1990 Lotus Esprit — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1990 perform at MOT as they age

36 years

Current Age

83.8%

Latest Pass Rate

795

Total Tests (All Years)

53,127 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 1990 Lotus Esprit as it ages.

19 yrs65.6%

→ ↑8.6%

20 yrs74.2%

→ ↑11.3%

21 yrs85.5%

→ ↓6.2%

22 yrs79.3%

→ ↑4.0%

23 yrs83.3%

→ ↓13.3%

24 yrs70.0%

→ ↑2.2%

25 yrs72.2%

→ ↑6.4%

26 yrs78.6%

→ ↓5.5%

27 yrs73.1%

→ ↑17.2%

28 yrs90.3%

→ ↓9.7%

29 yrs80.6%

→ ↑3.3%

30 yrs83.9%

→ ↓5.3%

31 yrs78.6%

→ ↓4.4%

32 yrs74.2%

→ ↑18.1%

33 yrs92.3%

→ ↓8.5%

34 yrs83.8%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
19 yrs	65.6%	61
20 yrs	74.2%	66
21 yrs	85.5%	55
22 yrs	79.3%	58
23 yrs	83.3%	48
24 yrs	70.0%	50
25 yrs	72.2%	54
26 yrs	78.6%	42
27 yrs	73.1%	52
28 yrs	90.3%	31
29 yrs	80.6%	36
30 yrs	83.9%	31
31 yrs	78.6%	42
32 yrs	74.2%	31
33 yrs	92.3%	39
34 yrs	83.8%	99

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1990 Lotus Esprit pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (34 yrs)	83.8%	99
2023 (33 yrs)	92.3%	39
2022 (32 yrs)	74.2%	31
2021 (31 yrs)	78.6%	42
2020 (30 yrs)	83.9%	31
2019 (29 yrs)	80.6%	36
2018 (28 yrs)	90.3%	31
2017 (27 yrs)	73.1%	52
2016 (26 yrs)	78.6%	42
2015 (25 yrs)	72.2%	54
2014 (24 yrs)	70%	50
2013 (23 yrs)	83.3%	48
2012 (22 yrs)	79.3%	58
2011 (21 yrs)	85.5%	55
2010 (20 yrs)	74.2%	66
2009 (19 yrs)	65.6%	61

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

65.6%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 61Avg Mileage 55,982Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 21.3%

2010

74.2%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 66Avg Mileage 53,905Top Failure Brakes — 18.2%

2011

85.5%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 55Avg Mileage 56,670Top Failure Brakes — 12.7%

2012

79.3%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 58Avg Mileage 57,126Top Failure Brakes — 15.5%

2013

83.3%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 48Avg Mileage 52,251Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 25.0%

2014

70.0%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 50Avg Mileage 55,348Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 46.0%

2015

72.2%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 54Avg Mileage 58,250Top Failure Brakes — 74.1%

2016

78.6%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 42Avg Mileage 58,697Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.6%

2017

73.1%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 52Avg Mileage 58,472Top Failure Brakes — 32.7%

2018

90.3%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 31Avg Mileage 54,987Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 9.7%

2019

80.6%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 36Avg Mileage 52,092Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 30.6%

2020

83.9%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 31Avg Mileage 57,032Top Failure Brakes — 19.4%

2021

78.6%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 42Avg Mileage 53,434Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 19.0%

2022

74.2%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 31Avg Mileage 50,683Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 22.6%

2023

92.3%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 39Avg Mileage 47,378Top Failure Noise, emissions and leaks — 12.8%

2024

83.8%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 99Avg Mileage 53,127Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 8.1%

MOT results for 1990 Lotus Esprit by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	19	65.6%	61	55,982	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 21.3%
2010	20	74.2%	66	53,905	Brakes — 18.2%
2011	21	85.5%	55	56,670	Brakes — 12.7%
2012	22	79.3%	58	57,126	Brakes — 15.5%
2013	23	83.3%	48	52,251	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 25.0%
2014	24	70.0%	50	55,348	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 46.0%
2015	25	72.2%	54	58,250	Brakes — 74.1%
2016	26	78.6%	42	58,697	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.6%
2017	27	73.1%	52	58,472	Brakes — 32.7%
2018	28	90.3%	31	54,987	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 9.7%
2019	29	80.6%	36	52,092	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 30.6%
2020	30	83.9%	31	57,032	Brakes — 19.4%
2021	31	78.6%	42	53,434	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 19.0%
2022	32	74.2%	31	50,683	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 22.6%
2023	33	92.3%	39	47,378	Noise, emissions and leaks — 12.8%
2024	34	83.8%	99	53,127	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 8.1%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1990 Lotus Esprit, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

23.2%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

22.8%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

15.4%

— Consistent

Suspension

12.0%

— Consistent

Exhaust, Fuel and Emissions

11.5%

↑ Increases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Tyres	6.6% (19 yrs)	2.0% (34 yrs)	-4.6%	🟢 ↓

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 1990 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 795 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.