1997 Lotus Elise — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age

29 years

Current Age

79.2%

Latest Pass Rate

4,388

Total Tests (All Years)

51,595 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 1997 Lotus Elise as it ages.

12 yrs68.5%

→ ↑0.8%

13 yrs69.3%

→ ↑2.8%

14 yrs72.1%

→ ↑1.8%

15 yrs73.9%

→ ↓2.6%

16 yrs71.3%

→ ↑0.1%

17 yrs71.4%

→ ↑3.5%

18 yrs74.9%

→ ↑1.3%

19 yrs76.2%

→ ↑0.4%

20 yrs76.6%

→ ↑2.6%

21 yrs79.2%

→ ↓1.2%

22 yrs78.0%

→ ↑2.0%

23 yrs80.0%

→ ↓3.1%

24 yrs76.9%

→ ↑5.5%

25 yrs82.4%

→ ↑0.3%

26 yrs82.7%

→ ↓3.5%

27 yrs79.2%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
12 yrs	68.5%	461
13 yrs	69.3%	384
14 yrs	72.1%	365
15 yrs	73.9%	322
16 yrs	71.3%	293
17 yrs	71.4%	287
18 yrs	74.9%	287
19 yrs	76.2%	265
20 yrs	76.6%	256
21 yrs	79.2%	173
22 yrs	78.0%	177
23 yrs	80.0%	170
24 yrs	76.9%	221
25 yrs	82.4%	204
26 yrs	82.7%	225
27 yrs	79.2%	298

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1997 Lotus Elise pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (27 yrs)	79.2%	298
2023 (26 yrs)	82.7%	225
2022 (25 yrs)	82.4%	204
2021 (24 yrs)	76.9%	221
2020 (23 yrs)	80%	170
2019 (22 yrs)	78%	177
2018 (21 yrs)	79.2%	173
2017 (20 yrs)	76.6%	256
2016 (19 yrs)	76.2%	265
2015 (18 yrs)	74.9%	287
2014 (17 yrs)	71.4%	287
2013 (16 yrs)	71.3%	293
2012 (15 yrs)	73.9%	322
2011 (14 yrs)	72.1%	365
2010 (13 yrs)	69.3%	384
2009 (12 yrs)	68.5%	461

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

68.5%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 461Avg Mileage 47,905Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 14.8%

2010

69.3%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 384Avg Mileage 48,185Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.7%

2011

72.1%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 365Avg Mileage 52,212Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 14.2%

2012

73.9%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 322Avg Mileage 49,969Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.8%

2013

71.3%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 293Avg Mileage 51,986Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.0%

2014

71.4%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 287Avg Mileage 52,064Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 36.9%

2015

74.9%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 287Avg Mileage 53,058Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 34.1%

2016

76.2%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 265Avg Mileage 53,765Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 21.9%

2017

76.6%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 256Avg Mileage 53,747Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 26.6%

2018

79.2%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 173Avg Mileage 55,412Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 12.1%

2019

78.0%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 177Avg Mileage 55,637Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 22.6%

2020

80.0%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 170Avg Mileage 54,397Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 22.9%

2021

76.9%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 221Avg Mileage 54,972Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 23.1%

2022

82.4%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 204Avg Mileage 54,057Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 15.7%

2023

82.7%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 225Avg Mileage 56,265Top Failure Noise, emissions and leaks — 14.7%

2024

79.2%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 298Avg Mileage 51,595Top Failure Noise, emissions and leaks — 15.4%

MOT results for 1997 Lotus Elise by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	12	68.5%	461	47,905	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 14.8%
2010	13	69.3%	384	48,185	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.7%
2011	14	72.1%	365	52,212	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 14.2%
2012	15	73.9%	322	49,969	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.8%
2013	16	71.3%	293	51,986	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.0%
2014	17	71.4%	287	52,064	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 36.9%
2015	18	74.9%	287	53,058	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 34.1%
2016	19	76.2%	265	53,765	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 21.9%
2017	20	76.6%	256	53,747	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 26.6%
2018	21	79.2%	173	55,412	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 12.1%
2019	22	78.0%	177	55,637	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 22.6%
2020	23	80.0%	170	54,397	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 22.9%
2021	24	76.9%	221	54,972	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 23.1%
2022	25	82.4%	204	54,057	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 15.7%
2023	26	82.7%	225	56,265	Noise, emissions and leaks — 14.7%
2024	27	79.2%	298	51,595	Noise, emissions and leaks — 15.4%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1997 Lotus Elise, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

21.6%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

17.5%

— Consistent

Noise, emissions and leaks

14.9%

↑ Increases with age

Exhaust, Fuel and Emissions

13.8%

— Consistent

Suspension

11.9%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	10.2% (12 yrs)	7.4% (27 yrs)	-2.8%	🟢 ↓
Brakes	7.4% (12 yrs)	8.7% (27 yrs)	+1.3%	⚪ —

Other Manufacture Years

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

About This Data

This page shows how Lotus Elise cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 4,388 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.