What is the Lotus MOT pass rate?

87% of 5,223 class-4 initial MOT tests on Lotus cars passed first time in 2024 — above the 71.2% UK average across all published models.

Which Lotus has the best MOT pass rate?

Of the Lotus model groups with a substantial sample, the Exige has the highest initial pass rate at 89.8% across 1,108 tests. Pass rates track vehicle age closely, so newer model groups tend to sit higher.

Does a good Lotus pass rate mean the car I am looking at is fine?

No. A model-level rate describes a population, not one vehicle. Enter the registration for that car's own MOT, tax and mileage record, and check for outstanding finance, write-off and stolen markers before you buy.

MOT pass rates / Lotus

Lotus MOT pass rates and common failures

Name: Lotus MOT statistics
Creator: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
License: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Lotus cars passed 87% of their MOTs first time in 2024, across 5,223 class-4 initial tests and 2 model groups. That is above the 71.2% UK average, and ranks Lotus 7th of 59 makes in the dataset.

Pass rates track age more strongly than badge: an older Lotus is compared here against older cars of every other make, so read the age table below before drawing conclusions about the brand.

Checking a Lotus?

Make-level pass rates cannot reveal the condition or provenance of one car.

Check its registration free for the actual MOT, tax and mileage record. Before buying, the optional £9.99 full history check adds outstanding-finance, stolen and insurance write-off checks.

What Lotus cars fail on

The items most often behind a first-test failure across Lotus model groups, as a share of Lotus tests. DVSA publishes each model group's six most common categories, so this ranks the biggest published causes rather than every possible one.

Exhaust Emissions — 3.8% of Lotus tests. The car exceeded its emissions limits. Can be a sensor or a service, but on a diesel it can also mean an expensive filter or catalyst.
Headlamp Aim — 2.3% of Lotus tests. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
Washers — 1.8% of Lotus tests. Empty or blocked washers. Trivial, but again a sign of the last owner's care.
Position Lamps — 1.1% of Lotus tests. A side or tail light out. Usually a bulb.
Brake Performance — 1.1% of Lotus tests. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
Headlamps — 0.8% of Lotus tests. A headlight fault, from a blown bulb to a failed unit.
Tread Depth — 0.2% of Lotus tests. Tyres below the 1.6mm legal limit. Budget for tyres, and treat it as a sign of how the car was maintained.
Wipers — 0.2% of Lotus tests. Worn wiper blades. Minutes to fix, and a fair hint that servicing was skipped.

Lotus MOT pass rate by age

Age at test	Tests	Initial pass rate
3–5 years	407	93.1%
6–9 years	669	91.2%
10–14 years	486	90.3%
15–30 years	3,661	85.1%

Lotus models by MOT pass rate

Model	Tests	Initial pass rate
Elise	4,115	86.3%
Exige	1,108	89.8%

Methodology and limitations

MOT outcomes describe testable items at the time of inspection. They are not a measure of overall mechanical reliability.

Scope: Class 4 normal initial MOT tests completed in 2024. Models require at least 1,000 qualifying tests. Duplicate source rows are removed using official DVSA test IDs.

Source: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency anonymised MOT tests and results, 2024, published 2025-05-23 under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Check the actual car

Enter the registration for that Lotus's own free MOT, tax and mileage record. Before money changes hands, the £9.99 full history check adds outstanding finance, insurance write-off and stolen checks.