Car
Peugeot 208
81.6%
pass rate across 723,065 tests
77.9% first-time pass rate
Peugeot 208 vs Renault Clio
The two cars compared on 1,984,315 real MOT tests: pass rates, first-time passes, the failures each is known for, repair costs and how both have moved year by year.
Car
Renault Clio
72.5%
pass rate across 1,261,250 tests
63.2% first-time pass rate
The short answer
Peugeot 208 has the stronger MOT record
Across 1,984,315 tests, the Peugeot 208 has the stronger first-time record: 77.9% against 63.2%, a 14.7-point gap. On all MOTs the Peugeot 208 is ahead at 81.6% versus 72.5%. Even after adjusting for the age and mileage of the cars tested, the Peugeot 208 is −2.0 points against its expected rate, the Renault Clio −6.6. A typical repair bill is similar: £30–£92 for the Peugeot 208 and £30–£80 for the Renault Clio; at their pass rates that is roughly £555–£1,689 versus £812–£2,197 per 100 tests. The costliest common failure on the Renault Clio is Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded at 10.0% of tests, up to £180 to fix.
- First-time pass: 77.9% vs 63.2%.
- All MOTs: 81.6% vs 72.5%.
- Like-for-like: −2.0 vs −6.6 points.
- Typical repair bill: £30–£92 vs £30–£80.
- At 90,000–120,000 miles: 72.2% vs 66.8%.
| Measure | 208 | Clio |
|---|---|---|
| MOT tests on record | 723,065 | 1,261,250 |
| Pass rate, all MOTs | 81.6% stronger figure | 72.5% |
| First-time pass rate | 77.9% stronger figure | 63.2% |
| Against the UK average | +0.6 pts stronger figure | −8.5 pts |
| Like-for-like, age and mileage adjusted | −2.0 pts stronger figure | −6.6 pts |
| Average mileage at test | 46,155 mi | 67,255 mi |
| Model years on record | 2012–2023 (12) | 2000–2023 (24) |
| Best model year | 2023 · 95.5% | 2023 · 95.2% |
| Worst model year | 2012 · 74.3% | 2006 · 67.9% |
| Typical repair bill | £30–£92 | £30–£80 stronger figure |
| Expected repair spend per 100 tests | £555–£1,689 stronger figure | £812–£2,197 |
| Main fuel | Petrol 78% | Petrol 78% |
| Variants recorded | 2 | 9 |
A ✓ marks the stronger figure in each row. It is a comparison between the two cars, not a judgement against the national average.
What goes wrong most often
The most common priced failures on each model, as a share of all its tests. Repair costs are estimates from UK parts data, not quotes.
Clio
- Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded 10.0% £80–£180
- Ball joint excessively worn 10.0% £18–£45
- Track rod end excessive play 6.5% £18–£45
- Coil spring fractured or broken 6.3% £25–£65
Year by year
The newest 8 years with published results. A model's headline rate hides a wide spread between its best and worst years.
| Model year | 208 | Clio |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 82.6% · 88,410 tests | 73.9% · 88,171 tests |
| 2017 | 83.5% · 59,778 tests | 78.0% · 72,142 tests |
| 2018 | 85.7% · 51,200 tests | 82.0% · 70,168 tests |
| 2019 | 88.8% · 54,680 tests | 84.4% · 58,558 tests |
| 2020 | 88.7% · 43,133 tests | 88.1% · 32,019 tests |
| 2021 | 90.0% · 31,306 tests | 89.9% · 17,043 tests |
| 2022 | 91.3% · 17,806 tests | 91.5% · 5,928 tests |
| 2023 | 95.5% · 760 tests | 95.2% · 105 tests |
Does the pass rate hold at higher mileage?
Pass rate by the mileage recorded at test, pooled across every published year. A car that stays strong past 90,000 miles is doing something right.
| Mileage | 208 | Clio |
|---|---|---|
| 0–30,000 mi | 91.3% · 157,296 tests | 86.8% · 134,942 tests |
| 30,000–60,000 mi | 83.4% · 274,249 tests | 76.2% · 369,083 tests |
| 60,000–90,000 mi | 75.8% · 201,266 tests | 69.5% · 399,678 tests |
| 90,000–120,000 mi | 72.2% · 70,179 tests | 66.8% · 244,470 tests |
| 120k+ | 71.6% · 19,836 tests | 66.1% · 109,281 tests |
What to check before you buy
Peugeot 208
- The weakest year on record is 2012 at 74.3%; check that generation's MOT history closely.
Renault Clio
- Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded — 10.0% of tests, £80–£180 to put right.
- Ball joint excessively worn — 10.0% of tests, £18–£45 to put right.
- The weakest year on record is 2006 at 67.9%; check that generation's MOT history closely.
Both columns cover every published year for the model. Pass rates are test-weighted, so a model with more recent tests is not dragged down by its oldest ones. Repair figures are estimates from UK parts data; a garage quote is the only number that matters for a specific car. The same car can be tested in more than one year, so these are test outcomes, not a count of individual vehicles.
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