Skip advert
Advertisement

Lotus Emira review - Interior, design and technology

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

Interior, design and technology rating

4.5

How we review cars
Price
£84,900 - £92,295
Find your Lotus Emira
Offers from our trusted partners on this car and its predecessors...
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my 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.

Advertisement - Article continues below

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.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New cars that plummet in value can make brilliant used buys
Opinion - Vauxhall Corsa-e

New cars that plummet in value can make brilliant used buys

Editor Paul Barker takes a closer look at our 2024 Used Car Awards
Opinion
20 Nov 2024
Best used cars to buy 2024
Best used cars 2024

Best used cars to buy 2024

From city cars to large SUVs, here’s our annual pick of the star performers that’ll save you thousands when you buy them used instead of new
Best cars & vans
22 Nov 2024
Jaguar concept car teased further in new image
2024 Jaguar badge teaser image

Jaguar concept car teased further in new image

The all-electric concept promises to have bold styling and showcases polarising new logo
News
22 Nov 2024