only.
| Year | Fuel | Engine | Pass Rate | Fail Rate | All Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Petrol | 1.2L | 92% | 7% | - |
| 2020 | Petrol | 1.2L | 84% | 15% | - |
| 2019 | Diesel | 1.5L | 88% | 11% | 91% (-3) |
| 2018 | Petrol | 1.6L | 85% | 14% | 89% (-4) |
| 2017 | Petrol | 1.2L | 83% | 16% | 87% (-4) |
| 2016 | Petrol | 1.0L | 83% | 17% | 86% (-3) |
| 2015 | Diesel | 1.4L | 81% | 18% | 84% (-3) |
| 2014 | Diesel | 1.4L | 78% | 22% | 82% (-4) |
| 2013 | Petrol | 1.0L | 75% | 24% | 80% (-5) |
| 2012 | Diesel | 1.4L | 74% | 25% | 79% (-5) |
Peugeot 208 Running Costs
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Peugeot 208 FAQ
What are the most common Peugeot 208 problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Peugeot 208 that failed at the first attempt most often failed on lights and electrics (42% of the 57,749 failed tests), body, chassis and structure (26%) and exhaust, emissions and leaks (24%). The single most common fault was "Drive shaft CV boot split or insecure" (15%). Across 310,524 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 80% ended in a pass.
Is the Peugeot 208 reliable?
The Peugeot 208 has an average MOT pass rate of 80%, from 310,524 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). Comparing each model year with all cars first registered the same year, so that age is allowed for, it passed 4 points less often on average, so check the history of any example carefully.
Which Peugeot 208 years should I avoid?
Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 2013 (75% of 60,179 tests passed, against 80% for all 2013 cars), the 2012 (74% of 26,282 tests passed, against 79% for all 2012 cars) and the 2014 (78% of 51,874 tests passed, against 82% for all 2014 cars) failed their MOT most often for their age. A year's pass rate does not tell you about one car, so check the MOT history of the car you are buying.
How much does it cost to fix common Peugeot 208 faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Peugeot 208 typically costs £80-£450 and suspension repairs £150-£600, while exhaust and emissions fixes can cost £80-£800. Lighting and wiper fixes are usually under £200.
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Other Peugeot Models
Common problems pages for other Peugeot models