Lotus Elise MOT pass rate: 88.6% (4,876 tests, 2025)

The Lotus Elise passed 88.6% of its 4,876 MOT tests in 2025 — 11.1 points above the UK average of 77.5%. The median tested example was 23 years old with 44,184 miles on the clock.

88.6%Pass rate (2025)

4,876MOT tests analysed

44,184 miMedian mileage at test

23 yrsMedian age at test

How the Elise compares

Lotus Elise

88.6%

UK average (all Class 4 vehicles)

77.5% across 33.1 million tests

Lotus average (all models)

88.4%

What fails most on the Lotus Elise

Across failed and rectified tests in 2025, these vehicle systems produced the most defects on the Elise:

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Noise, emissions and leaks	384	32.3%
2	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	382	32.1%
3	Brakes	173	14.5%
4	Suspension	132	11.1%
5	Visibility	119	10.0%

Pre-MOT checklist for Elise owners

Based on the failure profile above, ten minutes with a torch before your test removes the most likely fail items:

A blowing exhaust or visible smoke will fail; warm the engine fully before the test
Walk round with all lights on: one blown bulb is the most avoidable fail there is
Feel for a spongy pedal or pulling to one side; check pad wear through the wheel spokes if visible
Bounce each corner and listen for clonks over speed bumps — suspension is this model’s (and the UK’s) top failure system
Replace smeared wiper blades and top up washer fluid — both are test items

Check the engine before the tester does

A stored fault code with the engine light on is an automatic Major defect. Scan and clear resolved faults before booking.

Topdon OBD2 scannersTopdon diagnostic scanners with full-system readouts
XTOOL diagnostic toolsXTOOL code readers for petrol and diesel cars
Autel UK testersAutel professional-grade diagnostic testers

Check a specific Elise before you buy

Pass rates describe the model; they can’t tell you about the one car you’re looking at. Run its plate through our free MOT history check to see its personal record of failures, advisories and mileage readings.

FAQs

What is the MOT pass rate for a Lotus Elise?

In 2025, 88.6% of 4,876 first MOT tests on the Lotus Elise were passes (UK average: 77.5%). Data: DVSA anonymised MOT results.

What does the Elise fail its MOT on most?

The biggest defect group is noise, emissions and leaks (32.3% of its recorded defects), followed by lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment.

Is the Lotus Elise reliable?

MOT pass rate is one lens on durability: at 88.6% it performs above the national average at a median age of 23 years and 44,184 miles. Always check the individual car's history too.

Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 extract (Class 4 initial tests only; retests excluded). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures rounded to one decimal place.