Jaguar XJ, Buying guide, MOT record, UK numbers and recalls
20,443 Jaguar XJs are licensed in the UK. In 2025 they passed 75.9% of initial MOT tests, 3.6 points above the 72.3% UK average.
Looking at a specific XJ? Check its finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history. £15, no account needed.
Jaguar XJ at the MOT
75.9% of 24,281 initial tests passed in 2025, ranking the XJ 255th of 575 models. Jaguar XJs aged 3 to 5 years passed 93.1% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 11 years and over that fell to 73.5%.
First-time pass rate, 2025
Share of initial tests passed, retests excluded.
Pass rate by age at test
Jaguar XJ tests in 2025.
Where XJs fail
Share of all failure items recorded on Jaguar XJ tests in 2025.
The items testers recorded most often were ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (8.4%), pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn (5.1%) and track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (3.6%).
The MOT page lists every common XJ MOT failure. For one car's own results and advisories, run a free MOT history check.
What to look at on a viewing
The XJ's most common failure areas, and what a tester checks in each.
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Suspension
Listen for knocks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for leaking shock absorbers and split rubber gaiters.28.7% of XJ failure items
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Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Walk round with every light on: headlights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp. Check no warning lights stay on after starting.15.7% of XJ failure items
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Brakes
Make sure the pedal feels firm, the car stops in a straight line, the handbrake holds on a slope and no brake warning light is showing.14.5% of XJ failure items
Jaguar XJs in the UK
20,443 were licensed at the end of June 2026. The number licensed has fallen 40% since the end of 2014.
- Change since 2014
- −40%from 34,235 licensed
- Typical year of first use
- 2008half of those licensed at the end of 2025 were first used in 2008 or earlier
- First registered in 2025
- 29against 1,242 in 2016
- Declared off the road
- 13,92241% of those registered, under SORN
Licensed Jaguar XJs since 2014
Licensed at each year end and in the latest quarter.
Show the figures
| Date | Licensed |
|---|---|
| End of 2014 | 34,235 |
| End of 2015 | 33,142 |
| End of 2016 | 32,355 |
| End of 2017 | 31,345 |
| End of 2018 | 30,256 |
| End of 2019 | 28,852 |
| End of 2020 | 27,216 |
| End of 2021 | 26,289 |
| End of 2022 | 24,919 |
| End of 2023 | 23,444 |
| End of 2024 | 21,926 |
| End of 2025 | 20,700 |
| End of June 2026 | 20,443 |
How old they are
Licensed Jaguar XJs by year of first use.
- Licensed at the end of 2025
- First registered that year
A further 3,385 were first used before 2001.
Show the figures
| First used | Licensed, end 2025 | First registered that year |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 159 | 217 |
| 2019 | 393 | 478 |
| 2018 | 683 | 788 |
| 2017 | 870 | 994 |
| 2016 | 989 | 1,242 |
| 2015 | 893 | 1,079 |
| 2014 | 947 | |
| 2013 | 1,031 | |
| 2012 | 897 | |
| 2011 | 1,270 | |
| 2010 | 1,128 | |
| 2009 | 438 | |
| 2008 | 743 | |
| 2007 | 977 | |
| 2006 | 1,035 | |
| 2005 | 910 | |
| 2004 | 1,335 | |
| 2003 | 1,397 | |
| 2002 | 353 | |
| 2001 | 391 |
893 XJs first used in 2015 were still licensed at the end of 2025, roughly 83% of the 1,079 first registered that year.
XJ engines and fuel
3.0 litre engines made up 50% of Jaguar XJ MOT tests in 2025, followed by 3.2 litre at 12%. Diesel accounts for 51% of licensed XJs and petrol for 49%.
Engine size at MOT, 2025
Share of 24,263 initial MOT tests in 2025.
Fuel type, licensed XJs
DfT licensing statistics, June 2026.
| Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 10,044 | 49% |
| Diesel | 10,344 | 51% |
| Gas | 55 | 0.3% |
Jaguar XJ recalls
13 DVSA safety recalls launched from 2010 to July 2026 name the Jaguar XJ. The 8 most recent are below. Each covers vehicles built in a set period, so a recall does not mean every XJ is affected.
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Dec 2025 R/2025/488
Security Guidance
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Jaguar Land Rover in conjunction with law enforcement and insurance bodies is aware of the increase in thefts of vehicles in specific geographical locations within the United Kingdom. There is no fault with Jaguar Land Rover's security systems and they continue to meet stringent automotive legislation. Jaguar Land Rover is offering owners guidance on how to maximise vehicle security and protect against theft
- Remedy
- Vehicle registered keepers will be sent a security guidance letter only - there is no repair action.
-
Sep 2020 R/2020/261
Front air bags may not deploy when required
Defect and remedy
- Remedy
- Update the Restrain Control Module (RCM) with the latest software
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Jan 2019 R/2019/014
The crankshaft pulley retaining bolt may fracture
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The crankshaft pulley retaining bolt may fracture due to a production specification error.
- Remedy
- Replace the crankshaft pulley centre retaining bolt with one that has been manufactured to the correct specification.
-
Oct 2017 R/2017/291
Instrument cluster may intermittently go blank
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Due to a software issue the Instrument cluster may intermittently go blank.
- Remedy
- Affected vehicles will be recalled to have the latest software installed/downloaded.
-
Jul 2017 R/2017/195
SRS did not deploy airbags as intended
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- When connected to Jaguar Land Rover's Symptom Driven Diagnostics (SDD) device and an update is unsuccessfully undertaken the calibration may default to a pre-set condition. In the event of a frontal impact of a sufficient severity to require the Supplementary Restraint System (SRS) to deploy the front airbags the airbags will deploy but at impact thresholds that exceed those which provide the required occupant protection. Failure of the airbags to deploy as required can lead to increased injuries to the occupants.
- Remedy
- Recall the vehicles that are likely to be affected and update the RCM with the latest software.
-
Dec 2016 R/2016/305
Passenger airbag may not deploy
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- It has been identified by the air-bag manufacturer that the air-bag initiator generant mix ratio does not meet specification. This can therefore result in the initiator not functioning correctly which can lead to none deployment of the air-bag. Should a collision occur then there is an increased risk of injury to the passenger.
- Remedy
- Recall all affected vehicles to replace the air-bag with a new quality assured component.
-
Jun 2016 R/2016/133
Airbag may deploy incorrectly
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Due to a nonconformity of production the driver's air bag may not deploy correctly and may not provide protection as intended.
- Remedy
- On affected vehicles replace driver's air bag
-
Jun 2016 R/2016/036
Possible loss of steering assistance
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The auxiliary drive belt pulley retainer may fail and cause loss of drive to auxiliary items including the water pump and power steering pump. This may cause an engine management lamp to illuminate engine overheating or a reduction in steering assistance though steering control will be maintained.
- Remedy
- On affected vehicles replace auxiliary belt idler pulley and retainer.
Other Jaguar models
The most-tested Jaguar models in 2025, against the XJ's 75.9% MOT pass rate.
Jaguar XJ FAQs
How many Jaguar XJs are there in the UK?
20,443 Jaguar XJs were licensed in the UK at the end of June 2026, with a further 13,922 declared off the road (SORN), according to DfT vehicle licensing statistics.
Is the Jaguar XJ reliable?
MOT data does not measure reliability. It records whether a car met the roadworthiness standard on the day of its test. What it does show is a 75.9% first-time pass rate for the Jaguar XJ across 24,281 tests in 2025, above the 72.3% average for all cars.
Has the Jaguar XJ had any recalls?
13 DVSA safety recalls launched from 2010 to July 2026 name the Jaguar XJ. The most recent was published in December 2025. A recall applies to vehicles built in a set period, so check a specific car on the GOV.UK vehicle recall checker.
What should I check before buying a used Jaguar XJ?
On the car itself, start with the areas it most often fails on: suspension, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment and brakes. Then check the individual car's own records. Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and police stolen markers are not part of the MOT record, so they take a history check.
How do I check a Jaguar XJ's history?
Enter the registration of the specific car. A Carpeep car history check reports outstanding finance, write-off category, stolen markers, mileage history, previous keepers, MOT and tax status, import and export markers and scrapped status in one £15 report.
Already found an XJ?
Check its finance, write-off, theft, mileage and keeper history with a £15 vehicle history report.
Across the 1,389 vehicles of every make Carpeep has checked since November 2025, 19% had outstanding finance recorded and 13% an insurance write-off. More on the Jaguar history check. To confirm a car's identity, see the Jaguar VIN check.
- Outstanding finance
- Write-off records
- Stolen markers
- Mileage history
- Previous keepers
MOT figures are aggregated from the DVSA MOT Anonymised data set for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, retests excluded), which also gives the engine sizes. Licensed, SORN, fuel and registration figures are from the Department for Transport vehicle licensing statistics (VEH0120, VEH0124, VEH0160). Recalls are from the DVSA vehicle recalls data, with recalls launched up to July 2026. Government data is used under the Open Government Licence v3.0. MOT results describe roadworthiness at test, not mechanical reliability. History-check findings are anonymous counts from reports bought on Carpeep, each vehicle counted once, and are published only where at least 100 vehicles returned an answer.