How reliable is the Peugeot 205 compared with other cars?

We do not publish a comparison for the Peugeot 205, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages. Its raw pass rate is 71.0% across 3,268 tests, but comparing a raw rate between models mostly ranks them by how new they are rather than how good they are. The failure and advisory patterns further down the page are still drawn from real tests and are worth reading.

What do testers most often warn about on a Peugeot 205?

The most common advisory is "Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users", noted on 15.7% of all Peugeot 205 tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.

What mileage does a Peugeot 205 usually have at its MOT?

The average odometer reading recorded at test is 108,081 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.

Are most Peugeot 205 models petrol or diesel?

Of the Peugeot 205 cars tested, 82% are petrol, 18% are diesel. Fuel type affects which items tend to fail, particularly emissions and exhaust components.

Model reliability file

Peugeot 205 MOT pass rate & common failures

From 3,268 recorded MOT tests of the Peugeot 205, published by DVSA.

Data updated 29 July 2026

Quick answer

Across 3,268 MOT tests, 71.0% of Peugeot 205 tests ended in a pass. This figure is not adjusted for age or mileage, so it is not a reliability ranking: the Peugeot 205 fleet does not yet cover a wide enough spread of ages and distances to compare it fairly against other models. Its most commonly recorded failure is brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle, which appears in 14.0% of failed tests. Cars of this model average 108,081 miles on the odometer when tested.

At a glance

Recorded pass rate

71.0%unadjusted, not comparable3,268 tests

We are not publishing a ranking for the 205. The examples tested do not cover a wide enough spread of ages and mileages to compare it fairly, and an unadjusted pass rate mostly sorts models by how recently they were bought rather than how well they were built. The failure and advisory patterns below come from the same 3,268 tests and are worth reading on their own terms.

DVSA recorded wording

Most common failure items

Share of failed Peugeot 205 tests in which each item was recorded. One failed test often lists several items, so these do not sum to 100%.

1.Brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle14.0%
111 occurrencesBrake binding or imbalanced across an axle explained
2.Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen13.9%
110 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained
3.The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired13.5%
107 occurrencesSuspension mounting corroded or insecure explained
4.An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning12.1%
96 occurrencesLamp not working explained
5.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning11.0%
87 occurrencesLamp not working explained
6.A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc10.5%
83 occurrencesDriveshaft CV joint gaiter split or missing explained
7.Service brake efficiency below minimum requirement9.8%
78 occurrencesBraking efficiency below requirement explained
8.Audible warning inoperative9.2%
73 occurrencesHorn not working, or of the wrong type explained
9.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements9.1%
72 occurrencesHeadlamp aim incorrect explained
10.Emissions levels exceed default limits7.8%
62 occurrencesEmissions above the permitted limit explained

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

Share of all Peugeot 205 tests carrying each advisory. The denominator differs from the failure list above because an advisory can be issued on a car that passed.

1.Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users15.7%
514 tests
2.Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded15.1%
494 testsBrake pipe corroded explained
3.A tyre seriously damaged12.3%
403 testsTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
4.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements6.7%
218 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
5.Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured6.5%
212 testsBrake disc worn, pitted or scored explained
6.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened5.3%
173 testsRoad spring broken or fractured explained
7.A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched4.9%
159 testsBrake hose deteriorated, damaged or chafing explained
8.Exhaust system leaking or insecure3.8%
125 testsExhaust leaking or insecure explained

What gets tested

The 205 fleet

Average mileage recorded at test: 108,081
Fuel mix of tested cars: Petrol81.9%
Diesel18.0%

Check a specific Peugeot 205

A model average tells you the pattern. Its own MOT record tells you the car.

Compare within the range

Other Peugeot models

Peugeot 208 — 68.4% adjusted
Peugeot Partner — 65.1% adjusted
Peugeot 2008 — 69.0% adjusted
Peugeot 3008 — 65.6% adjusted
Peugeot 308 — 67.5% adjusted
Peugeot 207 — 50.2% unadjusted
All Peugeot models

Common questions

How reliable is the Peugeot 205 compared with other cars?: We do not publish a comparison for the Peugeot 205, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages. Its raw pass rate is 71.0% across 3,268 tests, but comparing a raw rate between models mostly ranks them by how new they are rather than how good they are. The failure and advisory patterns further down the page are still drawn from real tests and are worth reading.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Peugeot 205?: The item recorded most often is "Brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle", which appears in 14.0% of failed Peugeot 205 tests. Because one failed test can list several items, these shares do not add up to 100%.
What do testers most often warn about on a Peugeot 205?: The most common advisory is "Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users", noted on 15.7% of all Peugeot 205 tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.
What mileage does a Peugeot 205 usually have at its MOT?: The average odometer reading recorded at test is 108,081 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.
Are most Peugeot 205 models petrol or diesel?: Of the Peugeot 205 cars tested, 82% are petrol, 18% are diesel. Fuel type affects which items tend to fail, particularly emissions and exhaust components.

How this was worked out

Method and limits

Figures come from the DVSA anonymised MOT testing dataset, published under the Open Government Licence. Only class 4 initial tests are counted: retests are excluded so a car appears once, and abandoned tests are excluded entirely. No adjusted rate is shown because this model's tested examples do not cover enough of the national age and mileage range for standardisation to mean anything.

An MOT measures whether a car met a legal standard on the day. It is not a breakdown record, a service history or a running-cost estimate, and a pass rate is a property of a fleet rather than a prediction about one car.