Peugeot
206
88,432 MOT tests analysed. runs below the UK fleet average — here's where 206s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 15.2 points below the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — buyers should expect more first-time fails than the typical UK car.
Pass
62.3%
Pass-after-fix
6.9%
Fail
29.9%
Avg miles
85,931
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
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The picture
Peugeot 206: challenging MOT record across 77,695 tests
The Peugeot 206 is a supermini car (B-segment) designed and produced by the French car manufacturer Peugeot since May 1998 as a replacement to the Peugeot 205.
MOT data from 77,695 tests puts this car on a 63.3% first-time pass rate, well below the UK fleet average. Average mileage at test is 85,219 miles. The most common fail item is failed number plate light, followed by lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning.
Honest John owner records point to premature clutch wear as the recurring problems to check before buying used.
The 206's pass rate warrants caution in the used market. Factor in likely first-test remedial work on the common failure items and get a pre-purchase inspection that covers the specific items this car trips on most.
ABI Insurance Group
Group 3–12
A low-group car — among the cheapest to insure in the UK. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.
Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →
3–12
out of 50
Top ten reasons for rejection.
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- 01
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
5,887 occurrences · 6.7% of tests
- 02
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
3,284 occurrences · 3.7% of tests
- 03
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
2,694 occurrences · 3.0% of tests
- 04
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
2,693 occurrences · 3.0% of tests
- 05
Exhaust system leaking or insecure
2,685 occurrences · 3.0% of tests
- 06
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
2,244 occurrences · 2.5% of tests
- 07
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
2,182 occurrences · 2.5% of tests
- 08
A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
2,126 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
- 09
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
1,981 occurrences · 2.2% of tests
- 10
Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer
1,845 occurrences · 2.1% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 4 failures
£228–£600
If every one of this 206's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Build your own retest budget.
Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
H7 / W21W bulb pack
A spare-bulb kit lives in the boot. Test morning is not the time to find your stop-lamp's gone.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades
Cheap wipers fail the test on smear streaks. Bosch Aerotwins last a winter and clear a screen properly.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
Parts & supplies for this fix
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Hycote
Hycote Touch Up Colour Paint Brush Peugeot Black 12.5ml
£6.59
View at My Motor World →
Hycote
Hycote Touch Up Colour Paint Brush Peugeot Cherry 12.5ml
£6.59
View at My Motor World →
Hycote
Hycote Touch Up Colour Paint Brush Peugeot Diablo Red Pearlescent 12.5ml
£6.59
View at My Motor World →
Hycote
Hycote Touch Up Colour Paint Brush Peugeot Indigo Blue 12.5ml
£6.59
View at My Motor World →
Click Mechanic · affiliate
Book a mobile mechanic
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
Book a mechanic at your door.
Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.
Owner reports · Honest John
What owners actually report.
Verbatim faults logged by owners on honestjohn.co.uk over recent years. We didn't summarise — these are the words people typed in.
Where it falls short
Owner reports (6 entries) flag recurring problems with gearbox/clutch, turbo, electrical faults.
Recall history
15 UK recalls on record.
The 206 has 15 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.
Buying or keeping a 206?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a 206 and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.