Lotus Exige review

If you want a practical two seat sports car that you can use everyday, the Exige is probably not the car for you. Not only is it far less civilised than a Porsche Cayman or Alpine A110, it’s also a less usable car than the closely related Elise. The reason? Well, that’ll be the fixed roof. 

You see, in the Elise you can simply remove the roof and step into the interior one foot at a time. In the Exige, with its low, fixed roof, it’s easiest to climb in head first and then twist your body around and into the seat. Once you get used to these awkward gymnastics, it all becomes part of the ritual of driving, but we don’t deny that it will put off a number of buyers simply looking for a fun day-to-day sports car. 

Once inside, you’ll notice that you sit very close to the centre of the car. This is great for weight distribution, but less great for elbow room – at some point, you will end up inadvertently touching your passenger’s knee. Head room, meanwhile, is a little more generous due to the fact that you’re essentially sitting on the floor. This is especially handy when you need to wear a space-sapping helmet on track days. 

Storage space is a weak point, though. There’s no glovebox or any door bins, and while the shelf below the dashboard can easily hold a large smartphone, a wallet and a few other odds and sods, it’s not rubber lined, so you have to drive very carefully if you want to avoid your belongings being scattered about the interior. There is, to the left of this ledge and above the sill, a USB socket that you can use to charge your phone, but it doesn’t connect to the optional Sony head unit. 

If you’re planning a weekend away, we recommend you pack light; the Exige has only a small boot, located behind its engine, and it’ll take a few soft bags but that’s about it.