1990 Lotus Elan — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1990 perform at MOT as they age

36 years

Current Age

77.2%

Latest Pass Rate

4,762

Total Tests (All Years)

86,486 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Insufficient data for same-age comparison.

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1990 Lotus Elan as it ages.

19 yrs62.0%

→ ↑0.7%

20 yrs62.7%

→ ↓3.4%

21 yrs59.3%

→ ↑2.7%

22 yrs62.0%

→ ↑1.9%

23 yrs63.9%

→ ↑2.2%

24 yrs66.1%

→ ↑1.7%

25 yrs67.8%

→ ↑0.2%

26 yrs68.0%

→ ↓0.0%

27 yrs68.0%

→ ↓3.5%

28 yrs64.5%

→ ↑2.3%

29 yrs66.8%

→ ↑0.7%

30 yrs67.5%

→ ↑2.7%

31 yrs70.2%

→ ↑5.6%

32 yrs75.8%

→ ↓5.1%

33 yrs70.7%

→ ↑6.5%

34 yrs77.2%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
19 yrs	62.0%	387
20 yrs	62.7%	378
21 yrs	59.3%	359
22 yrs	62.0%	337
23 yrs	63.9%	321
24 yrs	66.1%	310
25 yrs	67.8%	311
26 yrs	68.0%	309
27 yrs	68.0%	300
28 yrs	64.5%	214
29 yrs	66.8%	226
30 yrs	67.5%	160
31 yrs	70.2%	242
32 yrs	75.8%	227
33 yrs	70.7%	246
34 yrs	77.2%	435

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1990 Lotus Elan pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (34 yrs)	77.2%	435
2023 (33 yrs)	70.7%	246
2022 (32 yrs)	75.8%	227
2021 (31 yrs)	70.2%	242
2020 (30 yrs)	67.5%	160
2019 (29 yrs)	66.8%	226
2018 (28 yrs)	64.5%	214
2017 (27 yrs)	68%	300
2016 (26 yrs)	68%	309
2015 (25 yrs)	67.8%	311
2014 (24 yrs)	66.1%	310
2013 (23 yrs)	63.9%	321
2012 (22 yrs)	62%	337
2011 (21 yrs)	59.3%	359
2010 (20 yrs)	62.7%	378
2009 (19 yrs)	62%	387

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

62.0%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 387Avg Mileage 78,069Top Failure Brakes — 28.4%

2010High Fail Rate

62.7%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 378Avg Mileage 81,314Top Failure Brakes — 29.6%

2011High Fail Rate

59.3%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 359Avg Mileage 81,253Top Failure Brakes — 28.7%

2012High Fail Rate

62.0%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 337Avg Mileage 84,354Top Failure Brakes — 30.0%

2013High Fail Rate

63.9%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 321Avg Mileage 83,089Top Failure Brakes — 80.1%

2014

66.1%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 310Avg Mileage 81,159Top Failure Brakes — 82.3%

2015

67.8%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 311Avg Mileage 82,377Top Failure Brakes — 70.4%

2016

68.0%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 309Avg Mileage 83,156Top Failure Brakes — 71.5%

2017

68.0%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 300Avg Mileage 83,218Top Failure Brakes — 57.0%

2018High Fail Rate

64.5%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 214Avg Mileage 84,515Top Failure Brakes — 60.7%

2019

66.8%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 226Avg Mileage 83,623Top Failure Brakes — 57.5%

2020

67.5%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 160Avg Mileage 80,941Top Failure Brakes — 54.4%

2021

70.2%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 242Avg Mileage 83,158Top Failure Brakes — 53.7%

2022

75.8%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 227Avg Mileage 81,580Top Failure Brakes — 49.3%

2023

70.7%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 246Avg Mileage 85,703Top Failure Brakes — 52.8%

2024

77.2%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 435Avg Mileage 86,486Top Failure Brakes — 35.4%

MOT results for 1990 Lotus Elan by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	19	62.0%	387	78,069	Brakes — 28.4%
2010	20	62.7%	378	81,314	Brakes — 29.6%
2011	21	59.3%	359	81,253	Brakes — 28.7%
2012	22	62.0%	337	84,354	Brakes — 30.0%
2013	23	63.9%	321	83,089	Brakes — 80.1%
2014	24	66.1%	310	81,159	Brakes — 82.3%
2015	25	67.8%	311	82,377	Brakes — 70.4%
2016	26	68.0%	309	83,156	Brakes — 71.5%
2017	27	68.0%	300	83,218	Brakes — 57.0%
2018	28	64.5%	214	84,515	Brakes — 60.7%
2019	29	66.8%	226	83,623	Brakes — 57.5%
2020	30	67.5%	160	80,941	Brakes — 54.4%
2021	31	70.2%	242	83,158	Brakes — 53.7%
2022	32	75.8%	227	81,580	Brakes — 49.3%
2023	33	70.7%	246	85,703	Brakes — 52.8%
2024	34	77.2%	435	86,486	Brakes — 35.4%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1990 Lotus Elan, with age trends.

Brakes

52.6%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

28.7%

— Consistent

Suspension

26.3%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

24.7%

— Consistent

Tyres

11.6%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	13.4% (19 yrs)	33.8% (34 yrs)	+20.4%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	28.4% (19 yrs)	35.4% (34 yrs)	+7.0%	🔴 ↑

Other Manufacture Years

1963 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996

← Back to Lotus Elan overview

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Lotus Elan page →

About This Data

This page shows how Lotus Elan cars manufactured in 1990 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 4,762 tests. Pass rates naturally decline with age as components wear.

Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.