All generations and engines together · 112,826 MOT tests in the 2025 data · typical mileage at age 7: 67k
Split by first-registration year. Cars registered in a changeover year can belong to either generation.
Computed from DVSA MOT results, all of Great Britain, 2025. Nothing here is opinion.
Share of tests where each item was recorded. The dark tick is the class average across all tracked models; bars are scaled within each group.
The rows that judge the model rather than its keeper. 41,894 tests in this band.
Tyres, pads and stone chips say more about how the car was driven and maintained than about how it was built.
Owner folklore from forums and the motoring press. Most of it never shows up in an MOT, which is why this section exists at all.
The 1.2 PureTech turbo petrol used across the newer 308 range has a well-documented history of premature engine wear: cases of crankshaft damage, spark plugs breaking loose and causing misfires, and carbon build-up on the valves. Owners have reported failures as early as 40,000 miles, well outside normal wear territory. Peugeot/Stellantis dealers have issued software updates for older PureTech units to address some of the running problems, and a full engine replacement, if it comes to that, runs well into four figures.
This is the folklore version of the model's measured MOT weak point. Owners report creaking and grinding from the rear over bumps, traced to rust forming inside the box-section rear axle beam, which can crack the welds from the inside out. Peugeot's dealer fix is a drill-and-foam treatment to stop the corrosion spreading rather than a straight replacement. It rarely shows as visible rust at a glance, which is exactly why it slips past a casual look but still shows up as corrosion in the test data.
A recurring complaint across more than one generation, mostly on the 1.6 HDi diesel manuals: the clutch pedal goes soft, the biting point creeps up, or the clutch fails to disengage properly. It tends to show up from around three years old and can repeat more than once on the same car. Parts and labour for the cylinders are not expensive on their own, roughly £150-£400, but repeat failures point to a wider fluid or seal problem worth asking the seller about.
On the earlier (2007-2013) 308 with the AL4 four-speed automatic, owners report a harsh 'kick' on cold-start pull-away and intermittent gearbox fault warnings that don't clear with a fluid change. It's a known weak spot for this transmission across several PSA models of the era, not unique to the 308. Repairs, if it comes to a rebuild, can run to £1,000-£1,500. Doesn't apply to manual cars.
Diesel 308s can throw a 'risk of filter clogging' warning tied to failure of the additive (Eolys) pump that dopes fuel to help the DPF regenerate, logged as fault code P1435 in at least one reported case. Left unaddressed it leads to a blocked filter and a bill that can run from a few hundred pounds for the pump up to £1,000+ if the DPF itself needs replacing. Mostly an issue on cars that do a lot of short, low-speed journeys.
On the current (2021-on) 308, the infotainment software is repeatedly described as slow to respond, and there are no physical buttons for the climate controls, so adjusting temperature or fan speed means digging through the touchscreen while driving. It's not a fault that leaves you stranded, and Peugeot has made no formal acknowledgement, but it's one of the most consistently repeated gripes about the current car and it's worth trying yourself before you buy rather than taking someone else's word for it.
Built from the two sections above.
Same segment (Family hatchbacks), best MOT record first. Compare before you shortlist.