Performance by cohort

3 year bands · 2,648 tests

Pass rate climbs 1.0 points across the cohorts — newer Exige examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.

Pre-2018 cohort 2,114

Pass

90.8%

Fail

6.8%

PRS

2.0%

Avg mileage at test

31,864 mi

2018–2020 cohort 424

Pass

94.3%

Fail

3.5%

PRS

2.1%

Avg mileage at test

12,153 mi

2021+ cohort 110

Pass

91.8%

Fail

4.5%

PRS

0.9%

Avg mileage at test

5,945 mi

Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.

The picture

Exige: a strong MOT record by UK norms

Across 1,358 MOT tests, the Exige returns 90.0% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is tyre tread under the limit. A number-plate lamp out and lambda coefficient outside the default limits round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 28,134, 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.

Filter failures:

Hide wear items to see the model's real defects.

01

The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements

27 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
02

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

22 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
03

Wiper blade defective

17 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
04

Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view

16 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
05

Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer

14 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
06

A tyre seriously damaged

11 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
07

Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen

11 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
08

A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened

10 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
09

The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements

10 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
10

Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements

8 occurrences · 0.3% 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

£90–£220

If every one of this Exige'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 →

Try the calculator

Build your own retest budget.

Year-band analysis

Best year to buy. Worst to avoid.

First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 3.6-point gap between bands means the year you buy Lotus Exige has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.

Best band to buy

94.3%

2018–2020 registration

the 2018–2020 band climbs to 94.3% — a 3.6-point improvement. Tests in this band average 12,153 miles — roughly 20K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: too low, has a cut in excess of the… — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band. The stricter post-2018 MOT test rules meant manufacturers had to tighten up emissions and electrical checks, but this band still shows far fewer major failures on suspension and bodywork than the older fleet.

Band to be cautious about

90.8%

Pre-2018 registration

On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 90.8% pass rate against a fleet average of 94.3% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, too low, and blade defective. Average mileage on test for this band is 31,864 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.

Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (94.3% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (90.8% pass). That's a 3.6-point spread across 2,114 older tests and 424 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.

Year-spread leaderboard →

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

Headlight restoration kit

Yellowed lenses fail the light-output test. A restoration kit lifts the haze in an afternoon for £20.

Search Amazon UK

Item 02 · Amazon UK

Digital tyre-tread depth gauge

Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.

Search Amazon UK

Item 03 · Amazon UK

Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades

Cheap wipers fail the test on smear streaks. Bosch Aerotwins last a winter and clear a screen properly.

Search Amazon UK

My Motor World · affiliate

Parts & supplies for this fix

Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.

Denso

Denso W14E Spark Plug (Single)

£1.09

View at My Motor World →

Denso

Denso W16EX-U Spark Plug (Single)

£1.09

View at My Motor World →

Denso

Denso W16FSR Spark Plug (Single)

£1.09

View at My Motor World →

Denso

Denso W9LM-US Spark Plug (Single)

£1.09

View at My Motor World →

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.

Get a quote →

Recall history

5 UK recalls on record.

The Exige has 5 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.

See all recalls

Buying or keeping an Exige?

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 Exige 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.