2007 Lotus Elise — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2007 Lotus Elise passed 90.7% of its 1,178 recorded MOT tests. All cars of a similar age fail 27.0% of the time, so this is 17.6pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (5.3%) and visibility (3.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, washers and position lamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 31 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 7.4% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 11.7% once past 60-90k.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 13.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 9.4% in 2021 to 7.8% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 5.3% | 62 |
| 2 | Visibility | 3.1% | 36 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 1.8% | 21 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.8% | 21 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.4% | 16 |
| 6 | Tyres | 0.8% | 9 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 31 |
| 2 | Washers | 25 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 22 |
| 4 | Horn | 14 |
| 5 | Wipers | 14 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 13 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 13.9% | 164 |
| 2 | Tyres | 10.4% | 122 |
| 3 | Suspension | 7.3% | 86 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 4.5% | 53 |
| 5 | Other defects | 2.9% | 34 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.4% | 28 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 379 | 7.4% |
| 30-60k | 545 | 8.4% |
| 60-90k | 196 | 11.7% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 233 | 9.4% |
| 2022 | 235 | 7.7% |
| 2023 | 251 | 11.9% |
| 2024 | 229 | 9.6% |
| 2025 | 230 | 7.8% |
What to check before buying a 2007 Elise
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 5.3% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (5.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (3.1% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (1.8% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2007 Lotus Elises pass their MOT?
90.7% of the 1,178 2007 Lotus Elise MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2007 Lotus Elise?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 5.3% of tests, followed by visibility (3.1%).
Does the 2007 Elise get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.4% in the 0-30k band to 11.7% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,178 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.