Lotus Evora MOT pass rate & common failures
1,683 MOT tests on the Lotus Evora (2009–2022) give it a 93.3% pass rate. Against all cars of a similar age (14.6% fail rate), the Evora comes out 7.9pp better. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (3.0%) and tyres (2.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, registration plates and tread depth — headlamp aim alone was recorded 35 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 5.5% in the 0-30k band and 23.2% in the 60-90k band, a 17.7-point spread — more than double.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 10.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 8.9% in 2021 to 6.1% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Evora model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 117 | 87.2% | 12.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 106 | 82.1% | 17.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 35 | 85.7% | 14.3% | Visibility |
| 2015 | 157 | 92.4% | 7.6% | Tyres |
| 2016 | 414 | 94.2% | 5.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2017 | 229 | 94.8% | 5.2% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 310 | 95.2% | 4.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2019 | 186 | 96.2% | 3.8% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 63 | 98.4% | 1.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2021 | 33 | 97.0% | 3.0% | Other defects |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 3.0% | 51 |
| 2 | Tyres | 2.1% | 36 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.1% | 18 |
| 4 | Other defects | 0.9% | 16 |
| 5 | Brakes | 0.7% | 12 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.7% | 11 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 0.6% | 10 |
| 8 | Suspension | 0.4% | 7 |
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 | 35 |
| 2 | Registration plates | 21 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 14 |
| 4 | Washers | 12 |
| 5 | Side repeaters | 11 |
| 6 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 11 |
| 7 | Rear fog lamp | 8 |
| 8 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 6 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 10.2% | 171 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.6% | 94 |
| 3 | Suspension | 4.5% | 75 |
| 4 | Other defects | 2.3% | 38 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 2.0% | 34 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.5% | 26 |
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 | 1,284 | 5.5% |
| 30-60k | 333 | 8.1% |
| 60-90k | 56 | 23.2% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 293 | 8.9% |
| 2022 | 335 | 7.2% |
| 2023 | 345 | 6.7% |
| 2024 | 347 | 5.2% |
| 2025 | 363 | 6.1% |
What to check before buying a Lotus Evora
- Lighting & signalling (3.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (2.1% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Visibility (1.1% 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.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Lotus Evora?
93.3% of the 1,683 Lotus Evora MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 6.7% fail rate, across model years 2009–2022.
What does the Lotus Evora most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 3.0% of tests, then tyres (2.1%).
How much does mileage affect Evora MOT results?
Fail rates run at 5.5% for cars in the 0-30k band and 23.2% for 60-90k, a 17.7-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,683 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.