How reliable is the Peugeot 206 compared with other cars?

We do not publish a comparison for the Peugeot 206, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages.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 53.9% across 34,316 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 206?

The most common advisory is "A tyre seriously damaged", noted on 24.1% of all Peugeot 206 tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.

What mileage does a Peugeot 206 usually have at its MOT?

The average odometer reading recorded at test is 83,366 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 206 models petrol or diesel?

Of the Peugeot 206 cars tested, 81% are petrol, 19% are diesel. Fuel type affects which items tend to fail, particularly emissions and exhaust components.

Model reliability file

Peugeot 206 MOT pass rate & common failures

From 34,316 recorded MOT tests of the Peugeot 206, published by DVSA.

Data updated 29 July 2026

Quick answer

Across 34,316 MOT tests, 53.9% of Peugeot 206 tests ended in a pass. This figure is not adjusted for age or mileage, so it is not a reliability ranking: the Peugeot 206 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 lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, which appears in 15.0% of failed tests. Cars of this model average 83,366 miles on the odometer when tested.

At a glance

Recorded pass rate

53.9%unadjusted, not comparable34,316 tests

We are not publishing a ranking for the 206. 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 34,316 tests and are worth reading on their own terms.

DVSA recorded wording

Most common failure items

Share of failed Peugeot 206 tests in which each item was recorded. One failed test often lists several items, so these do not sum to 100%.

1.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning15.0%
1,914 occurrencesLamp not working explained
2.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen13.1%
1,676 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained
3.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn11.6%
1,486 occurrencesSuspension arm bush worn explained
4.Exhaust system leaking or insecure11.6%
1,484 occurrencesExhaust leaking or insecure explained
5.A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc10.5%
1,339 occurrencesSuspension joint dust cover missing or split explained
6.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements10.4%
1,326 occurrencesHeadlamp aim incorrect explained
7.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn8.5%
1,092 occurrencesSuspension arm bush worn explained
8.A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc8.2%
1,043 occurrencesDriveshaft CV joint gaiter split or missing explained
9.Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement8.0%
1,029 occurrencesParking brake efficiency too low explained
10.Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer8.0%
1,019 occurrencesEmissions above the permitted limit explained

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

Share of all Peugeot 206 tests carrying each advisory. The denominator differs from the failure list above because an advisory can be issued on a car that passed.

1.A tyre seriously damaged24.1%
8,264 testsTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
2.Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users21.3%
7,294 tests
3.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements20.5%
7,035 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
4.Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured18.1%
6,215 testsBrake disc worn, pitted or scored explained
5.Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded13.0%
4,452 testsBrake pipe corroded explained
6.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn11.9%
4,087 testsSuspension arm bush worn explained
7.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened10.9%
3,742 testsRoad spring broken or fractured explained
8.Play in steering rack inner joint(s)10.2%
3,509 tests

What gets tested

The 206 fleet

Average mileage recorded at test: 83,366
Fuel mix of tested cars: Petrol80.7%
Diesel19.2%

Check a specific Peugeot 206

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 206 compared with other cars?: We do not publish a comparison for the Peugeot 206, 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 53.9% across 34,316 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 206?: The item recorded most often is "A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning", which appears in 15.0% of failed Peugeot 206 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 206?: The most common advisory is "A tyre seriously damaged", noted on 24.1% of all Peugeot 206 tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.
What mileage does a Peugeot 206 usually have at its MOT?: The average odometer reading recorded at test is 83,366 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 206 models petrol or diesel?: Of the Peugeot 206 cars tested, 81% are petrol, 19% 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.