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Peugeot RCZ

All generations and engines together · 10,309 MOT tests in the 2025 data

Reliability verdict
EBy miles

Graded against its peers

One of the worst coupés and convertibles per mile driven. Watch emissions/leaks and suspension. A risky used buy. Check the MOT history for repeating emissions/leaks advisories before you go.

First-time failure at 50-60k miles
33.9%
Across 1,290 tests. The average for coupés and convertibles is 17.9%.

What owners report

Reported

Owner folklore from forums and the motoring press, with how well each report stands up. Most of it never shows up in an MOT, which is why this section exists at all.

1.6 THP timing chain and tensioner wear

Confirmed pattern

The turbo 1.6 THP engine (shared with the Mini Cooper S/JCW of the same era) uses a timing chain with a tensioner that loses spring tension over time. Owners hear a rattly, diesel-like clatter on cold start that fades as revs rise, and if it's ignored the chain can jump or snap, wrecking the valves and pistons. It tends to show from around 60,000-100,000 miles and a full repair (chain, tensioner, guides) runs roughly £600-1,200, more if the engine has already been damaged.

Reported 60-100k miles · sources: Peugeot RCZ Forum, Autodoc

Turbo oil feed pipe coking

Emerging

On the same 1.6 THP engine the narrow oil feed pipe to the turbo can silt up with carbon (coking), starving the turbo of oil. Symptoms are a whining or rattling turbo, a drop in boost, or in worse cases outright turbo failure needing a replacement in the £700-1,200 range. It is not officially acknowledged as a design fault, but it comes up repeatedly on the owners' forum alongside the timing chain issue, and both point back to the same engine's marginal oil supply.

Reported from 60k miles · sources: Peugeot RCZ Forum, Autodoc

Roof, boot and footwell water leaks

Partly in the MOT data

The double-bubble glass roof, boot spoiler drain holes and wiring loom grommets are all recurring leak points, with water tracking a long way from where it gets in before it shows up as a damp footwell or a soaked boot floor. This lines up with the measured MOT data for the RCZ's segment, which flags emissions and leaks as the standout fault category; the roof and body seals seem to be a real contributor to that, even though owners usually blame the roof rather than the exhaust side. Repairs range from a free reseal to £200-plus if wiring or carpets need drying out and a fuse box has corroded.

Reported at various ages · sources: Peugeot RCZ Forum, Peugeot Forums

Electric window regulator failure

Emerging

A weak spot in the door window regulator's circuit board or cable means windows can stop responding, drop and not come back up, or only go down halfway. It shows up at any age and mileage rather than being a high-mileage fault, and owners report replacement regulators (aftermarket or used) costing around £150-350 fitted. There's no recall or TSB for it, just a steady stream of forum threads describing the same failure.

Reported at any mileage · sources: Peugeot RCZ Forum, Peugeot Forums

EGR valve and DPF clogging

EmergingDiesel only

On the 2.0 HDi diesel, an EGR valve that sticks open lets soot foul the DPF, causing hesitation, a warning light and, if driven around town rather than on long runs, a blocked filter that needs forced regeneration or replacement. Cleaning or replacing the EGR and DPF runs from around £150 for a clean up to £800-plus for new parts. Doesn't apply to the petrol THP cars.

Reported on 2.0 HDi cars · sources: Peugeot Forums, propeugeotspares.co.za

Clutch and dual-mass flywheel wear

Disputed

A clonking noise at idle in neutral, or when pulling away, points to a worn dual-mass flywheel, which on the RCZ's forum some owners say has failed as early as 15,000-20,000 miles while others rack up well over 60,000 without trouble. Left alone, broken-off flywheel parts can damage the gearbox itself, so it's worth listening for even on a low-mileage car. A clutch and DMF replacement is typically £500-900.

Reported from 15k miles, disputed how common · sources: Peugeot RCZ Forum

What to check on this car

Ranked from this model’s own MOT record, then from what owners report.

Saveable checklist

From this model’s MOT record

The physical checks its own defect data says are worth your time, most telling first.

LeaksRuns high on this model Look at the ground where the car usually stands, then glance under the engine after your test drive. Fresh drips of oil or coolant are the cheapest warning you will ever get about a car.Recorded on 13.9% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 4.8%
Coil springsRuns high on this model Look through the wheel spokes at the bottom coil of each spring; when springs snap it is usually there, and the break is visible. Step back and check the car sits level too. A dropped corner is often a broken spring.Recorded on 10.5% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 3.2%
Bushes and ball joints Drive slowly over broken tarmac with the windows down and listen for clonks from either end. Back at the car, have someone rock the steering wheel while you rest a hand on each front wheel; play you can feel through the tyre is a worn joint.Recorded on 11.8% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 9.0%
Rubber boots and gaitersRuns high on this model On full steering lock, look in behind each front wheel at the concertina rubber boots on the driveshafts and steering rack. Splits, or grease flung around the arch, mean dirt is getting into a joint that costs far more than the boot protecting it.Recorded on 5.7% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 1.4%
Lights and horn walkroundRuns high on this model With a helper, run every light: dipped, main beam, indicators, brake lights including the high-level one, reverse, fog, and the horn. On newer cars a dead LED section can mean replacing the whole lamp unit rather than a bulb.Recorded on 4.5% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 1.8%
Brake pipes underneathRuns high on this model Follow the metal brake lines with a torch where they run along the sills and over the rear axle. White crust or flaking metal means they are corroding, and the online MOT history usually shows the same advisory creeping up for years before the fail.Recorded on 3.5% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 1.6%
Warning lights on ignitionRuns high on this model Turn the ignition on without starting the engine and watch the dash. Every warning light should appear, then go out once it is running. Be more suspicious of a light that never comes on at all than of one that stays on; warning bulbs have been known to vanish before a sale.Recorded on 2.9% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 0.7%

Worth doing on any used car

These judge the seller’s upkeep rather than the model, and they are where the haggling money is.

Tyres, all four Check the tread across the full width of each tyre, inner edge included, and look for cracking and mismatched brands. A set of decent tyres is £500 or more on most cars, which makes this the easiest money to take off a price. If the pressure warning light is on, budget for sensors too.Recorded on 25.5% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 20.9%
Pads and discsRuns high on this model Look through the wheel spokes at the brake disc. A pronounced lip on its outer edge, or a rusty and scored face, means discs and pads are due all round, a few hundred pounds on most cars. A haggling point rather than a reason to walk away.Recorded on 22.8% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 11.4%

Because of what owners report

Drawn from the reports above rather than the MOT data. These are the model-specific ones.

Start the engine stone cold and listen for 3-4 seconds before it settles. A rattly, diesel-like clatter that fades as revs rise points to timing chain tensioner wear.
Rev the engine hard from idle and listen for a whine or rattle from the turbo. A whining or surging turbo can mean the oil feed pipe is coking up.
Lift the boot floor carpet and check for damp or a musty smell, and check the front footwells too. Damp carpet or a musty smell means water has been getting in through the roof, boot drains or loom grommets.
Run every window down and up twice from the driver's door and from each individual switch. Hesitation, half-travel, or a window that won't come back up flags a failing regulator.
On a diesel, check for a DPF or engine warning light and ask about the car's usual journey type. A car that's mostly done short trips is far more likely to have a clogged DPF or EGR.
With the engine running, put it in neutral, let go of the clutch and listen for a knock at idle. A clonk that disappears when you press the clutch pedal is a classic dual-mass flywheel symptom.
Check the MOT/service history for the two known recalls: fuel filter heater leak (cars built 2012-2014) and front brake hose (cars built 2009-2010). If the car falls in those build windows and the recall work isn't logged, get it checked before buying.

Open the saveable checklist, tick it off at the car

The MOT data

Measured

Computed from DVSA MOT results, all of Great Britain, 2025. Nothing here is opinion.

How this model wears

Peugeot RCZClass average, all tracked models

What testers flag

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.

Faults with the car itself

The rows that judge the model rather than its keeper. 9,514 tests in this band.

A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
Advisory
16.0%class 13.0%
Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users
Advisory
13.9%class 4.8%
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
Fail
10.5%class 3.2%
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
Fail
5.7%class 1.4%
Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
Fail
4.5%class 1.8%
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
Advisory
4.1%class 5.0%
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
Fail
3.9%class 3.6%
A brake hose ferrule excessively corroded
Advisory
3.5%class 1.6%
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
Minor
3.3%class 1.5%
Stop lamp with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning
Minor
3.1%class 0.3%

Wear, upkeep and luck

Tyres, pads and stone chips say more about how the car was driven and maintained than about how it was built.

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
Advisory
29.1%class 23.4%
Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured
Advisory
22.8%class 11.4%
A tyre seriously damaged
Advisory
19.2%class 11.9%
A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
Advisory
7.8%class 7.3%
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
Fail
5.9%class 2.3%
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
Minor
4.1%class 3.3%
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
Fail
3.9%class 2.6%
Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn
Advisory
3.6%class 2.8%

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