Reliability report
Peugeot 206 reliability and common faults
Based on 159,923 roadworthiness tests, led by the UK MOT. Each country is compared only with its own average for cars of the same age.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom · MOT
37.3%
fail rate · average 32.8%
much worse than average
34,196 MOT tests (DVSA)
🇳🇱 Netherlands · APK
73.3%
with defects · average 66.6%
worse than average
103,417 APK inspections (RDW)
🇱🇹 Lithuania · inspection
35.3%
first-time pass · average 42.7%
much worse than average
22,310 inspections
Testing regimes differ from country to country – don’t compare the figures between countries; compare each one only with its own average. MOT data: contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Weak spots
What goes wrong on the Peugeot 206
How often each area fails compared with the average car of the same age (vertical line = average, 100%). Red – more often than average.
Exhaust and emissionsconfirmed in 2 countries
Driving controls
Seat belts and airbags
Steering
Visibilityconfirmed in 2 countries
Body and structure
Lights and electricsconfirmed in 2 countries
Suspension
Tyres
Brakesconfirmed in 2 countries
Wheels
Plates and identification
Most common test failures
- 1Excessive leakage of other fluids
- 2Number plate light doesn't work (properly) / missing
- 3Exhaust system not gas-tight / unsafe exhaust gas discharge
- 4Steering or steering knuckle ball joint with wear of 1.0 mm or less
- 5Tyre(s) with tread depth of 1.6 to 2.5 mm
- 6Sidelight not working (properly)
- 7Tyre insufficient tread
- 8Tyre pressure not at correct value
- 9Low beam incorrectly adjusted
- 10Airbag / seatbelt system warning light indicates a fault
- 11Windscreen wiper system gives insufficient visibility
- 12Mechanical parts of the brake system show wear
Results by vehicle age
| Age | 🇬🇧 MOT fail rate | 🇳🇱 APK defects |
|---|---|---|
| 12–15 years | — | 64.8% avg 55.4% |
| 16–20 years | 35.9% avg 34.6% | 71.3% avg 64.7% |
| 21+ years | 38.4% avg 31.4% | 75.0% avg 68.4% |
🇱🇹 First-time pass rate in Lithuania – by year of manufacture
| Year | 206 | Average for year | Inspections |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 55.2% | 63.7% | 143 |
| 2011 | 43.2% | 61.2% | 197 |
| 2010 | 37.6% | 57.3% | 348 |
| 2009 | 36.0% | 54.5% | 253 |
| 2008 | 32.8% | 52.4% | 134 |
| 2007 | 32.7% | 50.6% | 245 |
| 2006 | 38.3% | 48.7% | 1,038 |
| 2005 | 38.5% | 46.6% | 1,735 |
| 2004 | 34.6% | 44.5% | 2,075 |
| 2003 | 36.0% | 42.9% | 2,798 |
| 2002 | 35.7% | 42.0% | 2,824 |
| 2001 | 35.1% | 40.9% | 3,491 |
| 2000 | 34.2% | 39.6% | 3,483 |
| 1999 | 32.7% | 38.6% | 2,973 |
| 1998 | 31.2% | 37.8% | 573 |
Peugeot 206 – FAQs
How reliable is the Peugeot 206?+
In the UK the Peugeot 206 fails 37.3% of MOT tests, against an average of 32.8% for cars of the same age – much worse than average. In the Netherlands, inspectors found defects at 73.3% of APK inspections (average there 66.6%) – worse than average. In Lithuania 35.3% pass their roadworthiness test first time (average for those years there 42.7%) – much worse than average.
What goes wrong most often on the Peugeot 206?+
Compared with the average car of the same age, testers find faults more often in these areas: exhaust and emissions, seat belts and airbags, steering, visibility.
What should I check when buying a used Peugeot 206?+
The most common inspection failures: Excessive leakage of other fluids; Number plate light doesn't work (properly) / missing; Exhaust system not gas-tight / unsafe exhaust gas discharge; Steering or steering knuckle ball joint with wear of 1.0 mm or less; Tyre(s) with tread depth of 1.6 to 2.5 mm. Before you buy, also check the free MOT history on GOV.UK and the car’s history by reg or VIN (mileage, damage, theft).
More Peugeot models
Sources: anonymised MOT test results (DVSA) – contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0; APK inspection defects (RDW, open data); Lithuanian roadworthiness test results (data.gov.lt). Initial tests only; retests are not counted. Photo: Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons (licence).