Jeep
11,283 MOT tests analysed. lands in the middle of the pack — here's where Cherokees pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 2.2 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
79.8%
Pass-after-fix
3.5%
Fail
16.3%
Avg miles
75,279
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Trim variants
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 11,264 tests
Pass rate climbs 6.3 points across the cohorts — newer Cherokee examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
79.5%
Fail
16.5%
PRS
3.5%
Avg mileage at test
76,435 mi
Pass
85.8%
Fail
10.4%
PRS
3.4%
Avg mileage at test
47,719 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 7,042 MOT tests, the Cherokee returns 78.9% first-time pass — roughly in line with the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is worn suspension bushes. Headlamp or light source missing and brake pads worn below 1.5 mm round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 69,111, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
ABI Insurance Group
Above average — worth comparing quotes before buying. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.
Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →
26–36
out of 50
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A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
543 occurrences · 4.8% of tests
A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
230 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
223 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
202 occurrences · 1.8% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
166 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
160 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction
132 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
116 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
A tyre cords visible or damaged
107 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
A tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative
91 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 4 failures
£230–£575
If every one of this Cherokee's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
Try the calculator
Build your own retest budget.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 6.3-point gap between bands means the year you buy Jeep Cherokee has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.
Best band to buy
85.8%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 85.8% — a 6.3-point improvement. Tests in this band average 47,719 miles — roughly 29K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view, tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band. The stricter post-2018 MOT test rules meant manufacturers had to tighten up emissions and electrical checks, but this band still shows far fewer major failures on suspension and bodywork than the older fleet.
Band to be cautious about
79.5%
Pre-2018 registration
On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 79.5% pass rate against a fleet average of 85.8% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: pin or bush excessively worn, not working on dipped beam, and damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view. Average mileage on test for this band is 76,435 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (85.8% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (79.5% pass). That's a 6.3-point spread across 10,821 older tests and 443 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
Headlight restoration kit
Yellowed lenses fail the light-output test. A restoration kit lifts the haze in an afternoon for £20.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Brake pad measurement gauge
Testers fail pads under 1.5mm. A wear gauge tells you if you've got two months left or two weeks.
Search Amazon UK
Item 03 · Amazon UK
Digital tyre-tread depth gauge
Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Motor World
Motor World Chrysler Jeep Grand Cherokee 2005-2014 Car Floor Mat Set
£32.99
View at My Motor World →
Motor World
Motor World Jeep Commander 2006- Car Floor Mat Set
£32.99
View at My Motor World →
Motor World
Motor World Jeep Compass 2008-2018 Car Floor Mat Set
£32.99
View at My Motor World →
Motor World
Motor World Jeep Grand Cheroke 2014- Car Floor Mat Set
£32.99
View at My Motor World →
Click Mechanic · affiliate
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
Book a mechanic at your door.
Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.
Recall history
The Cherokee has 31 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a Cherokee and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.
