Year by year
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 1 | 0 |
| 1992 Elan | 0 | 1 |
| 1991 Elan | 13 | 1 |
A model year gets its own page when it has enough data for at least three sections
Most common problems
- Fuel system, gasoline12
- Visibility1
- Vehicle speed control1
- Power train1
NHTSA ODI complaints, all model years
In New Zealand
83 Elan cars are on the New Zealand register; 31% arrived as used imports.
| Model year | Registered | Sold new in NZ | Used imports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1995 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1992 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| 1991 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 1990 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 1989 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1974 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 1973 | 8 | 3 | 4 |
| 1972 | 7 | 4 | 1 |
| 1971 | 6 | 4 | 1 |
| 1970 | 8 | 3 | 3 |
| 1969 | 12 | 8 | 3 |
| 1968 | 12 | 9 | 1 |
| 1967 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| 1966 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 1965 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1964 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 1963 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
In the United Kingdom
1,374 Elan cars were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, by year of manufacture.
| Built | Licensed | Off the road (SORN) |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 0 | 2 |
| 1998 | 1 | — |
| 1997 | 1 | — |
| 1996 | 13 | 22 |
| 1995 | 91 | 134 |
| 1994 | 42 | 81 |
| 1993 | 9 | 15 |
| 1992 | 101 | 210 |
| 1991 | 203 | 458 |
| 1990 | 121 | 354 |
| 1989 | 0 | 3 |
| 1981 | 1 | — |
| 1975 | 4 | 2 |
| 1974 | 12 | 1 |
| 1973 | 57 | 10 |
| 1972 | 177 | 52 |
| 1971 | 111 | 38 |
| 1970 | 101 | 49 |
| 1969 | 87 | 34 |
| 1968 | 78 | 42 |
| 1967 | 65 | 24 |
| 1966 | 34 | 12 |
| 1965 | 28 | 16 |
| 1964 | 20 | 16 |
| 1963 | 14 | 7 |
| 1962 | 2 | — |
| 1910 | 1 | — |
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
931 Elan cars took their annual MOT test in 2023; 73% passed first time, against 69% for all cars of the same ages. Older cars fail more often, so compare a year with the same year of other cars.
| First registered | Tests | Passed first time |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 149 | 78% |
| 1992 | 183 | 73% |
| 1991 | 351 | 73% |
| 1990 | 248 | 71% |
Why they fail
Share of all first tests that ended in a fail because of each part of the car (one test can fail on several).
| Area | Elan | All cars, same ages |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 15.4% | 10.5% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 11.2% | 16.1% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 6.9% | 5.2% |
| Visibility | 5.4% | 6.5% |
| Suspension | 4.1% | 9.0% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 3.3% | 8.7% |
| Tyres | 1.1% | 2.4% |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.5% | 0.6% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests of cars only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
New registrations in Europe
2 new Lotus Elan cars registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland between 2013 and 2013, from the European Environment Agency's CO₂ monitoring of every new car. In 2013 the largest markets were United Kingdom (1), Spain (1).
| Year | New cars | CO₂ g/km |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 2 | — |
Averages are weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value (NEDC until the WLTP switch). European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
Recalls
1 campaigns cover the Elan.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE FUEL TANKS CAN LEAK.
NHTSA recalls