1998 Lotus Esprit — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1998 perform at MOT as they age

28 years

Current Age

86.0%

Latest Pass Rate

1,320

Total Tests (All Years)

60,452 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 1998 Lotus Esprit as it ages.

11 yrs79.8%

→ ↓0.6%

12 yrs79.2%

→ ↑4.0%

13 yrs83.2%

→ ↓0.7%

14 yrs82.5%

→ ↑3.2%

15 yrs85.7%

→ ↓9.6%

16 yrs76.1%

→ ↑7.9%

17 yrs84.0%

→ ↓4.5%

18 yrs79.5%

→ ↑6.4%

19 yrs85.9%

→ ↓9.4%

20 yrs76.5%

→ ↑9.8%

21 yrs86.3%

→ ↓2.3%

22 yrs84.0%

→ ↑1.5%

23 yrs85.5%

→ ↑3.2%

24 yrs88.7%

→ ↓5.6%

25 yrs83.1%

→ ↑2.9%

26 yrs86.0%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
11 yrs	79.8%	99
12 yrs	79.2%	106
13 yrs	83.2%	95
14 yrs	82.5%	97
15 yrs	85.7%	84
16 yrs	76.1%	92
17 yrs	84.0%	81
18 yrs	79.5%	83
19 yrs	85.9%	78
20 yrs	76.5%	51
21 yrs	86.3%	51
22 yrs	84.0%	50
23 yrs	85.5%	76
24 yrs	88.7%	62
25 yrs	83.1%	65
26 yrs	86.0%	150

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1998 Lotus Esprit pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (26 yrs)	86%	150
2023 (25 yrs)	83.1%	65
2022 (24 yrs)	88.7%	62
2021 (23 yrs)	85.5%	76
2020 (22 yrs)	84%	50
2019 (21 yrs)	86.3%	51
2018 (20 yrs)	76.5%	51
2017 (19 yrs)	85.9%	78
2016 (18 yrs)	79.5%	83
2015 (17 yrs)	84%	81
2014 (16 yrs)	76.1%	92
2013 (15 yrs)	85.7%	84
2012 (14 yrs)	82.5%	97
2011 (13 yrs)	83.2%	95
2010 (12 yrs)	79.2%	106
2009 (11 yrs)	79.8%	99

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

79.8%

Age (yrs) 11Tests 99Avg Mileage 51,070Top Failure Brakes — 10.1%

2010

79.2%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 106Avg Mileage 56,965Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 10.4%

2011

83.2%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 95Avg Mileage 56,774Top Failure Exhaust, Fuel and Emissions — 7.4%

2012

82.5%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 97Avg Mileage 51,077Top Failure Brakes — 11.3%

2013

85.7%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 84Avg Mileage 49,221Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 11.9%

2014

76.1%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 92Avg Mileage 50,912Top Failure Brakes — 22.8%

2015

84.0%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 81Avg Mileage 59,732Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 14.8%

2016

79.5%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 83Avg Mileage 53,453Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 18.1%

2017

85.9%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 78Avg Mileage 62,517Top Failure Brakes — 25.6%

2018

76.5%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 51Avg Mileage 66,566Top Failure Brakes — 21.6%

2019

86.3%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 51Avg Mileage 53,887Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 23.5%

2020

84.0%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 50Avg Mileage 58,148Top Failure Brakes — 18.0%

2021

85.5%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 76Avg Mileage 61,961Top Failure Brakes — 25.0%

2022

88.7%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 62Avg Mileage 56,354Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 27.4%

2023

83.1%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 65Avg Mileage 56,101Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 16.9%

2024

86.0%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 150Avg Mileage 60,452Top Failure Suspension — 17.3%

MOT results for 1998 Lotus Esprit by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	11	79.8%	99	51,070	Brakes — 10.1%
2010	12	79.2%	106	56,965	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 10.4%
2011	13	83.2%	95	56,774	Exhaust, Fuel and Emissions — 7.4%
2012	14	82.5%	97	51,077	Brakes — 11.3%
2013	15	85.7%	84	49,221	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 11.9%
2014	16	76.1%	92	50,912	Brakes — 22.8%
2015	17	84.0%	81	59,732	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 14.8%
2016	18	79.5%	83	53,453	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 18.1%
2017	19	85.9%	78	62,517	Brakes — 25.6%
2018	20	76.5%	51	66,566	Brakes — 21.6%
2019	21	86.3%	51	53,887	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 23.5%
2020	22	84.0%	50	58,148	Brakes — 18.0%
2021	23	85.5%	76	61,961	Brakes — 25.0%
2022	24	88.7%	62	56,354	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 27.4%
2023	25	83.1%	65	56,101	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 16.9%
2024	26	86.0%	150	60,452	Suspension — 17.3%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1998 Lotus Esprit, with age trends.

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

17.4%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

14.2%

— Consistent

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

12.5%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

11.8%

↑ Increases with age

Noise, emissions and leaks

10.2%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Tyres	3.0% (11 yrs)	8.0% (26 yrs)	+5.0%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	10.1% (11 yrs)	9.3% (26 yrs)	-0.8%	⚪ —

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 1998 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 1,320 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.