1988 Lotus Esprit — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1988 perform at MOT as they age

38 years

Current Age

87.3%

Latest Pass Rate

1,401

Total Tests (All Years)

53,304 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 1988 Lotus Esprit as it ages.

21 yrs73.3%

→ ↓12.9%

22 yrs60.4%

→ ↑9.8%

23 yrs70.2%

→ ↓2.9%

24 yrs67.3%

→ ↓3.7%

25 yrs63.6%

→ ↑9.4%

26 yrs73.0%

→ ↓0.8%

27 yrs72.2%

→ ↑4.6%

28 yrs76.8%

→ ↑4.2%

29 yrs81.0%

→ ↓7.2%

30 yrs73.8%

→ ↑4.5%

31 yrs78.3%

→ ↓3.8%

32 yrs74.5%

→ ↑7.1%

33 yrs81.6%

→ ↑0.1%

34 yrs81.7%

→ ↓2.8%

35 yrs78.9%

→ ↑8.4%

36 yrs87.3%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
21 yrs	73.3%	105
22 yrs	60.4%	101
23 yrs	70.2%	94
24 yrs	67.3%	101
25 yrs	63.6%	88
26 yrs	73.0%	89
27 yrs	72.2%	97
28 yrs	76.8%	82
29 yrs	81.0%	79
30 yrs	73.8%	61
31 yrs	78.3%	69
32 yrs	74.5%	55
33 yrs	81.6%	87
34 yrs	81.7%	60
35 yrs	78.9%	76
36 yrs	87.3%	157

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1988 Lotus Esprit pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (36 yrs)	87.3%	157
2023 (35 yrs)	78.9%	76
2022 (34 yrs)	81.7%	60
2021 (33 yrs)	81.6%	87
2020 (32 yrs)	74.5%	55
2019 (31 yrs)	78.3%	69
2018 (30 yrs)	73.8%	61
2017 (29 yrs)	81%	79
2016 (28 yrs)	76.8%	82
2015 (27 yrs)	72.2%	97
2014 (26 yrs)	73%	89
2013 (25 yrs)	63.6%	88
2012 (24 yrs)	67.3%	101
2011 (23 yrs)	70.2%	94
2010 (22 yrs)	60.4%	101
2009 (21 yrs)	73.3%	105

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

73.3%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 105Avg Mileage 56,366Top Failure Brakes — 15.2%

2010High Fail Rate

60.4%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 101Avg Mileage 53,282Top Failure Brakes — 29.7%

2011

70.2%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 94Avg Mileage 54,824Top Failure Brakes — 21.3%

2012

67.3%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 101Avg Mileage 50,018Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 25.7%

2013High Fail Rate

63.6%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 88Avg Mileage 54,159Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 56.8%

2014

73.0%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 89Avg Mileage 54,339Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 36.0%

2015

72.2%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 97Avg Mileage 55,649Top Failure Brakes — 36.1%

2016

76.8%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 82Avg Mileage 56,559Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 26.8%

2017

81.0%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 79Avg Mileage 54,692Top Failure Brakes — 31.6%

2018

73.8%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 61Avg Mileage 56,947Top Failure Brakes — 31.1%

2019

78.3%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 69Avg Mileage 53,731Top Failure Brakes — 60.9%

2020

74.5%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 55Avg Mileage 56,538Top Failure Brakes — 25.5%

2021

81.6%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 87Avg Mileage 51,730Top Failure Brakes — 20.7%

2022

81.7%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 60Avg Mileage 48,447Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 23.3%

2023

78.9%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 76Avg Mileage 54,850Top Failure Brakes — 35.5%

2024

87.3%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 157Avg Mileage 53,304Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 18.5%

MOT results for 1988 Lotus Esprit by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	21	73.3%	105	56,366	Brakes — 15.2%
2010	22	60.4%	101	53,282	Brakes — 29.7%
2011	23	70.2%	94	54,824	Brakes — 21.3%
2012	24	67.3%	101	50,018	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 25.7%
2013	25	63.6%	88	54,159	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 56.8%
2014	26	73.0%	89	54,339	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 36.0%
2015	27	72.2%	97	55,649	Brakes — 36.1%
2016	28	76.8%	82	56,559	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 26.8%
2017	29	81.0%	79	54,692	Brakes — 31.6%
2018	30	73.8%	61	56,947	Brakes — 31.1%
2019	31	78.3%	69	53,731	Brakes — 60.9%
2020	32	74.5%	55	56,538	Brakes — 25.5%
2021	33	81.6%	87	51,730	Brakes — 20.7%
2022	34	81.7%	60	48,447	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 23.3%
2023	35	78.9%	76	54,850	Brakes — 35.5%
2024	36	87.3%	157	53,304	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 18.5%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1988 Lotus Esprit, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

29.0%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

28.6%

— Consistent

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

19.6%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

14.2%

↑ Increases with age

Tyres

12.0%

↓ 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	9.5% (21 yrs)	14.6% (36 yrs)	+5.1%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	15.2% (21 yrs)	15.9% (36 yrs)	+0.7%	⚪ —

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 1988 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 1,401 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.