Lotus Exige

Raw, fast and exciting to drive
As good on the track as it is the road
The last of its kind

Lotus Exige Final Edition (2021 - )

Raw, noisy and thrilling, the Lotus Exige makes any rival sports car – supercars included – feel a little bit boring and sanitised in comparison. That may not be everybody’s cup of tea but in a world where everything is made easy for drivers it’s nice to get in a car that makes you work for your thrills, the reward being a driving experience like no other. It’s expensive and against the Porsches, Jaguars or others you could buy for equivalent money looks poorly equipped and practically compromised. But as a shot of espresso is to a frothy cappuccino it’s a very different taste, and for real driving enthusiasts who drive hard on road and track alike a very special machine. Now in its swansong, the Final Edition reviewed here is a fine farewell for a much-loved sports car as Lotus looks to go electric.

Our verdict

Is the Lotus Exige a good car?

How we rated this car out of 5 on the following

Lotus Exige running costs

Fuel consumption, insurance, residuals and tax.

Lotus Exige safety

Driver aids, airbags and alerts.

Lotus Exige features

Driver technology, media and styling.

Lotus Exige reliability

Warranty, servicing, durability and build quality.

Lotus Exige interior

Space, materials, boot size and comfort.

Lotus Exige performance

Power, handling, fuel and range.

Our expert review

See what our expert review team say about this car

Running costs Safety Features Reliability Interior Performance

Area of interest:

If the Elise from which it is derived is about delicacy and lightweight thrills the Exige is a more brutal, intense and expensive twist on the same formula. It’s a very pricey car to buy upfront, the Cup 430 version nudging into six figures and not far off supercar money. And against that kind of pricetag the minimalist Lotus vibe is stretched to its limit, especially when you consider the quality of the rivals you could have for equivalent money. At this level purchase price is only one consideration, though, and retained value is a bigger consideration. If you can avoid the temptation to rack up lots of miles the Exige holds its money well, so depreciation is less of a concern than it might be with, say, a Jaguar F-Type or even a Porsche 911. In terms of daily running costs the Exige is built for performance, not efficiency, and will guzzle fuel if you’re enjoying the performance on offer. But buyers will know what they’re getting into and buying with their eyes open about the day to day costs.