Lotus Esprit
From 1,928 MOT tests. Above average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, emissions levels exceed default limits and windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen. The top issue, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, caused 38 failures in 2024. Checking tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum, 3mm recommended) before your test can save an unnecessary fail. You can check prices at Black Circles if you need replacements. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 38 |
| emissions levels exceed default limits | 37 |
| windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 21 |
| parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 17 |
| emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits | 14 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 11 |
| number plate does not conform to the specified requirements | 11 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 11 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 10 |
| exhaust system leaking or insecure | 10 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. Only 27.2% of Esprit failures are serious (safety or roadside), below the 44.4% average. When this car fails its MOT, it's more likely to be lights, wipers, or emissions than something dangerous. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £105.
Lotus Esprit on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 32 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 1 newly registered, a net loss of 31.
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 896 | 1,097 | +0 | -0 | +7 |
| 2025 Q2 | 889 | 1,097 | +0 | -0 | +4 |
| 2025 Q1 | 711 | 1,271 | +1 | -0 | +7 |
| 2024 Q4 | 716 | 1,259 | +0 | -32 | -32 |
| 2024 Q3 | 869 | 1,138 | +0 | -0 | +29 |
| 2024 Q2 | 879 | 1,099 | +0 | -0 | +49 |
| 2024 Q1 | 748 | 1,181 | +0 | -51 | -51 |
| 2023 Q4 | 714 | 1,266 | +0 | -10 | -10 |
4 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Esprit | Petrol | 328 | 45% |
| Esprit Turbo | Petrol | 256 | 35% |
| Esprit V8 Turbo | Petrol | 80 | 11% |
| Esprit Gt3 | Petrol | 60 | 8% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 82.3% | emissions levels exceed default limits, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 1998 | 88% | a tyre seriously damaged, emissions levels exceed default limits |
| 1997 | 86.5% | 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., emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits |
| 1996 | 89% | service brake efficiency below minimum requirement, engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction |
7 earlier years
| 1990 | 85% | windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 1989 | 79% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen |
| 1988 | 84.5% | windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, a wheel bearing excessively rough |
| 1987 | 86.8% | headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 1986 | 96.2% | a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, actuator leaking and braking performance not affected |
| 1985 | 90.6% | significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 1984 | 93.5% | emissions levels exceed default limits, lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer |
Typical mileage
Half of all Esprits tested had between 27,433 and 75,274 miles on the clock.
At 57,267 median miles, the Esprit has 0.02 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Lotus models
| Lotus Elise | 88% |
| Lotus Elan | 78.9% |
| Lotus Exige | 92.4% |
Common questions
What is the Lotus Esprit MOT pass rate?
The Lotus Esprit has a 88.6% MOT pass rate based on 1,928 real MOT tests. This is above the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Lotus Esprit?
The most common MOT failure on the Lotus Esprit is the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, which caused 38 failures. Other common issues include emissions levels exceed default limits.
How many Lotus Esprits are on UK roads?
There are 896 Lotus Esprits currently licensed on UK roads, with 1,097 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Lotus Esprit at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Lotus Esprit is 57,267 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 27,433 and 75,274 miles.
Buying a used Esprit?
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.
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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.