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Peugeot 206 years to avoid? MOT pass rate by year

31,520 initial MOT tests in 2025 on cars first used 2001–2007 · DVSA data · For guidance only · How we count

Peugeot 206 years with MOT pass rates below the average for vehicles first used in the same year: 2001–2006. None is clearly above it. The other year can't be told apart from average.

The MOT pass rate is one signal, not the whole story. An MOT checks safety and emissions on the day of the test. It doesn't record gearbox or engine faults, and a pass rate also reflects mileage and upkeep, so the table shows median mileage too. Whatever the year, the car in front of you matters more than its model's average.

53.9%passed first time

First-time pass rate, all years together: initial tests passed with no repairs. 95% range 53.4% to 54.5%.

In 2025, 53.9% of the 31,520 initial MOT tests on Peugeot 206 cars were passed with no repairs. The same-age average, for all vehicles first used in the same years, was 58.2%. That is 4.3 points below the same-age average.

Check a specific 206

Its own MOT history, free.

Peugeot 206 MOT pass rate by year

Year is when the car was first used. Older vehicles fail more often, so each year is compared with all vehicles first used that year.

YearChartTestsmedian milesPassed first timeAgainst all vehicles that year
2007age 182,18570,60056.5%±2.1−0.9 ptsall: 57.4%
2006age 194,99379,10055.1%±1.4−1.9 ptsall: 57.0%
2005age 206,60981,30054.7%±1.3−2.9 ptsall: 57.6%
2004age 217,03082,10053.8%±1.2−4.0 ptsall: 57.8%
2003age 224,86981,20052.9%±1.5−5.8 ptsall: 58.7%
2002age 233,61480,50051.6%±1.7−7.9 ptsall: 59.5%
2001age 242,22074,70052.6%±2.1−8.5 ptsall: 61.1%

Tests are initial MOT tests in 2025, not retests. Median miles is the middle odometer reading at the test: half had more, half had less. ± is the 95% margin of error in points (Wilson interval): a difference smaller than that could be chance. Years without a link have fewer than 10,000 tests, so they are listed here but don't have their own page.

When a car's mileage doesn't add up

Common 206 problems at the MOT

Share of the 14,529 failed tests with a fault in each area, all years together. A test can count in more than one area, so these add up to more than 100%.

MOT records show roadworthiness faults, not engine or gearbox problems. Each year page compares that year's failure areas with all vehicles first used in the same year.

What to check when viewing a 206

Based on the areas where Peugeot 206 MOT tests fail most often. These are general checks anyone can do, not a mechanical inspection.

  1. Lights and electrics

    In 51.7% of failed 206 tests

    • Ask the seller to help you check every light: dipped and main beam, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp.
    • Look for cracked, misted or yellowed headlight lenses.
    • Warning lights on the dashboard should come on with the ignition and go out once the engine starts.

  2. Suspension

    In 38.8% of failed 206 tests

    • Push down hard on each corner. The car should rise once and settle, not keep bouncing.
    • On the test drive, listen for knocks or clunks over speed bumps and potholes.
    • The car should sit level when parked on flat ground.

  3. Brakes

    In 28.2% of failed 206 tests

    • On a clear road, brake firmly. The car should stop in a straight line without juddering or pulling to one side.
    • Check the handbrake holds the car on a slope.
    • Look through the wheels at the brake discs for deep grooves or a raised lip at the edge.

  4. Body, chassis, structure

    In 22.2% of failed 206 tests

    • Look for rust or damage under the sills, around the wheel arches and on the floor where you can see it.
    • Open and close every door, the bonnet and the boot. They should latch properly.
    • Check the seats are secure and adjust properly.

Then read the car's own MOT history. Advisories in the same area at several tests are worth asking about.

Check a 206's MOT history

After an MOT advisory

Peugeot 206 cars that passed their 2024 MOT first time with an advisory, and what their next MOT found, against similar cars that passed with nothing noted in that area. All first-use years together.

Tyres

Of Peugeot 206 cars that passed their 2024 MOT with a tyre advisory and came back for their next MOT 10–14 months later, 8.1% failed on tyres, against 3.8% of similar cars with nothing noted. Based on 3,448 and 10,782 cars.

  • With a tyre advisory8.1%
  • Similar cars, nothing noted3.8%

Cars not tested again in that window are not included: 28.4% of those with a tyre advisory and 24.3% of the others.

Brakes

Of Peugeot 206 cars that passed their 2024 MOT with a brake advisory and came back for their next MOT 10–14 months later, 16.1% failed on brakes, against 7.7% of similar cars with nothing noted. Based on 3,570 and 10,642 cars.

  • With a brake advisory16.1%
  • Similar cars, nothing noted7.7%

Cars not tested again in that window are not included: 28.2% of those with a brake advisory and 24.3% of the others.

Suspension

Of Peugeot 206 cars that passed their 2024 MOT with a suspension advisory and came back for their next MOT 10–14 months later, 20.3% failed on suspension, against 12.6% of similar cars with nothing noted. Based on 3,901 and 9,961 cars.

  • With a suspension advisory20.3%
  • Similar cars, nothing noted12.6%

Cars not tested again in that window are not included: 29.5% of those with a suspension advisory and 23.5% of the others.

Similar cars are the same model, first-use year and mileage band. Areas are the DVSA's top-level groups, so the later fail may not be the fault that was advised. These figures describe what happened to these cars. They don't show what a repair would have changed.

How we worked this out

Peugeot 206 questions

Which Peugeot 206 years have lower MOT pass rates?

Compared with all vehicles first used in the same year, these model years have below-average MOT pass rates: 2001–2006. None is clearly above average. The rest can't be told apart from average. A pass rate is one signal: it also reflects mileage and upkeep, and doesn't record engine or gearbox faults.

Is the Peugeot 206 reliable?

MOT results show only part of the picture. In 2025, 53.9% of initial MOT tests on Peugeot 206 cars were passed with no repairs, against a same-age average of 58.2%. That is 4.3 points below average. An MOT checks safety and emissions on the day of the test. It doesn't measure breakdowns, engine or gearbox faults, or repair costs.

What are the most common Peugeot 206 problems at the MOT?

The most common failure areas are lights and electrics (in 51.7% of failed tests), suspension (in 38.8% of failed tests) and brakes (in 28.2% of failed tests). A failed test can count in more than one area.

What mileage is normal for a 20-year-old Peugeot 206?

At their 2025 MOT tests, Peugeot 206 cars first used in 2005, about 20 years old, had a median of 81,300 miles. Half had more and half had less.

How do I check a specific 206's MOT history?

Enter its registration in our free check. It lists that car's own MOT results, the faults and advisories recorded and the mileage at each test, and flags repeated advisories and mileage that goes down.

Check a car's MOT history for free

What MOT data can't tell you about any Peugeot 206

Outstanding finance, write-offs, theft and plate changes aren't in MOT records. For a particular car, you need a history check.

Compare history checksWhat MOT history doesn't show

Other Peugeot models

Points above (+) or below (−) the same-age average for all vehicles.

All 18 Peugeot modelsCars ranked by MOT pass rate, by age

Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests, 2025. For guidance only: these figures describe all Peugeot 206 cars tested, not the one you're looking at. How we count