2014 Lotus Exige — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 458 MOT tests, the 2014 Lotus Exige recorded a 93.7% pass rate. That is 11.9 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 18.3%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, other defects and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (4.4%) and other defects (1.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are registration plates, headlamp aim and washers — registration plates alone was recorded 13 times.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 9.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 4.4% | 20 |
| 2 | Other defects | 1.8% | 8 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.1% | 5 |
| 4 | Visibility | 0.9% | 4 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.7% | 3 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.4% | 2 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Registration plates | 13 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 12 |
| 3 | Washers | 4 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 3 |
| 5 | Rear fog lamp | 3 |
| 6 | Horn | 2 |
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 | 9.4% | 43 |
| 2 | Brakes | 6.3% | 29 |
| 3 | Suspension | 6.1% | 28 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.2% | 10 |
| 5 | Other defects | 1.5% | 7 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.7% | 3 |
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 | 351 | 4.8% |
| 30-60k | 93 | 9.7% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 89 | 6.7% |
| 2022 | 99 | 8.1% |
| 2023 | 88 | 2.3% |
| 2024 | 95 | 7.4% |
| 2025 | 87 | 6.9% |
What to check before buying a 2014 Exige
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 4.4% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (4.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Other defects (1.8% of tests): Miscellaneous items not in the main categories. Typical repair: varies.
- Brakes (1.1% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
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 2014 Lotus Exiges pass their MOT?
93.7% of the 458 2014 Lotus Exige MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 6.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Lotus Exige?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 4.4% of tests, followed by other defects (1.8%).
Does the 2014 Exige get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 4.8% in the 0-30k band to 9.7% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 458 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.