1996 Lotus Esprit — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1996 perform at MOT as they age

30 years

Current Age

93.0%

Latest Pass Rate

786

Total Tests (All Years)

55,440 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 1996 Lotus Esprit as it ages.

13 yrs72.2%

→ ↑10.6%

14 yrs82.8%

→ ↓6.0%

15 yrs76.8%

→ ↑7.3%

16 yrs84.1%

→ ↓10.8%

17 yrs73.3%

→ ↓2.1%

18 yrs71.2%

→ ↑5.7%

19 yrs76.9%

→ ↓0.9%

20 yrs76.0%

→ ↑8.4%

21 yrs84.4%

→ ↓18.8%

22 yrs65.6%

→ ↑13.8%

23 yrs79.4%

→ ↑4.3%

25 yrs83.7%

→ ↓0.8%

26 yrs82.9%

→ ↑6.3%

27 yrs89.2%

→ ↑3.8%

28 yrs93.0%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
13 yrs	72.2%	72
14 yrs	82.8%	64
15 yrs	76.8%	69
16 yrs	84.1%	63
17 yrs	73.3%	60
18 yrs	71.2%	59
19 yrs	76.9%	52
20 yrs	76.0%	50
21 yrs	84.4%	45
22 yrs	65.6%	32
23 yrs	79.4%	34
25 yrs	83.7%	43
26 yrs	82.9%	35
27 yrs	89.2%	37
28 yrs	93.0%	71

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1996 Lotus Esprit pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (28 yrs)	93%	71
2023 (27 yrs)	89.2%	37
2022 (26 yrs)	82.9%	35
2021 (25 yrs)	83.7%	43
2019 (23 yrs)	79.4%	34
2018 (22 yrs)	65.6%	32
2017 (21 yrs)	84.4%	45
2016 (20 yrs)	76%	50
2015 (19 yrs)	76.9%	52
2014 (18 yrs)	71.2%	59
2013 (17 yrs)	73.3%	60
2012 (16 yrs)	84.1%	63
2011 (15 yrs)	76.8%	69
2010 (14 yrs)	82.8%	64
2009 (13 yrs)	72.2%	72

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

72.2%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 72Avg Mileage 47,619Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 18.1%

2010

82.8%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 64Avg Mileage 47,057Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 9.4%

2011

76.8%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 69Avg Mileage 53,669Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 11.6%

2012

84.1%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 63Avg Mileage 49,851Top Failure Brakes — 9.5%

2013

73.3%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 60Avg Mileage 50,216Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 35.0%

2014

71.2%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 59Avg Mileage 47,130Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 37.3%

2015

76.9%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 52Avg Mileage 49,323Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 19.2%

2016

76.0%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 50Avg Mileage 52,012Top Failure Suspension — 32.0%

2017

84.4%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 45Avg Mileage 49,947Top Failure Suspension — 42.2%

2018

65.6%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 32Avg Mileage 48,953Top Failure Brakes — 28.1%

2019

79.4%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 34Avg Mileage 51,025Top Failure Brakes — 38.2%

2021

83.7%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 43Avg Mileage 50,292Top Failure Brakes — 27.9%

2022

82.9%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 35Avg Mileage 47,939Top Failure Noise, emissions and leaks — 17.1%

2023

89.2%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 37Avg Mileage 53,726Top Failure Tyres — 16.2%

2024

93.0%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 71Avg Mileage 55,440Top Failure Suspension — 11.3%

MOT results for 1996 Lotus Esprit by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	13	72.2%	72	47,619	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 18.1%
2010	14	82.8%	64	47,057	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 9.4%
2011	15	76.8%	69	53,669	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 11.6%
2012	16	84.1%	63	49,851	Brakes — 9.5%
2013	17	73.3%	60	50,216	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 35.0%
2014	18	71.2%	59	47,130	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 37.3%
2015	19	76.9%	52	49,323	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 19.2%
2016	20	76.0%	50	52,012	Suspension — 32.0%
2017	21	84.4%	45	49,947	Suspension — 42.2%
2018	22	65.6%	32	48,953	Brakes — 28.1%
2019	23	79.4%	34	51,025	Brakes — 38.2%
2021	25	83.7%	43	50,292	Brakes — 27.9%
2022	26	82.9%	35	47,939	Noise, emissions and leaks — 17.1%
2023	27	89.2%	37	53,726	Tyres — 16.2%
2024	28	93.0%	71	55,440	Suspension — 11.3%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1996 Lotus Esprit, with age trends.

Brakes

19.3%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

18.9%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

15.2%

— Consistent

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

13.5%

↓ Decreases with age

Exhaust, Fuel and Emissions

12.1%

↑ 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
Suspension	11.1% (13 yrs)	11.3% (28 yrs)	+0.2%	⚪ —

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 1996 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 786 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.