In-depth reviews

Lotus Emira review - Interior, design and technology

Stunning to behold, and probably the best Lotus yet for interior quality

Overall Auto Express Rating

4.0 out of 5

Interior, design and technology Rating

4.5 out of 5

Price
£82,985 to £91,650
Find your Lotus Emira
Offers from our trusted partners on this car and its predecessors...
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Advertisement

Exterior and interior styling and quality is possibly where the Lotus Emira makes the biggest jump over its immediate predecessor. Whether in pictures or out on the road, the new sports car looks fantastic. If the use of four-cylinder or Toyota engines makes you question the price, then the styling makes you wonder if Lotus is charging enough; it really does have the look of a junior supercar.

Thankfully, that impression continues inside, where this is undoubtedly the best Lotus cabin yet, at least from a quality perspective. It feels better made than any previous Lotus and Hethel has made a real step up in terms of materials and technology. It has a premium feel that the Evora, despite its improvements over the years, never quite did.

There’s enough personalisation to really tailor the Emira to a buyer’s tastes, too, with a decent selection of exterior shades (including, thankfully, some attention-grabbing hues as well as just silvers and greys), while light grey, red, and tan leather trim joins the usual black leather and Alcantara options inside, giving what might feel like quite a dark cabin a useful boost.

The dashboard design is simple and attractive, and while the slightly squared-off wheel looks a little odd, it feels good in the hands. Lotus has got the basic driving position right, too, and the digital instrument display ahead of you is clearly visible.

Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment

Lotus has joined the modern world with the Emira’s infotainment system, but luckily it hasn’t been tempted to include features like the heater controls or the car’s drive mode selection into the screen, which both get blissfully simple physical controls.

The touchscreen for everything else is a 10.25-inch display mounted above the central air vents, and it’s intuitive enough to use. There’s also Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, and a KEF stereo system.

Most Popular

New 2024 Dacia Duster: third generation of Europe’s best-selling SUV revealed
Dacia Duster - front
News

New 2024 Dacia Duster: third generation of Europe’s best-selling SUV revealed

Dacia has taken the wraps off the latest Duster, which arrives with a new look and fresh technology
29 Nov 2023
New BMW X3 replacement to grow in size and feature a minimalist dash
BMW Neue Klasse SUV exclusive image - front
News

New BMW X3 replacement to grow in size and feature a minimalist dash

BMW’s first Neue Klasse electric SUV could carry the iX3 nameplate and our exclusive images preview how it might look
30 Nov 2023
The paper-thin speakers set to transform car audio
Auto Express editor-in-chief Steve Fowler holding a speaker developed by Warwick Acoustics
Features

The paper-thin speakers set to transform car audio

British firm is planning to shake up the in-car hi-fi world with its audio panels that replace traditional speakers. We sound them out
27 Nov 2023