2007 Lotus Exige — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2007 Lotus Exige passed 90.6% of its 499 recorded MOT tests. Against all cars of a similar age (26.9% fail rate), the 2007 Exige comes out 17.5pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, emissions & environmental and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (4.0%) and emissions & environmental (3.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, washers and headlamp aim — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 16 times.
A 60-90k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 10.1% versus 6.1%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 11.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 10.9% in 2021 to 8.7% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 4.0% | 20 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 3.8% | 19 |
| 3 | Visibility | 2.6% | 13 |
| 4 | Other defects | 1.4% | 7 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.2% | 6 |
| 6 | Tyres | 1.2% | 6 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalyst emissions | 16 |
| 2 | Washers | 11 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 10 |
| 4 | Registration plates | 10 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 8 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 7 |
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 | 11.6% | 58 |
| 2 | Suspension | 7.4% | 37 |
| 3 | Brakes | 6.8% | 34 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 3.6% | 18 |
| 5 | Other defects | 2.4% | 12 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.2% | 6 |
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 | 163 | 6.1% |
| 30-60k | 255 | 10.2% |
| 60-90k | 69 | 10.1% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 110 | 10.9% |
| 2022 | 108 | 11.1% |
| 2023 | 99 | 7.1% |
| 2024 | 90 | 8.9% |
| 2025 | 92 | 8.7% |
What to check before buying a 2007 Exige
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 4.0% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (4.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (3.8% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Visibility (2.6% 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
How many 2007 Lotus Exiges pass their MOT?
90.6% of the 499 2007 Lotus Exige MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2007 Lotus Exige?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 4.0% of tests, followed by emissions & environmental (3.8%).
Does the 2007 Exige get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.1% in the 0-30k band to 10.1% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 499 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.