1,902 tests in 2025
Jaguar Xjr reliability and MOT pass rate
78% passed first time. The 22% fail rate is 0.6 points better than the all-car average, on a median example 22 years old with 96,556 miles.
Pass rate
78%
22.6% of all cars failed; 22% of these did.
Fixed on the day
3%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
96,556 mi
22 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 0 | — |
| 6-9 years | 172 | — |
| 10-13 years | 87 | — |
| 14+ years | 1,643 | 23.6% |
What the Xjr fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Suspension10 dangerous42.2%
- Brakes49 dangerous31.5%
- Noise, emissions and leaks2 dangerous27.7%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment4 dangerous22.4%
- Tyres75 dangerous16%
- Body, chassis, structure2 dangerous14.3%
- Steering4 dangerous12.9%
- Visibility12.4%
Is the Xjr getting worse?
The fail rate rose 2 points to 22.1% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about -1.2 points, so it is getting worse faster than age explains.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2,368 | 19 | 20.1% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 2,263 | 20 | 20.8% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 1,888 | 21 | 21% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 1,899 | 22 | 22.1% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Xjr at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a Xjr in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt55 tests
- 2Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction47 tests
- 3Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits39 tests
- 4Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn31 tests
- 5Track rod end: ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt31 tests
- 6Catalyst emissions: carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits26 tests
- 7Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded25 tests
- 8Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength22 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Xjr collects 3.15 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm172 tests
- 2Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded159 tests
- 3Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn132 tests
- 4Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure121 tests
- 5Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine119 tests
- 6Sub-frame: corroded and seriously weakened108 tests
- 7Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened102 tests
- 8Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick92 tests
Questions
What is the Jaguar Xjr MOT pass rate?
78% of the 1,902 Jaguar Xjr first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 22% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 3% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Jaguar Xjr usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt", recorded on 55 failed tests, followed by "Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction" and "Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits". By section, suspension appears in 42.2% of failures, brakes appears in 31.5% of failures, noise, emissions and leaks appears in 27.7% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was n/a%; at 14+ years it was 23.6%. The median Jaguar Xjr tested in 2025 was 22 years old with 96,556 miles.
Is the Jaguar Xjr getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 2 points to 22.1% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about -1.2 points, so it is getting worse faster than age explains.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every Xjr trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
Other Jaguar models
Checking a particular Xjr?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.