Does the Lotus Esprit fail the MOT on suspension more than it should?
The Lotus Esprit records 5.54 suspension failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 21.70 expected for a car of the same age mix: less than expected for its class and age (−16.16, 95% interval −17.45 to −14.87). It ranks 665 of 701 models on suspension (1 = most failures above expected).
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · all models on suspension · check a Lotus Esprit by registration
What exactly fails on suspension?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Lotus Esprit is “A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated”, recorded 102 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated | 102 | 2.03 |
| A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 56 | 1.12 |
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 39 | 0.78 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 5,018 (initial tests) · Method: failure items (major and minor) grouped by DVSA's defect tree; wordings with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
Other pages for this model
Lotus Esprit by postcode area · Lotus Esprit body, chassis and structure failures · Lotus Esprit brakes failures · Lotus Esprit vehicle identification failures · Lotus Esprit lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Lotus Esprit noise, emissions and leaks failures · Lotus Esprit steering failures · Lotus Esprit tyres failures · Lotus Esprit visibility failures