1998 Lotus Elise — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1998 perform at MOT as they age

28 years

Current Age

84.0%

Latest Pass Rate

12,526

Total Tests (All Years)

66,017 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 1998 Lotus Elise as it ages.

11 yrs68.6%

→ ↑4.1%

12 yrs72.7%

→ ↓3.7%

13 yrs69.0%

→ ↑1.9%

14 yrs70.9%

→ ↑3.3%

15 yrs74.2%

→ ↓1.2%

16 yrs73.0%

→ ↑3.7%

17 yrs76.7%

→ ↓2.1%

18 yrs74.6%

→ ↓0.7%

19 yrs73.9%

→ ↑3.4%

20 yrs77.3%

→ ↑2.4%

21 yrs79.7%

→ ↓3.6%

22 yrs76.1%

→ ↓0.5%

23 yrs75.6%

→ ↑3.0%

24 yrs78.6%

→ ↑2.7%

25 yrs81.3%

→ ↑2.7%

26 yrs84.0%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
11 yrs	68.6%	1,250
12 yrs	72.7%	1,060
13 yrs	69.0%	1,048
14 yrs	70.9%	911
15 yrs	74.2%	913
16 yrs	73.0%	853
17 yrs	76.7%	830
18 yrs	74.6%	781
19 yrs	73.9%	717
20 yrs	77.3%	510
21 yrs	79.7%	526
22 yrs	76.1%	427
23 yrs	75.6%	603
24 yrs	78.6%	527
25 yrs	81.3%	626
26 yrs	84.0%	944

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1998 Lotus Elise pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (26 yrs)	84%	944
2023 (25 yrs)	81.3%	626
2022 (24 yrs)	78.6%	527
2021 (23 yrs)	75.6%	603
2020 (22 yrs)	76.1%	427
2019 (21 yrs)	79.7%	526
2018 (20 yrs)	77.3%	510
2017 (19 yrs)	73.9%	717
2016 (18 yrs)	74.6%	781
2015 (17 yrs)	76.7%	830
2014 (16 yrs)	73%	853
2013 (15 yrs)	74.2%	913
2012 (14 yrs)	70.9%	911
2011 (13 yrs)	69%	1,048
2010 (12 yrs)	72.7%	1,060
2009 (11 yrs)	68.6%	1,250

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

68.6%

Age (yrs) 11Tests 1,250Avg Mileage 48,306Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 17.0%

2010

72.7%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 1,060Avg Mileage 49,382Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.0%

2011

69.0%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 1,048Avg Mileage 50,946Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 17.4%

2012

70.9%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 911Avg Mileage 53,278Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.2%

2013

74.2%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 913Avg Mileage 54,300Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 25.8%

2014

73.0%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 853Avg Mileage 56,228Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.8%

2015

76.7%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 830Avg Mileage 57,055Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 22.8%

2016

74.6%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 781Avg Mileage 58,776Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 24.5%

2017

73.9%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 717Avg Mileage 58,815Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 25.5%

2018

77.3%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 510Avg Mileage 59,795Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 16.7%

2019

79.7%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 526Avg Mileage 60,320Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 18.3%

2020

76.1%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 427Avg Mileage 60,066Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 20.8%

2021

75.6%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 603Avg Mileage 60,844Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 27.0%

2022

78.6%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 527Avg Mileage 61,118Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 22.6%

2023

81.3%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 626Avg Mileage 60,614Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 17.6%

2024

84.0%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 944Avg Mileage 66,017Top Failure Noise, emissions and leaks — 9.4%

MOT results for 1998 Lotus Elise by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	11	68.6%	1,250	48,306	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 17.0%
2010	12	72.7%	1,060	49,382	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.0%
2011	13	69.0%	1,048	50,946	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 17.4%
2012	14	70.9%	911	53,278	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.2%
2013	15	74.2%	913	54,300	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 25.8%
2014	16	73.0%	853	56,228	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.8%
2015	17	76.7%	830	57,055	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 22.8%
2016	18	74.6%	781	58,776	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 24.5%
2017	19	73.9%	717	58,815	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 25.5%
2018	20	77.3%	510	59,795	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 16.7%
2019	21	79.7%	526	60,320	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 18.3%
2020	22	76.1%	427	60,066	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 20.8%
2021	23	75.6%	603	60,844	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 27.0%
2022	24	78.6%	527	61,118	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 22.6%
2023	25	81.3%	626	60,614	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 17.6%
2024	26	84.0%	944	66,017	Noise, emissions and leaks — 9.4%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1998 Lotus Elise, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

20.0%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

18.9%

↓ Decreases with age

Exhaust, Fuel and Emissions

13.9%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

13.3%

— Consistent

Noise, emissions and leaks

13.0%

↓ Decreases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	10.0% (11 yrs)	7.0% (26 yrs)	-3.0%	🟢 ↓
Brakes	8.6% (11 yrs)	8.7% (26 yrs)	+0.1%	⚪ —

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 1998 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 12,526 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.