Head-to-head reliability
Lotus Evora vs FORD F 150
How the Lotus Evora and FORD F 150 compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Lotus Evora averages fewer NHTSA complaints per year. Lotus Evora has 12 complaints and 4 recalls on record; FORD F 150 has 11,102 complaints and 144 recalls. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Lotus Evora | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 12 Better | 11,102 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 4 Better | 144 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 1 Better | 319 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 1.2 Better | 1110.2 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 287 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 1 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
Lotus Evora
- 01ENGINE7
- 02SUSPENSION5
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
- 04STEERING2
- 05POWER TRAIN2
“IPS WIRING HARNESS ISSUE - VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WOULD RANDOMLY LOSE COMPLETE POWER IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING. VEHICLE STUCK IN THIS LIMP MODE ARE UNABLE TO GO BACK INTO GEAR AND IS LOCKED OUT FROM DRIVING, THUS REQUIRE THE VEHICLE T…”
“I WAS COMING TO A STOP, APPLYING THE BRAKES AND SHIFTED THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL, THE CAR JUST SHUT OFF. THE BRAKES BECAME ROCK HARD I HAD TO USE BOTH FEET TO SLOW THE CAR STEERING LOCKED AND I REAR ENDED THE CAR I FRONT OF ME AT 2-3 MPH. THE CAR WAS DAMAGED THE…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,492
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,052
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,380
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,150
- 05ENGINE828
“I started noticing hard and delayed shifts from 7th into 8th gear. My RPM's were not increasing when this happened, and then on a very crowded major road I lost all power, vehicle shut off and drifted, then started up and jerked again very hard. This failure…”
“The vehicle experienced intermittent transmission-related drivability issues before the recall remedy was available. The vehicle had delayed/hard shifting, an intermittent wrench warning light, and a reduced power/limp mode condition where the transmission wo…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
Lotus Evora — 4 recalls
The defect: Lotus Cars USA, Inc. (Lotus) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Evora vehicles. The toe board in the passenger footwell lacks stiffness, allowing the knee of an unbelted occupant to contact the rigid structure of the vehicle, in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requ…
The risk: In the event of a crash, if the occupant's knee contacts the rigid structure, there may be an increased risk of injury.
The fix: Lotus will notify owners, and dealers will replace the toe board with a new design to provide the appropriate stiffness, free of charge. The recall began May 27, 2019. Owners may contact Lotus customer service at 1-800-245-6887. Lotus' num…
The defect: Lotus Cars USA, Inc. (Lotus) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Evora vehicles. The toe board in the passenger footwell lacks stiffness, allowing the knee of an unbelted occupant to contact the rigid structure of the vehicle, in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requ…
The risk: In the event of a crash, if the occupant's knee contacts the rigid structure, there may be an increased risk of injury.
The fix: Lotus will notify owners, and dealers will replace the toe board with a new design to provide the appropriate stiffness, free of charge. The recall began May 27, 2019. Owners may contact Lotus customer service at 1-800-245-6887. Lotus' num…
The defect: Lotus Cars Limited (Lotus) is recalling certain 2018 Lotus Evora vehicles. Due to an assembly error, in the event of a frontal collision, the steering column may not properly collapse to absorb some of the impact energy.
The risk: If the steering column does not collapse as intended in a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Lotus will notify owners, and dealers will correct the steering column assembly, free of charge. The recall began December 4, 2018. Owners may contact Lotus customer service at 1-800-245-6887. Lotus' number for this recall is 2018/01R.
The defect: Lotus Cars is recalling certain model year 2013 Evora vehicles manufactured September 2012 through November 2012. These vehicles have been granted a temporary exemption from the requirement to conform to the latest passenger side advanced air bag requirements covered by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety…
The risk: An incorrect certification label may prevent the owner from determining recall applicability, potentially increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix: Lotus Cars will notify the owners instructing them to take their vehicle to a Lotus dealer. The federal compliance label will be replaced and an exemption label will be applied, free of charge. The recall began on May 28, 2013. Owners may…
FORD F 150 — 144 recalls
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater. Water and contaminants may get into the block heater cable's splice connector causin…
The risk: When the heater is plugged in, prolonged corrosion could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring which can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the block heater cable, free of charge. Once parts are available, Dealers will replace the engine block heater cable, free of charge. The recall began June 3, 2019. Owners may contact Ford…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater and previously remedied under recall 18V894. During the previous repair, the block he…
The risk: A damaged cable could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the engine block heater from being used. When replacement cables become available, a second notice will be mailed and dealers will replace the engine block heater cord, free of charge. The…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford F-150 Regular Cab and SuperCrew Cab vehicles. If a front seat belt pretensioner deploys as the result of a crash, the sparks may ignite materials such as carpeting or insulation within the B-pillar area.
The risk: A vehicle fire could result if materials ignite inside the vehicle.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove the B-pillar insulation material and wiring harness tape, and install heat resistant tape, free of charge. The recall began September 28, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Ford F-150, and 2017 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty trucks. The doors on these vehicles may have a bent or kinked actuation cable or the door latches may freeze after water gets into the latch. Either condition can result in the do…
The risk: A door that opens while driving can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the door latch actuation cables and repair if necessary, and install water shields over the door latches, free of charge. The recall began October 12, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer…
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | Lotus Evora | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 0 | 5162 |
| 2020 | 0 | 25 |
| 2019 | 0 | 31 |
| 2018 | 1 | 38 |
| 2017 | 3 | 27 |
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific Lotus Evora or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Lotus Evora vs FORD F 150
- Lotus Evora total complaints
- 12
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,102
- Lotus Evora total recalls
- 4
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 144
- Lotus Evora avg complaints/year
- 1.2
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1110.2
- More reliable overall
- Lotus Evora
- Lotus Evora top complaint area
- ENGINE
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN