Lotus Evora coupe (2009 – ) expert review

1. Exterior

The Lotus Evora is good-looking and neatly proportioned, but it’s somehow a little undramatic. There are some nice details, like the Ferrari-style circular rear lights, but the styling doesn’t match the drama the driver experiences behind the wheel. It can be spiced up with an exotic paint colour – on a recent trip to the Lotus factory we saw a bright orange Evora that was practically stopping traffic.

Our rating: 4

2. Interior

While the Elise and Exige require athletic ability to slot into, the Evora is as accessible as anything else in its class – as long as the seats are slid back as there’s still a wide door sill to negotiate. Once behind the wheel, it’s easy to appreciate the work that’s gone into the spacious cabin. There’s a high quality feel, and little obvious evidence of ‘parts bin’ equipment from more mainstream manufacturers. The metal and leather gear selector is perfectly positioned and good to hold, but the cabin isn’t perfect as buttons for several of the controls are placed behind the steering wheel, making them awkward to reach.

Our rating: 4

3. Practicality

Behind the front seats is the optional +2 element. Lotus says adults can be carried on short journeys, although there’s little legroom and even less headroom. It is ideal for young children though, and ISOFIX mountings are standard. Around 95 per cent of buyers will specify the 2+2 version. The luggage area up front will swallow a modest 160 litres, making it best suited to soft bags, which can also be squeezed into nooks and crannies around the cabin.

Our rating: 3

4. Ride and handling

What strikes you first is the quality of the ride. Lotus engineers say the Evora was benchmarked against Jaguars for smoothness and it shows. Sharp, direct and responsive steering allows the driver to feel the road in a way no other power-assisted car can. You’ll need to go a very long way before you find a car that handles better. The chassis is taut and wonderfully balanced. There’s a whiff of understeer at first – the Evora has computers to mitigate it – and it can be easily balanced on the throttle.

Our rating: 5

5. Performance

Power figures only tell you so much. It’s all about power-to-weight and the relationship between engine and chassis, which the Evora has licked. The 3.5-litre Toyota V6 has been extensively worked over, featuring engine software bespoke to Lotus and producing 276bhp. That’s not much by today’s standards but a kerbweight of 1,382kgs means other cars need more power to deliver the Evora’s blistering performance. It’ll reach 60mph in 4.9 seconds, and 62mph (100km/h) in another 0.2 seconds, before hitting an official top speed of 162mph, although Lotus insiders claim 170mph could be possible. The Evora is also available with an automatic gearbox called IPS (Intelligent Precise Shift) which extends the 0-62mph time to 5.9 seconds, but allows fully automatic or paddle shift gear changes. It’s not as much fun as changing gear manually, but it works better on road than it does on track, and opens the Evora up to a new audience – particularly in the US. We’ve also driven the supercharged Evora S with 345bhp and acceleration from zero to 62mph in 4.6 seconds. On the road it feels even quicker than its figures suggest, thanks to an immediacy of response as soon as you press the throttle, surging the Evora towards the next corner. Overtaking is rapid in the S, and you rarely need all of its power on track.

Our rating: 5

6. Running costs

Plenty of cars can deliver that sort of pace, but how many emit just 199g/km of CO2? That figure is 20g/km less than the entry-level Porsche 911 and 49g/km less than the Nissan 370Z. Drive it with a light right foot, and an average of 33.2mpg is possible. The Evora IPS emits slightly more at 208g/km of CO2. Demand for the Evora is high, with small numbers being produced, so resale values are expected to stay strong.

Our rating: 4

7. Reliability

Lotus only builds around 4,000 cars each year, so it’s hard to comment on overall reliability, but remember the Evora’s engine comes from Toyota. That gives us every confidence the Evora will have little engine trouble. Production standards and aftercare are both of a very quality.

Our rating: 3

8. Safety

You get stability control, twin front airbags and ISOFIX mounting points for child seats (in the 2+2). However, there are no side or curtain airbags. Lotus claims the extremely stiff chassis will hold up well in an accident – reporting it crashed the same car’s underpinnings several times during testing, without it buckling.

Our rating: 3

9. Equipment

The Evora is a much more rounded car than the raw and basic Elise and Exige. Air-con, Recaro sports seats, electric windows and a CD player are standard. Optional packs add luxury touches like sat-nav and leather upholstery.

Our rating: 3

10. Why buy?

The Evora is a stunning car, both to look and in its engineering. In fact, we reckon it’s the best drivers’ car for the money.

Our rating: 5