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League table/ VESPA (DOUGLAS)/P200E
Model report · 2005–2025

VESPA (DOUGLAS) P200E

198cc Petrol Class 1
#2491 of 5428 overall #10 of 30 VESPA (DOUGLAS)s #112 of 412 scooter bikes
85.0%
first-time pass rate
9.0%
failed outright
14,956
median miles at test
3,111
MOT tests, 2005–2025
+8.4pp
vs expected · age & mileage

The pass rate is the MOT first-time pass: a roadworthiness check of the items an MOT covers (brakes, lights, tyres, steering, structure, emissions), not a full mechanical inspection of engine or gearbox internals. It is a reliability signal, not a complete measure of mechanical reliability. What this measures.

“vs expected” adjusts for age, mileage and test class, so a cherished classic and a hard-used commuter are compared fairly. How this works.

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The P200E's first-time pass rate has risen 11.3 points since 2005, 81.3% to 92.6%.

76%86%96%2005: 81.3% pass (32 tests)2006: 82.0% pass (183 tests)2007: 81.0% pass (184 tests)2008: 79.0% pass (176 tests)2009: 81.3% pass (187 tests)2010: 82.4% pass (182 tests)2011: 82.4% pass (187 tests)2012: 83.8% pass (198 tests)2013: 85.1% pass (194 tests)2014: 85.1% pass (208 tests)2015: 87.0% pass (192 tests)2016: 87.8% pass (181 tests)2017: 85.2% pass (176 tests)2018: 84.1% pass (138 tests)2019: 91.9% pass (123 tests)2020: 91.6% pass (95 tests)2021: 88.2% pass (127 tests)2022: 89.6% pass (115 tests)2023: 87.8% pass (98 tests)2024: 91.0% pass (67 tests)2025: 92.6% pass (68 tests)20052025

Pass rate by mileage

how the P200E's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage P200E passes first time 87.0% of the time; by 50k that's 86.8%.

80%84%88%0k: 87.0% pass (1,047 tests)10k: 85.6% pass (937 tests)20k: 81.5% pass (686 tests)30k: 84.5% pass (239 tests)40k: 81.4% pass (59 tests)50k: 86.8% pass (53 tests)0k30k50k

First-time pass rate by odometer reading at test, 10,000-mile bands for this model. Mileage is the strongest reliability signal. See the full curve.

What fails on a P200E

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
lighting and signalling
260 42 1.1×
brakes
89 14.4 0.5×
steering and suspension
79 12.8 0.7×
tyres and wheels
56 9 0.8×
lamps and reflectors
54 8.7 0.7×
reg plates and vin
25 4 1.0×
fuel and exhaust
20 3.2 0.8×
body and structure
14 2.3 0.9×
suspension
12 1.9 0.5×
tyres
10 1.6 0.4×

Defects recorded against failed normal tests, 2005–2025, grouped by DVSA inspection section. One test can record multiple defects. "vs all bikes" is how often this model's tests record a defect in the group, as a multiple of the all-bike rate.

How rivals compare

same type, similar capacity, high test volume

On first-time pass rate the P200E beats 1 of its 4 closest rivals (PIAGGIO PX 200 E, PIAGGIO X9, LAMBRETTA GP200).

PIAGGIO PX 200 E 86.5% pass · 28.4k tests Compare head-to-head →
PIAGGIO X9 77.0% pass · 21.7k tests Compare head-to-head →
LAMBRETTA GP200 87.8% pass · 19.9k tests Compare head-to-head →
LAMBRETTA LI150 88.8% pass · 19.3k tests Compare head-to-head →

Rivals share this bike's type and sit within ±30% of its engine capacity, ≥ 5,000 tests. Card colour = better/worse first-time pass rate than the P200E.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the P200E

More VESPA (DOUGLAS) models

other VESPA (DOUGLAS) bikes ranked by MOT pass rate
VESPA (DOUGLAS) PX125 80.4% pass · 3,280 tests
VESPA (DOUGLAS) T5 81.3% pass · 2,964 tests
VESPA (DOUGLAS) PX125E 79.5% pass · 1,711 tests
VESPA (DOUGLAS) DOUGLAS 84.0% pass · 1,608 tests
VESPA (DOUGLAS) PX 82.5% pass · 1,533 tests
VESPA (DOUGLAS) 125 76.5% pass · 1,002 tests

See all VESPA (DOUGLAS) models →

Pass rate by registration year

how each model-year cohort fares · registration year from first use date

Best year to buy used: 1981 (91.4% pass). Weakest: 1995 (76.6%).

74%84%94%1978: 83.5% pass (91 tests)1979: 86.3% pass (117 tests)1980: 88.1% pass (160 tests)1981: 91.4% pass (151 tests)1982: 80.0% pass (165 tests)1983: 86.9% pass (175 tests)1984: 86.1% pass (144 tests)1995: 76.6% pass (64 tests)1996: 84.4% pass (964 tests)1997: 84.4% pass (551 tests)1998: 80.2% pass (91 tests)2003: 88.2% pass (93 tests)197819842003

First-time pass rate by the year each bike was first registered (cohorts with ≥ 50 tests). Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years.

VESPA (DOUGLAS) P200E FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the VESPA (DOUGLAS) P200E reliable?

The VESPA (DOUGLAS) P200E is more reliable than average for its class: 85.0% of its 3,111 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #2491 of 5428 models.

What does a P200E fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 42% of all defects recorded against failed P200E tests.

What is the best year of P200E to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1981-registered examples do best (91.4%) and 1995 worst (76.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a P200E last?

The median P200E shows 14,956 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 86.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.

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