2003 Jaguar Xkr — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2003 Jaguar Xkr passed 80.8% of its 2,685 recorded MOT tests. All cars of a similar age fail 27.6% of the time, so this is 8.4pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (8.1%) and lighting & signalling (7.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, anti-lock braking system and malfunction indicator lamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 104 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 26.3% versus 7.4%.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 27.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 21.3% in 2021 to 16.9% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 8.1% | 217 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 7.1% | 191 |
| 3 | Brakes | 6.7% | 179 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 4.4% | 118 |
| 5 | Tyres | 3.0% | 82 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.9% | 77 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 104 |
| 2 | Anti-lock braking system | 81 |
| 3 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 81 |
| 4 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 65 |
| 5 | Rbt (sp) | 61 |
| 6 | Pins and bushes | 58 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 27.0% | 726 |
| 2 | Tyres | 19.2% | 516 |
| 3 | Brakes | 17.4% | 467 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 9.9% | 266 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 7.3% | 197 |
| 6 | Other defects | 6.2% | 167 |
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 | 135 | 7.4% |
| 30-60k | 668 | 14.4% |
| 60-90k | 952 | 19.2% |
| 90-120k | 640 | 22.8% |
| 120-150k | 213 | 28.6% |
| 150k+ | 76 | 26.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 591 | 21.3% |
| 2022 | 547 | 18.1% |
| 2023 | 539 | 20.4% |
| 2024 | 511 | 19.0% |
| 2025 | 497 | 16.9% |
What to check before buying a 2003 Xkr
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 8.1% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (8.1% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Lighting & signalling (7.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (6.7% 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 2003 Jaguar Xkrs pass their MOT?
80.8% of the 2,685 2003 Jaguar Xkr MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2003 Jaguar Xkr?
Suspension, recorded in 8.1% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (7.1%).
Does the 2003 Xkr get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.4% in the 0-30k band to 26.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,685 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.