Jaguar XJ Reliability: MOT Pass Rate by Year & Engine

Verdict

The Jaguar XJ passes its MOT first time on 75.6% of tests, 11.4 points higher than a typical car of the same age and mileage (64.2%). That puts it ahead of 93% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.

By year of first registration, the 2010 XJ does best (beats 98% of cars) and the 1999 worst (beats 68%).

Of its engines, the 3.0 Diesel does best (beats 95%) and the 3.2 Petrol worst (beats 83%).

Better than average on suspension, lights & electrics, brakes.

Watch these weak spots

Ball joint dust covers2.0×as often as a typical car

MOT pass rate by age

First-time pass rate at each MOT by the car’s age in years.

Jaguar XJTypical car, same age & mileage

Best and worst years

By year of first registration, ranked against all cars on UK roads after adjusting for age and mileage. Green = better than half of cars.

Beats 82%

Beats 85%

Beats 83%

Beats 76%

Beats 68%

Beats 84%

Beats 91%

Beats 90%

Beats 93%

Beats 92%

Beats 94%

Beats 93%

Beats 94%

Beats 96%

Beats 94%

Beats 98%

Beats 97%

Beats 97%

Beats 91%

Beats 88%

Beats 89%

Beats 94%

Beats 94%

Beats 96%

Beats 93%

Engines

All years, most common first. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.

Engine	Years	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
3.0 Diesel	2010–2019	75,218	82.0%	Beats 95%	A
3.2 Petrol	1995–2002	28,429	69.4%	Beats 83%	A
2.7 Diesel	2005–2009	26,511	71.3%	Beats 94%	A
3.0 Petrol	2003–2008	21,069	69.9%	Beats 92%	A
4.2 Petrol	2003–2007	9,850	72.2%	Beats 96%	A
4.0 Petrol	1996–2001	6,715	71.6%	Beats 87%	A
3.6 Petrol	2003–2004	3,892	70.6%	Beats 94%	A
5.0 Petrol	2010–2011	2,316	81.0%	Beats 98%	A

Where it fails

Each area compared with a typical car of the same age and mileage, in points of pass rate. Tap or hover an area to see what to check.

Better than typicalTypicalWorse than typical

Tyres: 5.5% of tests fail on tyres, against 6.5% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Check the tread on every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts or bulges.

Every MOT area

Share of tests failing on each area, against a typical car of the same age and mileage (black line).

Suspension

8.3% vs 12.5%

Lights & electrics

7.2% vs 16.0%

Brakes

5.8% vs 9.8%

Tyres

5.5% vs 6.5%

Visibility

3.9% vs 6.1%

Emissions & leaks

3.0% vs 4.9%

Body & structure

2.3% vs 5.9%

Steering

1.8% vs 2.8%

Seat belts & airbags

1.1% vs 1.9%

Wheels

0.6% vs 0.4%

Buying one or MOT due? Check these

Tyre damage & cracking
Look for cuts, bulges and cracking on both sidewalls of every tyre.
Headlight aim
Park facing a wall at night: both dipped beams should sit level and dip to the left.
Windscreen washers
Test the washers and wipers: a cheap fix, but a very common MOT fail.
Tyre tread depth
Check every tyre, including the inner edge, has at least 3 mm of tread. Uneven wear can point to alignment or suspension problems.
Suspension arm bushes
Listen for knocks over speed bumps and feel for wandering or vague steering.
Number plate lights
Walk around with the lights on: bulb failures are the easiest MOT fails to avoid.

Pass rate by mileage

First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.

Jaguar XJTypical car

Most common MOT failures

Item	This car	Typical	vs typical
Tyre damage & cracking	3.5%	3.6%	1.0×
Headlight aim	2.0%	4.5%	0.5×
Windscreen washers	1.9%	2.8%	0.7×
Tyre tread depth	1.9%	2.8%	0.7×
Windscreen wipers	1.7%	2.9%	0.6×
Suspension arm bushes	1.6%	1.5%	1.1×
Number plate lights	1.4%	1.8%	0.8×
Track rod ends	1.3%	1.8%	0.7×
Brake pipes	1.3%	1.6%	0.8×
Headlight bulbs & units	1.3%	3.1%	0.4×

Specific defects found

Tester wording for the most frequent failure items, per 1,000 tests.

Defect	per 1,000
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn	30.0
A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc	26.9
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements	20.2
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen	19.1
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements	19.0
A tyre seriously damaged	17.9
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen	16.7
A tyre cords visible or damaged	16.3

Check another car

Pick a make and model to see its MOT pass rate, best and worst years and weak spots.

Every year and engine

Tap a year to see its engines. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.

2019 Jaguar XJ1 engine90.6% passA

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
3.0 Diesel	2,031	90.6%	Beats 93%	A

2018 Jaguar XJ1 engine90.0% passA

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
3.0 Diesel	3,678	90.0%	Beats 96%	A

2017 Jaguar XJ1 engine88.1% passA

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
3.0 Diesel	5,703	88.1%	Beats 94%	A

2016 Jaguar XJ1 engine86.5% passA

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
3.0 Diesel	7,990	86.5%	Beats 94%	A

2015 Jaguar XJ1 engine84.3% passA

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
3.0 Diesel	7,838	84.3%	Beats 89%	A

2014 Jaguar XJ1 engine80.9% passA

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
3.0 Diesel	8,530	80.9%	Beats 88%	A

2013 Jaguar XJ1 engine78.8% passA

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
3.0 Diesel	9,181	78.8%	Beats 91%	A

2012 Jaguar XJ1 engine80.1% passA

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
3.0 Diesel	8,192	80.1%	Beats 97%	A

2011 Jaguar XJ2 engines78.6% passA

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
3.0 Diesel	12,232	78.3%	Beats 97%	A
5.0 Petrol	1,277	81.3%	Beats 98%	A

2010 Jaguar XJ2 engines78.2% passA

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
3.0 Diesel	9,843	77.9%	Beats 98%	A
5.0 Petrol	1,039	80.8%	Beats 99%	A

2009 Jaguar XJ1 engine73.8% passA

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
2.7 Diesel	3,993	73.8%	Beats 94%	A

2008 Jaguar XJ2 engines73.7% passA

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
2.7 Diesel	6,108	73.6%	Beats 96%	A
3.0 Petrol	1,011	74.8%	Beats 95%	A

2007 Jaguar XJ3 engines71.6% passA

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
2.7 Diesel	7,914	70.4%	Beats 93%	A
3.0 Petrol	1,379	75.3%	Beats 96%	A
4.2 Petrol	1,169	75.5%	Beats 97%	A

2006 Jaguar XJ3 engines70.3% passA

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
2.7 Diesel	7,158	69.5%	Beats 93%	A
3.0 Petrol	2,098	70.4%	Beats 91%	A
4.2 Petrol	1,329	74.5%	Beats 97%	A

2005 Jaguar XJ3 engines70.7% passA

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
3.0 Petrol	4,063	70.1%	Beats 93%	A
4.2 Petrol	1,523	74.7%	Beats 98%	A
2.7 Diesel	1,338	67.9%	Beats 91%	A

2004 Jaguar XJ3 engines69.2% passA

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
3.0 Petrol	6,340	68.2%	Beats 90%	A
4.2 Petrol	2,485	70.2%	Beats 94%	A
3.6 Petrol	1,982	71.2%	Beats 95%	A

2003 Jaguar XJ3 engines69.9% passA

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
3.0 Petrol	6,178	69.5%	Beats 93%	A
4.2 Petrol	3,344	70.5%	Beats 94%	A
3.6 Petrol	1,910	70.1%	Beats 93%	A

2002 Jaguar XJ1 engine68.7% passA

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
3.2 Petrol	4,130	68.7%	Beats 90%	A

2001 Jaguar XJ2 engines70.0% passA

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
3.2 Petrol	3,524	69.1%	Beats 89%	A
4.0 Petrol	1,411	72.1%	Beats 95%	A

2000 Jaguar XJ2 engines69.1% passA

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
3.2 Petrol	2,747	68.7%	Beats 83%	A
4.0 Petrol	1,090	70.4%	Beats 88%	A

1999 Jaguar XJ1 engine65.5% passB

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
3.2 Petrol	2,549	65.5%	Beats 68%	B

1998 Jaguar XJ2 engines68.5% passB

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
3.2 Petrol	4,204	67.5%	Beats 73%	B
4.0 Petrol	1,840	70.8%	Beats 82%	A

1997 Jaguar XJ2 engines70.7% passA

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
3.2 Petrol	5,068	70.7%	Beats 83%	A
4.0 Petrol	1,051	70.8%	Beats 82%	A

1996 Jaguar XJ2 engines72.5% passA

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
3.2 Petrol	3,879	72.0%	Beats 84%	A
4.0 Petrol	1,323	73.8%	Beats 88%	A

1995 Jaguar XJ1 engine72.6% passA

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
3.2 Petrol	2,328	72.6%	Beats 82%	A

FAQ

What is the Jaguar XJ MOT pass rate?

75.6% of MOT tests on the Jaguar XJ were passed first time, based on 174,000 tests between 2018 and 2026 of cars first registered 1995–2019. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 64.2% of the time.

Is the Jaguar XJ reliable?

On MOT results it rates A (excellent): it passes first time more often than a typical car of the same age and mileage and does better than 93% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.

Which Jaguar XJ year is best?

Among years with enough data, the 2010 XJ does best for its age and mileage: it beats 98% of cars on UK roads. The 1999 does worst: it beats 68%.

Which Jaguar XJ engine is best?

Across all years, the 3.0 Diesel does best: it beats 95% of cars on UK roads. The 3.2 Petrol does worst: it beats 83%.

What are the most common MOT failures on the Jaguar XJ?

The most common failure items are tyre damage & cracking, headlight aim, windscreen washers. Compared with similar cars, ball joint dust covers comes up 2.0× as often.

How we calculate this. We use official MOT results for cars tested in Great Britain from 2018 to 2026. Each car is compared with typical cars of the same age and mileage, so old and new cars are judged fairly; “pts” are percentage points above or below them. Differences also reflect how cars are used and maintained, not only how they are built.

Jaguar XJ reliability

Verdict

Watch these weak spots

MOT pass rate by age

Best and worst years

Engines

Where it fails

Every MOT area

Buying one or MOT due? Check these

Pass rate by mileage

Most common MOT failures

Specific defects found

Every year and engine

FAQ