1986 Lotus Esprit — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1986 perform at MOT as they age

40 years

Current Age

95.8%

Latest Pass Rate

1,017

Total Tests (All Years)

44,593 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 1986 Lotus Esprit as it ages.

23 yrs69.2%

→ ↑10.8%

24 yrs80.0%

→ ↓1.9%

25 yrs78.1%

→ ↓9.2%

26 yrs68.9%

→ ↑7.5%

27 yrs76.4%

→ ↑1.9%

28 yrs78.3%

→ ↓3.7%

29 yrs74.6%

→ ↑1.2%

30 yrs75.8%

→ ↑4.8%

31 yrs80.6%

→ ↑4.4%

32 yrs85.0%

→ ↓8.5%

33 yrs76.5%

→ ↑9.2%

34 yrs85.7%

→ ↑2.4%

35 yrs88.1%

→ ↑3.9%

36 yrs92.0%

→ ↓4.1%

37 yrs87.9%

→ ↑7.9%

38 yrs95.8%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
23 yrs	69.2%	78
24 yrs	80.0%	65
25 yrs	78.1%	73
26 yrs	68.9%	61
27 yrs	76.4%	72
28 yrs	78.3%	60
29 yrs	74.6%	59
30 yrs	75.8%	62
31 yrs	80.6%	62
32 yrs	85.0%	40
33 yrs	76.5%	51
34 yrs	85.7%	49
35 yrs	88.1%	59
36 yrs	92.0%	50
37 yrs	87.9%	58
38 yrs	95.8%	118

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1986 Lotus Esprit pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (38 yrs)	95.8%	118
2023 (37 yrs)	87.9%	58
2022 (36 yrs)	92%	50
2021 (35 yrs)	88.1%	59
2020 (34 yrs)	85.7%	49
2019 (33 yrs)	76.5%	51
2018 (32 yrs)	85%	40
2017 (31 yrs)	80.6%	62
2016 (30 yrs)	75.8%	62
2015 (29 yrs)	74.6%	59
2014 (28 yrs)	78.3%	60
2013 (27 yrs)	76.4%	72
2012 (26 yrs)	68.9%	61
2011 (25 yrs)	78.1%	73
2010 (24 yrs)	80%	65
2009 (23 yrs)	69.2%	78

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

69.2%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 78Avg Mileage 51,731Top Failure Brakes — 21.8%

2010

80.0%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 65Avg Mileage 51,919Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 12.3%

2011

78.1%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 73Avg Mileage 53,400Top Failure Suspension — 11.0%

2012

68.9%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 61Avg Mileage 53,908Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 19.7%

2013

76.4%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 72Avg Mileage 49,839Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 40.3%

2014

78.3%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 60Avg Mileage 56,666Top Failure Brakes — 28.3%

2015

74.6%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 59Avg Mileage 53,304Top Failure Brakes — 22.0%

2016

75.8%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 62Avg Mileage 55,520Top Failure Brakes — 24.2%

2017

80.6%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 62Avg Mileage 52,564Top Failure Brakes — 37.1%

2018

85.0%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 40Avg Mileage 48,375Top Failure Brakes — 12.5%

2019

76.5%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 51Avg Mileage 52,716Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 25.5%

2020

85.7%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 49Avg Mileage 54,964Top Failure Brakes — 18.4%

2021

88.1%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 59Avg Mileage 52,106Top Failure Brakes — 13.6%

2022

92.0%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 50Avg Mileage 52,333Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 10.0%

2023

87.9%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 58Avg Mileage 53,682Top Failure Suspension — 10.3%

2024

95.8%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 118Avg Mileage 44,593Top Failure Brakes — 2.5%

MOT results for 1986 Lotus Esprit by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	23	69.2%	78	51,731	Brakes — 21.8%
2010	24	80.0%	65	51,919	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 12.3%
2011	25	78.1%	73	53,400	Suspension — 11.0%
2012	26	68.9%	61	53,908	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 19.7%
2013	27	76.4%	72	49,839	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 40.3%
2014	28	78.3%	60	56,666	Brakes — 28.3%
2015	29	74.6%	59	53,304	Brakes — 22.0%
2016	30	75.8%	62	55,520	Brakes — 24.2%
2017	31	80.6%	62	52,564	Brakes — 37.1%
2018	32	85.0%	40	48,375	Brakes — 12.5%
2019	33	76.5%	51	52,716	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 25.5%
2020	34	85.7%	49	54,964	Brakes — 18.4%
2021	35	88.1%	59	52,106	Brakes — 13.6%
2022	36	92.0%	50	52,333	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 10.0%
2023	37	87.9%	58	53,682	Suspension — 10.3%
2024	38	95.8%	118	44,593	Brakes — 2.5%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1986 Lotus Esprit, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

20.8%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

17.0%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

11.7%

— Consistent

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

10.2%

↓ Decreases with age

Exhaust, Fuel and Emissions

9.5%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	21.8% (23 yrs)	2.5% (38 yrs)	-19.3%	🟢 ↓

Other Manufacture Years

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

About This Data

This page shows how Lotus Esprit cars manufactured in 1986 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 1,017 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.