Peugeot 308: common problems, best years and what to check
Stylish family hatch and estate with a tiny steering wheel. Covers 2008–2024 cars: every popular engine, its known faults with typical UK repair costs, and how each year has held up on Britain's roads.
Updated November 2026 · By the Carnod team · How we build this guide
Is the Peugeot 308 a good used buy?
Best buy
2017–2021 T9 BlueHDi or a PureTech with belt done
Avoid
T7 THP with chain noise
Who it suits: Buyers wanting a stylish, comfortable family hatch or estate.
What's good
- Comfortable ride
- SW estate has a huge boot
- Stylish interior
- Frugal BlueHDi
What's not
- PureTech belt problems
- Small wheel blocks dials for some
- THP engine issues on T7
- Weak resale
By the numbers
- #64 most common model on UK roads, with about 131k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2016: 14.1k cars still licensed.
- 2008 cars survive 54% worse than comparable cars — check those harder.
- 1.2 PureTech uses a wet belt (inspect 4 yrs, replace ~60k–100k): budget £600–£900 if there's no invoice.
- The most expensive common fault: Wet timing belt degrades; debris can block the oil pickup (up to £4,000).
Peugeot 308 common problems by generation and engine
Peugeot 308 T7 (2007–2013) · hatch/SW
How to spot it: 07 plate to 13 plate. Big gaping grille and swept-back headlights.
1.6 VTi / THP (EP6, petrol, 2007–2013)
THP has chain and carbon issues
- Timing chain stretch (THP)£600–£1,20050k+
1.6 HDi (DV6, diesel, 2007–2013)
Frugal; injector seals
- Injector seal leak£200–£50060k+
Peugeot 308 T9 (2013–2021) · hatch/SW; GTi
How to spot it: 14 plate to 21 plate. Neat, clean design with a small steering wheel and a tablet-like screen.
1.2 PureTech 110/130 (EB2DTS, petrol, 2014–2021)
Punchy and frugal, but the oil-bathed belt needs strict care
- Wet timing belt degrades; debris can block the oil pickup£600–£4,000from ~40k or 4 yrs · Check: Belt inspection or replacement invoice
- Oil consumption£0–£1,50040k+
1.5 / 1.6 BlueHDi (DV5 / DV6, diesel, 2014–2021)
Frugal; AdBlue system can fault
- AdBlue tank / pump failure£600–£1,30050k+
- Timing belt wear (1.5)£400–£70060k+
Peugeot 308 P5 (2021–) · hatch/SW; PHEV; e-308
How to spot it: 21 plate onwards. Fang daytime lights and the new shield badge.
1.2 PureTech 110/130 (EB2DTS, petrol, 2021–)
Punchy and frugal, but the oil-bathed belt needs strict care
- Wet timing belt degrades; debris can block the oil pickup£600–£4,000from ~40k or 4 yrs · Check: Belt inspection or replacement invoice
- Oil consumption£0–£1,50040k+
Hybrid 180 / 225 (PureTech + e, petrol plug-in hybrid, 2021–)
Complex
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst Peugeot 308 years
How many Peugeot 308s from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.
No year clearly outlasts similar cars. Years that fall off the road faster: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2018 — check these harder.
Peugeot 308 MOT pass rate and common failures
First-time pass rate (2025)
Average UK car of the same age
MOT tests analysed (2008+ cars)
Peugeot 308s pass their MOT first time 6 points less often than the average UK car of the same age (64% vs 70%). Older cars fail more, so we compare like with like.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 50% | 57% | 102k miles |
| 2009 | 50% | 58% | 101k miles |
| 2010 | 53% | 59% | 99k miles |
| 2011 | 57% | 61% | 96k miles |
| 2012 | 56% | 63% | 97k miles |
| 2013 | 55% | 66% | 92k miles |
| 2014 | 62% | 69% | 88k miles |
| 2015 | 67% | 72% | 84k miles |
| 2016 | 69% | 75% | 75k miles |
| 2017 | 72% | 78% | 65k miles |
| 2018 | 77% | 81% | 57k miles |
| 2019 | 81% | 84% | 47k miles |
| 2020 | 84% | 86% | 37k miles |
| 2021 | 83% | 87% | 36k miles |
| 2022 | 88% | 89% | 26k miles |
Pass rate by fuel
Diesel
Petrol
Fuels differ in age and mileage mix, so treat this as a pattern rather than a like-for-like comparison.
Most common MOT failures
- Coil spring: fractured or broken5.19 per 100
- Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt5.11 per 100
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm4.3 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick3.29 per 100
- Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play3.03 per 100
- Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps2.8 per 100
- Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect2.77 per 100
- Stop lamp: not working2.76 per 100
Most common advisories
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm30.69 per 100
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened20.03 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn12.4 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick11.69 per 100
- Tyres: has a tear10.33 per 100
- Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine7.78 per 100
- Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn4.81 per 100
- Coil spring: corroded4.14 per 100
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2025 (normal car tests). First-time pass counts faults fixed during the test as fails. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Does the Peugeot 308 have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 PureTech | wet belt | inspect 4 yrs, replace ~60k–100k | £600–£900 |
| 1.6 BlueHDi | belt | 100k / 10 yrs | £400–£650 |
Peugeot 308 running costs
Road tax (from April 2017)
Road tax (before April 2017)
Insurance groups
Real-world economy
Servicing (independent)
Tyres
Warranty when new
Is the Peugeot 308 ULEZ compliant?
- Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
- Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
- Same standards apply in Birmingham and Bristol Clean Air Zones (which charge private cars) and Scotland's LEZs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee (which fine them). Check the exact car on TfL's vehicle checker.
Safety and practicality
Euro NCAP
Boot
Seats
Peugeot 308 vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peugeot 308 | 131k | 10–30 | 470 l | 2017–2021 T9 BlueHDi or a PureTech with belt done |
| Volkswagen Golf | 802k | 10–33 | 380 l | 2013–2020 Mk7/7.5 1.4/1.5 TSI or 2.0 TDI manual |
| Ford Focus | 779k | 4–22 | 375 l | 2018+ Mk4 1.0 EcoBoost/1.5 EcoBlue manual or Mk3 1.6 TDCi |
| Vauxhall Astra | 484k | 4–22 | 370 l | 2015–2021 Astra K 1.4T or 1.6 CDTi |
| Kia Ceed | 120k | 11–22 | 395 l | 2018+ CD 1.5 T-GDi |
| Skoda Octavia | 201k | 10–24 | 590 l | 2013–2020 Mk3 2.0 TDI estate |
What to check when buying a used Peugeot 308
- PureTech belt history
Peugeot 308 FAQ
›Is the Peugeot 308 reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 2017–2021 T9 BlueHDi or a PureTech with belt done. Avoid: T7 THP with chain noise.
›What is the Peugeot 308 MOT pass rate?
64% of Peugeot 308s passed their MOT first time in 2025 (111,958 tests), below the 70% average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: coil spring: fractured or broken.
›What are the most common Peugeot 308 problems?
The costliest known faults are Wet timing belt degrades; debris can block the oil pickup; Oil consumption. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the Peugeot 308 have a timing belt or chain?
1.2 PureTech: wet belt; 1.6 BlueHDi: belt.
›What is the best year Peugeot 308 to buy?
By DfT survival data, 2019, 2020, 2023 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.
›How much does a Peugeot 308 cost to run?
Real-world economy: 1.2 PureTech 44–52 mpg; 1.5/1.6 BlueHDi 58–68 mpg. Insurance groups 10–30. A minor service is about £150–£220 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a Peugeot 308?
Cars registered from April 2017 pay £200 a year (more if the list price was over £40k). Older cars pay by CO2 band, from £20 to £790.
›Is the Peugeot 308 ULEZ compliant?
Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001. Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
How we build this guide
We combine official UK data with what independent garages see most often on this model.
- How many are still on the road: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, by year first used. The survival comparison is against cars of the same age.
- MOT pass rates, failures and mileage: DVSA anonymised MOT results — every normal car MOT in Great Britain for the year, compared with all cars of the same age.
- Road tax: GOV.UK rates from April 2026. ULEZ: TfL and Clean Air Zone emission standards.
- Faults and repair costs: known problems by engine code, priced at typical UK independent-garage rates including parts and labour.
- Insurance groups, mpg, servicing and tyres: typical ranges, not quotes. Your car's exact figures depend on the version and where you live.
This is a buying guide, not a mechanical inspection. A specific car's MOT history tells you far more than any model average — run a free check on it before you go and see it.
Sources: licensed counts and survival from DfT vehicle licensing statistics; road tax from GOV.UK (April 2026 rates). Faults, costs, mpg and insurance groups are typical ranges, not quotes. A guide, not a mechanical inspection.