Lotus Elan
From 2,621 MOT tests. Above average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Elans fare better: 1995 models pass at 83.6% vs 78.7% for 1990.
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, a headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of led and emissions levels exceed default limits. The top issue, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, caused 105 failures in 2024. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 105 |
| a headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of led | 87 |
| emissions levels exceed default limits | 83 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 81 |
| brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle. | 65 |
| significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake | 59 |
| windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 58 |
| service brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 52 |
| parking brake inoperative on one side | 37 |
| parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value | 36 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 45.6% of failures are serious: 34.5% are safety issues (brakes, steering, tyre damage) and 11% could actually leave you stranded. That's close to the 44.4% average across all models. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £110.
Lotus Elan on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 15 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 2 newly registered, a net loss of 13.
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 2,728 | 1,815 | +0 | -2 | -2 |
| 2025 Q2 | 2,763 | 1,782 | +1 | -0 | +26 |
| 2025 Q1 | 2,560 | 1,959 | +0 | -0 | +23 |
| 2024 Q4 | 2,529 | 1,967 | +1 | -13 | -12 |
| 2024 Q3 | 2,759 | 1,749 | +0 | -0 | +9 |
| 2024 Q2 | 2,789 | 1,710 | +2 | -0 | +86 |
| 2024 Q1 | 2,574 | 1,839 | +1 | -55 | -54 |
| 2023 Q4 | 2,490 | 1,977 | +1 | -5 | -4 |
10 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elan | Petrol | 934 | 35% |
| Elan Se Turbo | Petrol | 551 | 20% |
| Elan S2 | Petrol | 235 | 9% |
| Elan +2 | Petrol | 210 | 8% |
| Elan S4 | Petrol | 165 | 6% |
| Elan + 2S 130 | Petrol | 159 | 6% |
| Elan Dhc Sprint | Petrol | 159 | 6% |
| Elan +2S | Petrol | 103 | 4% |
| Elan +2S 130/5 | Petrol | 91 | 3% |
| Elan Fhc Sprint | Petrol | 81 | 3% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 83.6% | a headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of led, a wheel bearing with excessive play |
| 1994 | 81.4% | brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle., braking effort inadequate at a wheel |
| 1992 | 75.6% | emissions levels exceed default limits, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 1991 | 75.3% | parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, emissions levels exceed default limits |
1 earlier years
| 1990 | 78.7% | parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
Typical mileage
Half of all Elans tested had between 48,668 and 84,997 miles on the clock.
At 59,923 median miles, the Elan has 0.035 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Lotus models
| Lotus Elise | 88% |
| Lotus Exige | 92.4% |
| Lotus Esprit | 88.6% |
Common questions
What is the Lotus Elan MOT pass rate?
The Lotus Elan has a 78.9% MOT pass rate based on 2,621 real MOT tests. This is above the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Lotus Elan?
The most common MOT failure on the Lotus Elan is parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, which caused 105 failures. Other common issues include a headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of led.
How many Lotus Elans are on UK roads?
There are 2,728 Lotus Elans currently licensed on UK roads, with 1,815 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Lotus Elan at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Lotus Elan is 59,923 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 48,668 and 84,997 miles.
Buying a used Elan?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
With a 78.9% pass rate and an average repair bill of £110 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
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MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.