2020 Jaguar XE — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2020 Jaguar XE passed 88.4% of its 5,761 recorded MOT tests. That is 1.6 percentage points worse than executive cars of a similar age, which fail at 10.0%. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Tyres dominates the failure mix at 6.7% of all tests — 3.4 points clear of visibility, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, shock absorbers and tread depth — wipers alone was recorded 187 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2020 XE fails 8.9% of the time in the 0-30k band and 10.0% at 90-120k, a spread of only 1.1 points.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 3.5pp more often than petrol ones (13.3% vs 9.8%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 20.2% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 6.3% of tests failed in 2022 against 12.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 6.7% | 386 |
| 2 | Visibility | 3.3% | 192 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.3% | 130 |
| 4 | Suspension | 1.8% | 103 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 0.9% | 49 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.4% | 26 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 187 |
| 2 | Shock absorbers | 114 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 100 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 96 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 53 |
| 6 | Brake discs | 42 |
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 | 20.2% | 1,162 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.3% | 1,110 |
| 3 | Suspension | 4.8% | 274 |
| 4 | Other defects | 3.9% | 223 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.9% | 166 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 2.0% | 114 |
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 | 3,184 | 8.9% |
| 30-60k | 2,112 | 14.6% |
| 60-90k | 382 | 17.8% |
| 90-120k | 80 | 10.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 2,929 | 13.3% |
| Petrol | 2,832 | 9.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 96 | 6.3% |
| 2023 | 1,929 | 11.0% |
| 2024 | 1,875 | 11.7% |
| 2025 | 1,858 | 12.4% |
What to check before buying a 2020 XE
On a 2020 XE, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 6.7% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (6.7% 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.
- Visibility (3.3% 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.
- Brakes (2.3% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
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 2020 Jaguar XEs pass their MOT?
88.4% of the 5,761 2020 Jaguar XE MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 11.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Jaguar XE?
Tyres, recorded in 6.7% of tests, followed by visibility (3.3%).
Does the 2020 XE get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.9% in the 0-30k band to 10.0% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 5,761 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.