Ford Kuga vs Peugeot 3008: which is the better used buy?

On DVSA MOT records the Ford Kuga is the more reliable used buy: it passes its first MOT 7.4 percentage points more often than the Peugeot 3008 once both are compared against what the national fleet scores at the same age. That comparison covers 47,950 real tests, not a survey.

MOT first-time pass rate

Counted from DVSA’s anonymised MOT test records. “vs age-matched” compares each model against what the national fleet scores at the same age — the only fair better-or-worse number, because an older fleet fails more whatever its build quality.

Model	Pass rate	Age-matched national	Difference	Tests
Ford Kuga	83.4%	81.2%	+2.2	32,869
Peugeot 3008	75.5%	80.7%	-5.2	15,081

Source: DVSA MOT Anonymised Data 2025 (Open Government Licence v3.0). National first-time pass rate 77.3%. Applies to Great Britain — Northern Ireland is tested by the DVA under a separate manual.

Ford Kuga

Mk3, 2019+ · compact family PHEV/hybrid SUV

The Mk3 Ford Kuga (2019+) is the UK's most popular PHEV family SUV, widely chosen for BIK tax benefits. The headline risk on 2019–2020 PHEVs is a battery coolant leak — a safety recall was issued over potential fire risk. Always verify the recall is completed by VIN before buying any early PHEV. The 1.5 EcoBoost petrol also has a documented coolant-to-cylinder issue. Post-recall 2021+ PHEV and the simpler FHEV (mild hybrid) are significantly more reliable. Best buy: 2021+ PHEV (recall confirmed) or 2022+ FHEV. Worst: 2019–2020 PHEV without recall verification.

What goes wrong

PHEV battery coolant leak — fire risk recall (2019–2020)critical
Warning lamp on dashboard. In severe cases, smoke or burning smell near the battery pack. Most affected cars showed no warning before failure.
2019–2020 (PHEV variant only) · Covered free under recall — Ford UK replaced the battery coolant system. If not yet completed, budget £2,800–£4,500.
Check: Before purchasing any 2019–2020 Kuga PHEV: check the VIN via Ford UK or an authorised Ford dealer. If the recall has not been completed, do not buy until it is rectified. This is a fire-safety issue — non-negotiable.
1.5 EcoBoost coolant loss — cylinder head (2019–2021)major
Low coolant warning lamp; white smoke from exhaust on startup; creamy emulsion on the oil filler cap
2019–2021 (1.5 EcoBoost petrol and PHEV) · £800–£2,200 cylinder head gasket or EGR cooler repair; covered under Ford extended warranty TSB on qualifying VINs
Check: Inspect the oil filler cap for creamy residue (head gasket symptom). Check coolant level and colour. Ask the selling dealer if the TSB repair has been applied — Ford issued a Technical Service Bulletin for this issue; post-TSB cars are resolved.
SYNC 3 / SYNC 4 infotainment freezingmoderate
Touchscreen unresponsive or slow to wake; Apple CarPlay or Android Auto drops out; system reboots mid-journey
2019–2021 (SYNC 3 — more affected); 2022+ SYNC 4 improved · £0 — dealer or OTA software update resolves most cases
Check: During test drive, cycle through multiple menus, connect a phone via CarPlay, and check the system wakes quickly after startup. A free software update from a Ford dealer resolves most SYNC freezes. If the system crashes during your test, request the update before completing purchase.
Panoramic sunroof drain blockagemoderate
Water dripping into front or rear footwell; musty smell; staining on headliner fabric
All panoramic roof variants · £120–£350 drain flush and clear; £600–£1,200 headliner replacement if water-stained
Check: Check the front footwell carpet corners for dampness. A sunroof drain test (pour water around the seal edge, observe for leaks below) takes 2 minutes and can save a costly repair. Annual drain flush is good practice in the UK's wet climate.

Typical asking price:: £8,000–£30,000 (Mk3 2019–2023; PHEV/FHEV at the top end)
Real-world economy:: PHEV: 35–42 miles of official electric range depending on model year and wheel size — budget for 26–33 miles in real UK use and less in winter. Once the battery is flat it drives as an ordinary hybrid at roughly 39–49 mpg, so the economy you get depends almost entirely on whether you can charge at home. FHEV (non-plug-in): 40–47 mpg real-world UK mixed
Vehicle tax:: £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025. Cars registered 2001–2017 pay a CO2 band, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates).
Best years:: 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Years to avoid:: 2019, 2020

Full Kuga fault guide Used Fords

Peugeot 3008

Mk2 (2016–2024) · C-segment crossover SUV. The 3008 Mk2 was European Car of the Year 2017 and established Peugeot's premium crossover credentials. Available in petrol (1.2 PureTech 130/155, 1.6 THP), diesel (1.5 BlueHDi 130, 2.0 BlueHDi 150/180), and plug-in hybrid (Hybrid 225/300 e-EAT8). Popular in the UK as a premium alternative to the Nissan Qashqai and Hyundai Tucson.

The Peugeot 3008 Mk2 is a well-designed, premium-feeling crossover — but the 1.2 PureTech wet-belt problem (shared with the 208, and with the Vauxhall and Citroën cars using the same engine) applies to petrol cars right through to the 2023 switch to a chain. It is a service item: the belt runs in the oil and is due at 6 years or 62,000 miles. The 1.5 BlueHDi diesel is the most reliable engine in the range for UK mixed driving and sidesteps the issue entirely. The Hybrid 225/300 PHEV is an excellent choice for buyers with charging facilities — low running costs and good real-world EV range. The iCockpit infotainment issues (freeze, reboot) are more common on the 3008 than the 208 due to the larger/older infotainment system on earlier cars.

What goes wrong

1.2 PureTech wet timing belt and oil consumptioncritical
Oil level dropping between services; rattle or whine on cold start; EML and timing-related fault codes; in severe cases engine failure through oil starvation
2016–2023 (1.2 PureTech 130 and 155 petrol) · Belt due at 6 years or 62,000 miles, whichever comes first · £450–£850 at a UK independent for the belt including cleaning the oil pick-up; £4,000+ if debris has already starved the engine
Check: Same check as on the 208 — the wet belt is shared across every PSA/Stellantis 1.0 and 1.2 PureTech application, which in the UK also means the Citroën C3 and C4, Vauxhall Corsa, Mokka and Grandland, and the DS 3. The belt runs in the oil and sheds debris that blocks the oil pick-up. Ask for a belt-change invoice against the revised 6-year/62,000-mile interval, pull the dipstick, and check the Stellantis compensation portal (qualifying repairs paid January 2022 to December 2024) and the up-to-10-year/112,000-mile warranty extension. The 1.5 BlueHDi diesel and the Hybrid 225/300 are not affected by this engine issue.
iCockpit touchscreen and infotainment freezingmoderate
Touchscreen freezes or becomes unresponsive; navigation crash; climate control accessible only via frozen screen; system reboots mid-drive
2016–2021 (older touchscreen/infotainment hardware) · Not mileage-related — software and hardware degradation · £0–£200 software update; £400–£800 infotainment control unit replacement if hardware fails
Check: Test the full touchscreen functionality during the test drive, including climate control (integrated into the touchscreen on the 3008). Ask if the latest Peugeot Connect software update has been applied. The 3008 infotainment issues are more significant than the 208 because the climate control is fully touchscreen-integrated — a freeze means you lose climate control.
EAT8 automatic gearbox judder (petrol models)moderate
Shudder from standstill; hesitation in slow traffic; harsh low-speed gear changes
2016–2021 (EAT8 8-speed automatic with 1.2 PureTech and 1.6 THP) · Above 30,000 miles in urban use · £300–£600 EAT8 software recalibration and fluid flush; £1,500–£3,000 if mechatronic unit fails
Check: Test the EAT8 at slow traffic speed and from a complete standstill. The 3008 EAT8 judder pattern is similar to the 208 EAT8. Gearbox service history (fluid change) and software calibration updates are the key questions.
PHEV 225/300 — charging port and 12V auxiliary batterymoderate
Charging cable stuck; "PHEV system fault" warning; EV range below 19 miles (should be 31 miles+)
2019–2022 (3008 Hybrid 225 and 300 PHEV) · From 3+ years old regardless of mileage · £200–£500 charging port sensor; £120–£250 12V auxiliary battery
Check: Test the PHEV by charging fully and verifying real-world EV range (should be 25–31 miles in UK conditions). Check the charging port locks and unlocks properly. The 12V auxiliary battery (separate from the traction battery) is a known maintenance item on 3008 PHEVs approaching 4 years old.

Typical asking price:: Mk2 2017–2019 1.5 BlueHDi: £6,000–£12,000 | 2020–2022 facelift 1.2 PureTech: £11,000–£18,000 | PHEV 2019–2022: £13,000–£19,000
Real-world economy:: 44–51 mpg (1.2 PureTech real-world UK); 54–63 mpg (1.5 BlueHDi real-world); Hybrid 225: the official figure above 150 mpg is a lab number that assumes every journey starts fully charged — ignore it unless you have home charging, and expect ordinary-hybrid economy once the battery is empty
Vehicle tax:: £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025. Cars registered 2001–2017 pay a CO2 band, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates).
Best years:: 2020, 2021, 2022
Years to avoid:: 2016, 2017, 2018

Full 3008 fault guide Used Peugeots

Which one suits you

Ford Kuga

Good for: Company car drivers benefiting from low BIK on PHEV (CO₂ under 50g/km). Families wanting a practical 5-seat SUV with home-charging for daily commutes. Buyers who charge at home and want meaningful EV range for short town journeys.

Less good for: 2019–2020 PHEV until confirmed recall is complete. Buyers who want plug-in simplicity should consider the simpler FHEV or Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. Diesel buyers doing short city journeys — DPF trouble is near-certain.

Peugeot 3008

Good for: Crossover buyers who want premium styling and feel at a price below Audi/BMW. PHEV buyers with home charging who do regular commutes under 31 miles. Buyers targeting the 2020+ facelift 1.5 BlueHDi diesel for a reliable, economical crossover.

Less good for: Buyers who cannot verify the PureTech wet-belt change on 2016–2020 petrol cars. Buyers doing heavy city driving with the EAT8 automatic. Buyers who want the simplest, most reliable SUV ownership — the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid or Hyundai Tucson Hybrid are lower-maintenance choices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is more reliable, the Ford Kuga or the Peugeot 3008?

The Ford Kuga. It passes its first MOT 7.4 percentage points more often than the Peugeot 3008 once both are age-adjusted, across 47,950 DVSA-recorded tests.

What is the MOT pass rate for the Ford Kuga?

83.4% of Ford Kugas pass their MOT first time, from 32,869 tests in DVSA's records. The national first-time rate is 77.3%, but cars of this model's age average 81.2% — so it runs 2.2 points better than its age group.

What is the MOT pass rate for the Peugeot 3008?

75.5% of Peugeot 3008s pass their MOT first time, from 15,081 tests. Against the 80.7% that cars of its age average, it runs 5.2 points worse.

Which years should I avoid?

For the Ford Kuga, 2019–2020 Mk3 PHEV affected by a battery coolant leak recall involving potential fire risk. Ford issued a stop-sale and repair programme. Always verify by VIN whether the recall was completed before purchasing any 2019–2020 PHEV. For the Peugeot 3008, 2016–2018 launch cars are now well past the revised wet-belt interval, which is where the 1.2 PureTech oil-consumption and engine-failure reports concentrate — the belt sheds debris into the oil and blocks the pick-up. Early infotainment (touchscreen module freeze) was also most prevalent on these years. The 1.6 THP petrol used on some early variants had higher oil consumption than the later 1.2 PureTech.

Which is cheaper to run?

The Ford Kuga returns PHEV: 35–42 miles of official electric range depending on model year and wheel size — budget for 26–33 miles in real UK use and less in winter. Once the battery is flat it drives as an ordinary hybrid at roughly 39–49 mpg, so the economy you get depends almost entirely on whether you can charge at home. FHEV (non-plug-in): 40–47 mpg real-world UK mixed in real UK driving; the Peugeot 3008 returns 44–51 mpg (1.2 PureTech real-world UK); 54–63 mpg (1.5 BlueHDi real-world); Hybrid 225: the official figure above 150 mpg is a lab number that assumes every journey starts fully charged — ignore it unless you have home charging, and expect ordinary-hybrid economy once the battery is empty. Vehicle tax: Kuga — £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025. Cars registered 2001–2017 pay a CO2 band, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates).; 3008 — £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025. Cars registered 2001–2017 pay a CO2 band, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates).. Insurance differs mainly by driver and postcode rather than by model, so treat any model-level insurance figure with caution.

MOT figures are counted from DVSA records and are the only measured statistic here. Prices, economy and tax bands are indicative and vary by specification, condition and where the car has lived. Last reviewed: 2026-08-14 / 2026-08-14.