2018 Jaguar XE — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 32,192 MOT tests, the 2018 Jaguar XE recorded an 88.2% pass rate. That is effectively the same as executive cars of a similar age (10.8% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (6.2%) and lighting & signalling (3.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, tread depth and stop lamp — wipers alone was recorded 1,126 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 8.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 21.4% once past 150k — 2.4× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 10.3% fail against 13.1% for diesel, a 2.8-point gap across 32,192 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 23.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 10.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 12.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 6.2% | 1,991 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 3.8% | 1,215 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.8% | 1,209 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.6% | 853 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.0% | 310 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.5% | 166 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 1,126 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 780 |
| 3 | Stop lamp | 762 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 703 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 417 |
| 6 | Brake discs | 267 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 23.4% | 7,528 |
| 2 | Brakes | 20.0% | 6,443 |
| 3 | Other defects | 4.7% | 1,517 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.4% | 1,107 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.2% | 719 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 1.4% | 451 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 11,377 | 8.8% |
| 30-60k | 14,039 | 12.4% |
| 60-90k | 5,268 | 15.6% |
| 90-120k | 1,214 | 16.1% |
| 120-150k | 236 | 11.4% |
| 150k+ | 56 | 21.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 17,667 | 13.1% |
| Petrol | 14,525 | 10.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 6,539 | 10.8% |
| 2022 | 6,545 | 11.2% |
| 2023 | 6,439 | 11.9% |
| 2024 | 6,328 | 12.7% |
| 2025 | 6,341 | 12.5% |
What to check before buying a 2018 XE
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 6.2% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (6.2% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Lighting & signalling (3.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (3.8% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2018 Jaguar XEs pass their MOT?
88.2% of the 32,192 2018 Jaguar XE MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 11.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Jaguar XE?
Tyres, recorded in 6.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (3.8%).
Does the 2018 XE get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.8% in the 0-30k band to 21.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 32,192 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.