Lotus
Esprit
2,073 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Esprits pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 10.3 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
87.8%
Pass-after-fix
1.1%
Fail
10.1%
Avg miles
53,101
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
This model's production run straddles the January 2006 Euro 4 cutoff. Individual cars vary — check your registration plate on the government's ULEZ checker. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 .
The picture
Esprit: above-average pass rates, with caveats
Across 884 MOT tests, the Esprit returns 85.0% first-time pass — above the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a torn steering gaiter. A weak handbrake and emissions levels exceed default limits round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 53,467, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
Top ten reasons for rejection.
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- 01
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
22 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
- 02
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
21 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
- 03
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
19 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
- 04
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
16 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
- 05
Emissions levels exceed default limits
16 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
- 06
Emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits
13 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
- 07
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
13 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
- 08
Emissions levels exceed default limits
12 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
- 09
Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated
12 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
- 10
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
11 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 3 failures
£98–£355
If every one of this Esprit's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Build your own retest budget.
Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
H7 / W21W bulb pack
A spare-bulb kit lives in the boot. Test morning is not the time to find your stop-lamp's gone.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Headlight restoration kit
Yellowed lenses fail the light-output test. A restoration kit lifts the haze in an afternoon for £20.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
Parts & supplies for this fix
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Click Mechanic · affiliate
Book a mobile mechanic
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
Book a mechanic at your door.
Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.
Buying or keeping an Esprit?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own an Esprit and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.