Expert Review
Lotus Exige Final Edition (2021 - ) review
As Lotus prepares to go electric it is bidding farewell to the Exige with this raw and thrilling Final Edition model
Words by: Dan Trent
Additional words by: Auto Trader
Last updated on 18 November 2014 | 0 min read
The Auto Trader expert verdict:
4
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.
Reasons to buy:
- Raw, fast and exciting to drive
- As good on the track as it is the road
- The last of its kind
Running costs for a Lotus Exige
“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”
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.
Expert rating: 3/5
Reliability of a Lotus Exige
“The Exige is also a very simple car, meaning less likelihood of being stranded by a random computer glitch”
Lotus has come a long way from the ‘lots of trouble, usually serious’ jibes of years gone by. Its adoption of Toyota engines helps confidence in the general reliability, the engine and gearbox in the Exige adapted and modified by Lotus based on reliable foundations. Compared with more modern rivals the Exige is also a very simple car, meaning less likelihood of being stranded by a random computer glitch. If anything does go wrong the chances are you’ll be able to fix it with a set of spanners, rather than plugging into a dealer’s diagnostic system.
Expert rating: 3/5
Safety for a Lotus Exige
“The lack of even power assistance to the steering means you feel any loss of grip through your fingertips”
No bones about it, the driver takes the responsibility for their safety in the Exige and it’s down to you and not the computers to keep it right side up. That’s how enthusiasts like it, though, and the lack of lane-keeping assistance and blindspot beepers is exactly what makes it such an exciting machine to drive. The lack of even power assistance to the steering means you feel any loss of grip through your fingertips rather than being alerted by a flashing light on the dash, which may seem alarming at first but soon becomes natural. There is at least ABS and Lotus’s clever traction control can actually ‘read’ grip levels and react accordingly, which is hugely confidence inspiring, especially if you are pushing it to the limit on track.
Expert rating: 2/5
How comfortable is the Lotus Exige
“It’s an intimate space to share with another person and a bit of a squeeze for bigger-boned occupants”
If you want a relaxing, comfortable long-distance GT car look elsewhere. Just getting in and out of the Exige is a challenge, thanks to the huge box-section sills that make up the aluminium structure and make climbing aboard about as graceful as posting yourself into a letterbox. They also push driver and passenger into the centre of the car, meaning it’s an intimate space to share with another person and a bit of a squeeze for bigger-boned occupants. At parking speeds the steering is heavy enough through the tiny wheel to lift you out of your seat with the effort and it’s a noisy place for racking up the miles. Sounds like hell? Maybe for some. But the return on this investment is an incredibly vivid driving experience that makes pretty much any other sports car feel boring in comparison. You get out what you put in with the Exige, and if you’re a keen driver and willing to apply yourself to what you’re doing the rewards are considerable. There is no fancy adaptive suspension but because the Exige is so light Lotus can use relatively soft springs without compromising the precision keen drivers crave. The dinkier Elise is probably the better car if you’re doing more road driving, but if you want a taste of a track car you can enjoy on both circuit and twisty road alike the Exige takes the Lotus experience to another level. Think of it as a four-wheeled superbike rather than a car and you’ll have a sense of what it’s about.
Expert rating: 3/5
Features of the Lotus Exige
“As well as more power the Sport 420 gets fancier seats and a range of options for circuit driving”
There are three main levels to the Exige range, mainly related to increasing amounts of performance and track-optimised focus. Relatively speaking the Sport 390 is the most road-optimised, though cruise control, air-conditioning, carpets, floor mats and even additional sound deadening are still cost options. You do at least get a new digital dash display, which changes according to which driving mode you have selected. As well as more power the Sport 420 gets fancier seats and a range of options for circuit driving, including fire extinguisher system and additional carbon fibre aero parts. By the time you reach the range-topping Cup 430 more of the optional upgrades are standard, along with special Alcantara trimmed seats. The Final Edition cars get decals celebrating their special status and a build plaque inside to confirm it.
Expert rating: 3/5
Power for a Lotus Exige
“The Exige is as much built for the corners as it is the straights, with huge reserves of grip and incredibly precise handling”