Jaguar XK common problems and MOT pass rate

In 2025, DVSA recorded 22,673 initial MOT tests on the Jaguar XK in Great Britain, and 77.1% passed first time. Here is where the rest failed.

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Jaguar XK at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests: 22,673
Passed first timeAll cars and vans: 72.1%: 77.1%
Failed at firstIncluding 2.8% repaired at the test and passed (PRS): 22.9%
Had a dangerous defectAll cars and vans: 7.3%: 4.9%
Licensed in the UKEnd of 2026 Q2, plus 8,646 off the road (SORN): 20,057

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

Failure areas

Where the XK fails its MOT

The share of initial tests in 2025 with at least one fail or PRS item in each part of the MOT. A test can fail in more than one area, so these do not add up to the fail rate.

1Suspension
8.9%
Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axlesAll cars and vans: 9.0%
2Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
6.6%
Headlamps and their aim, brake lights, indicators, fog and reversing lamps, warning lights, battery and wiringAll cars and vans: 10.8%
3Brakes
5.5%
Pedal and handbrake, pipes and hoses, discs, pads and drums, and how well the car stopsAll cars and vans: 6.4%
4Tyres
3.6%
Tread depth, cuts and bulges, the right size and type, valves and tyre pressure warning systemsAll cars and vans: 6.2%
5Visibility
3.6%
The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrorsAll cars and vans: 4.4%
6Noise, emissions and leaks
3.4%
Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaksAll cars and vans: 3.2%
7Steering
2.4%
Steering rack, joints and linkages, power steering, the steering wheel and columnAll cars and vans: 2.0%
8Body, chassis and structure
1.8%
Corrosion and damage to the structure, the exhaust system, fuel system, doors, seats, towbar, bumpers and engine mountingsAll cars and vans: 3.3%
9Seat belts and airbags
1.3%
Seat belts, airbags and the airbag warning lightAll cars and vans: 1.0%
10Road wheels
0.4%
Damaged or loose wheels, wheel nuts and hubsAll cars and vans: 0.4%

This modelAll cars and vans

Parts

The parts that fail most

Share of initial tests with a fail or PRS item on each part, 2025.

Suspension armsSuspension4.0%
Exhaust emissionsEmissions and leaks3.4%
ConditionTyres2.9%
Brake performanceBrakes2.7%
Anti-roll barsSuspension2.5%
Headlamp aimLamps and electrics2.4%
WashersVisibility2.1%
Steering linkage componentsSteering2.0%

By age

Pass rate by year first used

Older cars fail more often, so compare a car with others of its year. Cars up to 25 years old; years with fewer than 250 tests are left out.

First used	Tests	Passed first time	Dangerous defect
2014	1,144	89.7%	3.3%
2013	847	88.3%	3.5%
2012	879	84.2%	3.1%
2011	1,216	82.3%	4.0%
2010	1,429	79.3%	5.7%
2009	1,231	77.3%	4.4%
2008	1,447	74.3%	5.7%
2007	2,307	74.7%	5.5%
2006	2,190	73.9%	6.4%
2005	996	80.8%	3.8%
2004	933	77.4%	4.9%
2003	1,003	76.5%	4.8%
2002	1,099	72.4%	4.8%
2001	1,228	71.9%	5.4%
2000	992	71.9%	5.4%

Mileage

XK mileage by age

The median reading at the test: half the cars of that age had covered more, half less. Estimated from 1,000-mile bands, for cars up to 25 years old.

A car well above or below the typical figure is not a problem in itself, but the readings should rise steadily from one MOT to the next. A fall, or a long gap, is worth asking about.

Check a car's mileage record

Age at test	Median mileage	Readings
10 years	37,500 miles	649
11 years	42,600 miles	1,069
12 years	50,100 miles	837
13 years	52,800 miles	1,034
14 years	58,500 miles	1,254
15 years	64,500 miles	1,403
16 years	67,500 miles	1,241
17 years	72,900 miles	1,815
18 years	76,800 miles	2,510
19 years	77,200 miles	1,474
20 years	75,800 miles	914
21 years	79,900 miles	994
22 years	79,000 miles	1,070
23 years	81,300 miles	1,095
24 years	84,100 miles	1,162
25 years	83,300 miles	1,034

Checking a particular XK?

Averages tell you what to look at. The registration tells you about this car: every MOT since 2005 with its failures and advisories, each mileage reading, and whether it is taxed.

Questions

Jaguar XK: common questions

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

What is the most common MOT failure on the Jaguar XK?

In DVSA's 2025 test records, the area that failed most often on the Jaguar XK was suspension: 8.9% of initial tests had at least one fail or PRS item there, against 9.0% for all cars and vans. Next came lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (6.6%) and brakes (5.5%).

What is the MOT pass rate for the Jaguar XK?

77.1% of 22,673 initial MOT tests on the Jaguar XK in 2025 were a pass first time. Another 2.8% passed after small repairs made at the test station within the hour (PRS). Across all cars and vans, 72.1% passed first time.

Does a lower pass rate mean the Jaguar XK is unreliable?

Not on its own. MOT results depend on age, mileage and upkeep as much as on design, so a model with many older cars on the road will usually fail more often. The table by year compares cars of a similar age. What matters most is the record of the car you are looking at, so check its MOT history before you buy.

What counts as a dangerous defect?

One the tester judges to be a direct and immediate risk to road safety, or to have a serious impact on the environment. The car fails and should not be driven until it is repaired. 4.9% of initial tests on the Jaguar XK found at least one, against 7.3% for all cars and vans.

Where do these figures come from?

From DVSA's anonymised MOT test data for 2025, published under the Open Government Licence. We count initial tests on cars and light vans in Great Britain, as DVSA does in its own statistics: retests, appeals and abandoned tests are left out, and so are advisories and minor defects.

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