1989 Lotus Esprit — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1989 perform at MOT as they age

37 years

Current Age

75.2%

Latest Pass Rate

1,271

Total Tests (All Years)

55,181 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 1989 Lotus Esprit as it ages.

20 yrs74.6%

→ ↓0.1%

21 yrs74.5%

→ ↓10.8%

22 yrs63.7%

→ ↑3.7%

23 yrs67.4%

→ ↑4.0%

24 yrs71.4%

→ ↑5.2%

25 yrs76.6%

→ ↑0.1%

26 yrs76.7%

→ ↑1.7%

27 yrs78.4%

→ ↓0.6%

28 yrs77.8%

→ ↓2.3%

29 yrs75.5%

→ ↑6.0%

30 yrs81.5%

→ ↓4.4%

31 yrs77.1%

→ ↑1.2%

32 yrs78.3%

→ ↓0.7%

33 yrs77.6%

→ ↑2.7%

34 yrs80.3%

→ ↓5.1%

35 yrs75.2%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
20 yrs	74.6%	118
21 yrs	74.5%	110
22 yrs	63.7%	102
23 yrs	67.4%	95
24 yrs	71.4%	91
25 yrs	76.6%	77
26 yrs	76.7%	90
27 yrs	78.4%	74
28 yrs	77.8%	72
29 yrs	75.5%	53
30 yrs	81.5%	54
31 yrs	77.1%	35
32 yrs	78.3%	60
33 yrs	77.6%	58
34 yrs	80.3%	61
35 yrs	75.2%	121

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1989 Lotus Esprit pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (35 yrs)	75.2%	121
2023 (34 yrs)	80.3%	61
2022 (33 yrs)	77.6%	58
2021 (32 yrs)	78.3%	60
2020 (31 yrs)	77.1%	35
2019 (30 yrs)	81.5%	54
2018 (29 yrs)	75.5%	53
2017 (28 yrs)	77.8%	72
2016 (27 yrs)	78.4%	74
2015 (26 yrs)	76.7%	90
2014 (25 yrs)	76.6%	77
2013 (24 yrs)	71.4%	91
2012 (23 yrs)	67.4%	95
2011 (22 yrs)	63.7%	102
2010 (21 yrs)	74.5%	110
2009 (20 yrs)	74.6%	118

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

74.6%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 118Avg Mileage 53,965Top Failure Brakes — 16.1%

2010

74.5%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 110Avg Mileage 51,212Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.4%

2011High Fail Rate

63.7%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 102Avg Mileage 51,921Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 27.5%

2012

67.4%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 95Avg Mileage 54,396Top Failure Brakes — 22.1%

2013

71.4%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 91Avg Mileage 56,123Top Failure Brakes — 51.6%

2014

76.6%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 77Avg Mileage 54,656Top Failure Brakes — 24.7%

2015

76.7%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 90Avg Mileage 50,515Top Failure Brakes — 64.4%

2016

78.4%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 74Avg Mileage 50,125Top Failure Brakes — 25.7%

2017

77.8%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 72Avg Mileage 49,686Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 37.5%

2018

75.5%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 53Avg Mileage 50,955Top Failure Brakes — 24.5%

2019

81.5%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 54Avg Mileage 55,427Top Failure Suspension — 24.1%

2020

77.1%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 35Avg Mileage 49,863Top Failure Brakes — 25.7%

2021

78.3%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 60Avg Mileage 54,814Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 28.3%

2022

77.6%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 58Avg Mileage 54,483Top Failure Brakes — 36.2%

2023

80.3%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 61Avg Mileage 54,743Top Failure Brakes — 32.8%

2024

75.2%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 121Avg Mileage 55,181Top Failure Brakes — 29.8%

MOT results for 1989 Lotus Esprit by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	20	74.6%	118	53,965	Brakes — 16.1%
2010	21	74.5%	110	51,212	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.4%
2011	22	63.7%	102	51,921	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 27.5%
2012	23	67.4%	95	54,396	Brakes — 22.1%
2013	24	71.4%	91	56,123	Brakes — 51.6%
2014	25	76.6%	77	54,656	Brakes — 24.7%
2015	26	76.7%	90	50,515	Brakes — 64.4%
2016	27	78.4%	74	50,125	Brakes — 25.7%
2017	28	77.8%	72	49,686	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 37.5%
2018	29	75.5%	53	50,955	Brakes — 24.5%
2019	30	81.5%	54	55,427	Suspension — 24.1%
2020	31	77.1%	35	49,863	Brakes — 25.7%
2021	32	78.3%	60	54,814	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 28.3%
2022	33	77.6%	58	54,483	Brakes — 36.2%
2023	34	80.3%	61	54,743	Brakes — 32.8%
2024	35	75.2%	121	55,181	Brakes — 29.8%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1989 Lotus Esprit, with age trends.

Brakes

28.5%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

24.5%

— Consistent

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

22.8%

— Consistent

Suspension

15.2%

↑ Increases with age

Tyres

10.6%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	16.1% (20 yrs)	29.8% (35 yrs)	+13.7%	🔴 ↑

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 1989 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 1,271 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.