Verdict
The Peugeot 306 passes its MOT first time on 53.3% of tests, 2.7 points lower than a typical car of the same age and mileage (55.9%). That puts it ahead of 40% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.
By year of first registration, the 2001 306 does best (beats 50% of cars) and the 1995 worst (beats 21%).
Of its engines, the 2.0 Petrol does best (beats 57%) and the 1.4 Petrol worst (beats 29%).
Watch these weak spots
MOT pass rate by age
First-time pass rate at each MOT by the car’s age in years.
Best and worst years
By year of first registration, ranked against all cars on UK roads after adjusting for age and mileage. Green = better than half of cars.
Engines
All years, most common first. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.9 Diesel | 54.0% | Beats 41% | C |
| 2.0 Diesel | 51.0% | Beats 45% | C |
| 1.4 Petrol | 51.2% | Beats 29% | D |
| 2.0 Petrol | 60.3% | Beats 57% | C |
| 1.6 Petrol | 52.2% | Beats 32% | D |
| 1.8 Petrol | 51.5% | Beats 32% | D |
Where it fails
Each area compared with a typical car of the same age and mileage, in points of pass rate. Tap or hover an area to see what to check.
Every MOT area
Share of tests failing on each area, against a typical car of the same age and mileage (black line).
Buying one or MOT due? Check these
- Handbrake performance 2.3× typical
Check the handbrake holds the car firmly on a slope. - Exhaust system 1.4× typical
Listen for a blowing exhaust at start-up and look for heavy corrosion underneath. - Exhaust emissions (catalyst)
Check past MOT emissions readings in the car's history: rising readings can mean catalyst or sensor problems. - Headlight aim
Park facing a wall at night: both dipped beams should sit level and dip to the left. - Windscreen wipers
Test the washers and wipers: a cheap fix, but a very common MOT fail. - Sidelights
Walk around with the lights on: bulb failures are the easiest MOT fails to avoid.
Pass rate by mileage
First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.
Most common MOT failures
| Item | This car | Typical | vs typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Handbrake performance | 7.2% | 3.1% | 2.3× |
| Exhaust emissions (catalyst) | 5.1% | 4.3% | 1.2× |
| Exhaust system | 4.6% | 3.2% | 1.4× |
| Headlight aim | 4.4% | 5.3% | 0.8× |
| Windscreen wipers | 4.3% | 3.9% | 1.1× |
| Sidelights | 4.2% | 4.6% | 0.9× |
| Windscreen washers | 4.0% | 3.2% | 1.3× |
| Tyre damage & cracking | 3.6% | 3.0% | 1.2× |
| Brake lights | 3.3% | 4.0% | 0.8× |
| Drive shaft (CV) joints | 3.2% | 2.7% | 1.2× |
Specific defects found
Tester wording for the most frequent failure items, per 1,000 tests.
| Defect | per 1,000 |
|---|---|
| Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 59.2 |
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 58.7 |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 43.7 |
| Exhaust system leaking or insecure | 43.3 |
| Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 41.1 |
| Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 40.0 |
| A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 33.1 |
| 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 axle. | 29.3 |
Pick a make and model to see its MOT pass rate, best and worst years and weak spots.
Every year and engine
Tap a year to see its engines. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.
2001 Peugeot 3065 engines53.7% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Diesel | 51.6% | Beats 50% | C |
| 1.4 Petrol | 56.7% | Beats 56% | C |
| 1.6 Petrol | 52.9% | Beats 40% | C |
| 1.8 Petrol | 55.3% | Beats 50% | C |
| 1.9 Diesel | 55.9% | Beats 63% | B |
2000 Peugeot 3066 engines52.3% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Diesel | 51.0% | Beats 45% | C |
| 1.4 Petrol | 49.2% | Beats 24% | D |
| 1.6 Petrol | 52.7% | Beats 33% | D |
| 2.0 Petrol | 61.1% | Beats 63% | B |
| 1.8 Petrol | 50.0% | Beats 28% | D |
| 1.9 Diesel | 53.6% | Beats 53% | C |
1999 Peugeot 3066 engines52.2% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.9 Diesel | 53.0% | Beats 43% | C |
| 2.0 Petrol | 60.6% | Beats 62% | B |
| 2.0 Diesel | 49.4% | Beats 35% | D |
| 1.6 Petrol | 51.0% | Beats 22% | D |
| 1.4 Petrol | 46.8% | Beats 12% | E |
| 1.8 Petrol | 48.4% | Beats 17% | E |
1998 Peugeot 3063 engines53.8% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.9 Diesel | 52.9% | Beats 37% | D |
| 2.0 Petrol | 58.2% | Beats 45% | C |
| 1.4 Petrol | 50.2% | Beats 15% | E |
1997 Peugeot 3062 engines56.1% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.9 Diesel | 53.6% | Beats 31% | D |
| 2.0 Petrol | 61.1% | Beats 50% | C |
1996 Peugeot 3061 engine57.8% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.9 Diesel | 57.8% | Beats 43% | C |
1995 Peugeot 3061 engine53.1% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.9 Diesel | 53.1% | Beats 21% | D |
FAQ
What is the Peugeot 306 MOT pass rate?
53.3% of MOT tests on the Peugeot 306 were passed first time, based on 59,248 tests between 2018 and 2026 of cars first registered 1995–2001. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 55.9% of the time.
Is the Peugeot 306 reliable?
On MOT results it rates D (below average): it passes first time less often than a typical car of the same age and mileage and does better than 40% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.
Which Peugeot 306 year is best?
Among years with enough data, the 2001 306 does best for its age and mileage: it beats 50% of cars on UK roads. The 1995 does worst: it beats 21%.
Which Peugeot 306 engine is best?
Across all years, the 2.0 Petrol does best: it beats 57% of cars on UK roads. The 1.4 Petrol does worst: it beats 29%.
What are the most common MOT failures on the Peugeot 306?
The most common failure items are handbrake performance, exhaust emissions (catalyst), exhaust system. Compared with similar cars, handbrake performance comes up 2.3× as often.