5,807 tests in 2025
Jaguar Xk8 reliability and MOT pass rate
76.9% passed first time. The 23.1% fail rate is 0.5 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 25 years old with 83,741 miles.
Pass rate
76.9%
22.6% of all cars failed; 23.1% of these did.
Fixed on the day
3.2%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
83,741 mi
25 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 0 | — |
| 6-9 years | 0 | — |
| 10-13 years | 3 | — |
| 14+ years | 5,804 | 23.1% |
What the Xk8 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.
- Suspension43 dangerous41.2%
- Brakes120 dangerous35.7%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment21 dangerous28.9%
- Noise, emissions and leaks1 dangerous22.6%
- Body, chassis, structure16 dangerous16.2%
- Visibility13.9%
- Tyres186 dangerous12.8%
- Steering7.5%
Is the Xk8 getting worse?
The fail rate fell 0.9 points to 23.1% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (-2.4 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 7,232 | 22 | 24% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 6,917 | 23 | 22.4% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 5,746 | 24 | 22.7% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 5,804 | 25 | 23.1% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Xk8 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 Xk8 in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Anti-lock braking system: warning lamp indicates an ABS fault179 tests
- 2Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits146 tests
- 3Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength138 tests
- 4Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn111 tests
- 5Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements93 tests
- 6Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction83 tests
- 7Ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt82 tests
- 8Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively77 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Xk8 collects 3.41 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 1.6mm583 tests
- 2Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded535 tests
- 3Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure467 tests
- 4Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine412 tests
- 5Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn405 tests
- 6Wheel bearings: has excessive play378 tests
- 7Coil spring: corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened327 tests
- 8Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened313 tests
Questions
What is the Jaguar Xk8 MOT pass rate?
76.9% of the 5,807 Jaguar Xk8 first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 23.1% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 3.2% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Jaguar Xk8 usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Anti-lock braking system: warning lamp indicates an ABS fault", recorded on 179 failed tests, followed by "Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits" and "Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength". By section, suspension appears in 41.2% of failures, brakes appears in 35.7% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 28.9% 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 23.1%. The median Jaguar Xk8 tested in 2025 was 25 years old with 83,741 miles.
Is the Jaguar Xk8 getting less reliable?
The fail rate fell 0.9 points to 23.1% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (-2.4 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
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 Xk8 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 Xk8?
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.