2010 Lotus Elise Review
Price
RM238,600
Installment
RM2,276/mth
2010 Lotus Elise at a glance
Lotus has stood for handling purity and high performance, and the 2010 Lotus Elise remains true to what the brand promises. Not high on refinement or comfort, but the 2010 Lotus Elise delivers driving thrills only supercars can.
2010 Lotus Elise quick specs
| Body Style | Convertible |
| Class | Sports/GT |
| Assembled | - |
| Engine Range | - |
| Fuel Options | - |
| Seating Capacity | 2 |
2010 Lotus Elise ratings (overall rating : 3/5.0)
| Styling | |
| Handling | |
| Comfort | |
| Quality + Reliability | |
| Performance |
| Roominess | |
| Running Costs | |
| Value for Money | |
| Equipment | |
| Environment |
Styling
With looks unlike any other cars on the roads, the 2010 Lotus Elise is not the most attractively styled but is certainly distinctive, and definitely able to get you noticed. Given Lotus' focus, we suspect all exterior elements are for aerodynamics than styling purposes.
Handling
The Lotus brand has become synonymous with handling purity, and that is what the 2010 Lotus Elise offers. By all measures—the phenomenal grip, taut body control, brilliantly balanced chassis and precise, sharp and full-of-feel steering, the 2010 Lotus Elise provides driving excitement only supercars can.
Comfort
The 2010 Lotus Elise has a basic cabin with no steering adjustments, and suffers from excessive engine noise intrusion. The good news is that the ride remains comfortable over most surfaces, while the driving position is perfect. The seats are supportive, too. The controls, designed to not distract drivers, are well-placed and straightforward to use.
Quality + Reliability
Previous Lotus models have a negative reputation for poor build quality and reliability. But after a substantial time on the markets, the Lotus Elise has proven itself durable. The Toyota-sourced engine and aluminium chassis are robust, while the simple cabin boasts solid construction and tough-feeling materials.
Performance
The 2010 Lotus Elise S comes with a Toyota-sourced 134 bhp 1.8-litre engine, reaching 100 km/h from rest in 6.1 seconds. The Lotus Elise SC uses a 217 bhp supercharged version of the same engine, needing only an impressive 4.6 seconds to complete the century sprint. Both S and SC variants are equipped with a slick six-speed manual gearbox.
Roominess
Room and practicality remain as the 2010 Lotus Elise's biggest weaknesses. There is adequate room for taller people in the two seats, but the boot—a small compartment behind the mid-mounted engine—can fit in few tiny bags. Lowering or raising the hood requires significant time, and let's not get started on the difficulty involved in both ingress and egress.
Running Costs
The fuel economy is reasonable for an outright sports car, returning 11.8 km/litre and 12.0 km/litre. Servicing and repair costs should range between that for mainstream and luxury brands. Depreciation could well be substantial, but we expect the residual values to be supported by the small number of Lotus Elises in Malaysia, given that there is a following for such niche sports cars.
Value for Money
Certainly the value here is not the equipments on offer. Nor is it about practicality or luxury. Lotus has stood for handling purity and high performance, and the 2010 Lotus Elise remains true to what the brand promises. It will not serve well as a city car or long distance cruiser, but for driving excitement in the purest sense, the 2010 Lotus Elise is worth every ringgit.
Equipment
Both S and SC variants come with Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), driver and passenger airbags, alloy wheels, air-conditioning, central door locking, leather steering wheel, immobiliser, radio and single CD player with four speakers.
Environment
As sports cars go, not many are “greener” than the 2010 Lotus Elise. Constant high-revving engine action will surely dent the decent fuel economy, but relative to many other outright sports cars, the fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions levels of either engines are lower than average.
Live Life Drive Verdict
Handling at its best
High performance
Still comfortable ride
Poor refinement
Hard to get in and out
Practicality not high on the list
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