My Evora Review + Pictures So Far - Long Read!
Discussion
Well after much searching and driving various cars trying to find a replacement for the RRS, I decided on the Evora. The RRS was great, but not for me, too boring and grown up. Took my time this time finding the replacement, and looked at pretty much every car on the market! :clown:
Criteria for me was.. Fun, unique but still have a bit of an all rounder/practicality, and not have huge running costs. Something I could drive long distance, yet still provide something I would take out for a ‘drive’. Somewhere between an Exige and M3. Previous cars include an Exige, T350, and Gallardo. I was looking for a mix of the three really.
Along the way I drove/looked at –
R8 – Came a close second, only due to the fact that for my budget it would have been out of warranty.
GTR – Disappointing IMO. Fast, VERY fast should I say, but dull. Does everything very well, but just didn’t push my buttons. Plus the running costs are huge!
V8 Vantage – Awesome. Looked at one when I looked at the Lotus, and again, same as the R8, it didn’t have warranty which always worried me with the Lambo. Quite a grown up car aswell.. Probably too grown up for me!
911T – Probably the best all rounder, but I just didn’t get excited about it either. Again age/warranty came into the equation.
FRS – Ok. Drove well, sounded ok, but couldn’t bring myself to spend £30k on a Focus. The exterior looks a bit ‘add-on’ IMO aswell.
370Z – Loved this! Was quite scared of the depreciation side after looking at the 350Z prices.
Cayman S – Not for me either, too many of them around.
Last car I tried was the Evora, and loved it for the word go. Sure it’s a bit compromised in a few areas (small back seats etc), but its still got that Lotus magic without the harshness of the Exige. Its probably the best car I have ever driven, it goes from a comfy cruiser (80mph @ 2kRPM) to a very very good fast road car. The steering and feel of the car inspires huge confidence. Can’t wait to try it out on track!
All the used/nearly new ones were all quite poorly spec’d IMO and in quite conservative colours.. Silvers/Greys etc. Decided on buying new as there really wasn’t one in the system that I fancied. I drove two brand new ones, one with sports exhaust and CR box, and one without.
Decided on the following
Chrome Orange/Satin black wheels
2+2 (not sure why you’d not spec the rear seats, albeit tiny ones)
Tech Pack (Sat Nav/Cruise Control/iPod/Bluetooth/Parking sensors)
Sport Pack (Sports mode button/Cross drilled brakes/Calipers/Sports diffuser)
Xenons
Sports Exhaust
Close Ratio Gearbox
Colour coded door handles
Reversing Camera
Decided against the following
Powerfold mirrors (the mirrors still fold, just not electrically)
Premium Pack (Leather colour choice, and extended leather) – Prefered the ‘half leather’ look, and it was pricey.
Initial thoughts..
Right up until I picked it up I was unsure on my colour choice, but glad I picked orange. It looks very nice in the sun. The black wheels set the whole car off aswell. Its much better looking in the flesh than the photos.
Currently up to 1500 miles, and the first 1000 were the run in part, which went quickly enough. The attention it has been getting already is quite scary! And I’m yet to see another one on the road.
The car has a lot of nice touches, the interior handles, the headlights, and various other bits.
Drive - Well it took me a few adjustments to get the driving position right, but now I have, its superb. Very Exige like, and typically Lotus. Everything seems to fall to hand nicely, apart from the buttons behind the steering wheel! Its handling really is VERY good. It’s a very comfy cruiser on the motorway, and yet show it a back road and it comes alive. So well balanced and the steering feel is second to none. Power wise I’ve never really felt me wanting more, although if Lotus offer a SC upgrade, similar to the Elise/Exige, I’ll look into it. Its plenty fast enough for me, and comparing it to the Gallardo, its got a much bigger sense of speed, which makes it a lot more fun when within the speed limits.
Exhaust is slightly quiet for me (coming from a JP’d TVR and Tubi’d Gallardo) but at the same time, I like how civilised it can be. No longer need to worry about waking the neighbours at 3am! It does have a very nice ‘V6’ noise when pressing on though.
I always liked the gearbox on the Exige and this is just as good to use IMO. I love being back in a good manual. Averaging 30mpg so far, which is pretty good.
Interior – The seats are the best I’ve sat in. Really comfy, and yet very supportive at the same time. The ergonomics inside however aren’t great. The steering wheel blocks a few of the dash buttons, and the mirror adjustment is a bit awkward to reach. Saying that, once they are set, they won’t be moved again. I really like the funky interior buttons and layout, it gives the car character.
The rear seats are also quite small, but I’ve had 3 of us in it a few times, and its do-able over a short journey. I wouldn’t want to spend too long in there though. Its also great for extra luggage space. We could quite happily go away over the weekend/week without worrying. The last couple of cars has always required strategic packing!
Negatives – None really so far worth noting. The rear head room would be ideal if it just had a few extra inches. The rear view isn’t great, but its ok. I find the Alpine head unit a bit fiddley but its not too bad. Its actually a great idea, having all the tech going through it, but it just seems a bit glitchy and cheap. I’ll call these all Lotus ‘quirks’.
I’ve also got a couple of negatives about buying a new Lotus experience, but I don’t really want to post them up just yet.
Overall
Very happy so far, it really is just what I wanted. I guess I’m still in the honeymoon period just now, but so far so good. The true test will be in 12 months time when I’ve been through four seasons with it. The positives far outweigh the negatives for me, and can’t wait to put some more miles on it. I’d definitely recommend anyone to go and try one out before writing it off. I love it!
Some pics
Typical roads near me!
Comments welcome
Sorry for the length!
Criteria for me was.. Fun, unique but still have a bit of an all rounder/practicality, and not have huge running costs. Something I could drive long distance, yet still provide something I would take out for a ‘drive’. Somewhere between an Exige and M3. Previous cars include an Exige, T350, and Gallardo. I was looking for a mix of the three really.
Along the way I drove/looked at –
R8 – Came a close second, only due to the fact that for my budget it would have been out of warranty.
GTR – Disappointing IMO. Fast, VERY fast should I say, but dull. Does everything very well, but just didn’t push my buttons. Plus the running costs are huge!
V8 Vantage – Awesome. Looked at one when I looked at the Lotus, and again, same as the R8, it didn’t have warranty which always worried me with the Lambo. Quite a grown up car aswell.. Probably too grown up for me!
911T – Probably the best all rounder, but I just didn’t get excited about it either. Again age/warranty came into the equation.
FRS – Ok. Drove well, sounded ok, but couldn’t bring myself to spend £30k on a Focus. The exterior looks a bit ‘add-on’ IMO aswell.
370Z – Loved this! Was quite scared of the depreciation side after looking at the 350Z prices.
Cayman S – Not for me either, too many of them around.
Last car I tried was the Evora, and loved it for the word go. Sure it’s a bit compromised in a few areas (small back seats etc), but its still got that Lotus magic without the harshness of the Exige. Its probably the best car I have ever driven, it goes from a comfy cruiser (80mph @ 2kRPM) to a very very good fast road car. The steering and feel of the car inspires huge confidence. Can’t wait to try it out on track!
All the used/nearly new ones were all quite poorly spec’d IMO and in quite conservative colours.. Silvers/Greys etc. Decided on buying new as there really wasn’t one in the system that I fancied. I drove two brand new ones, one with sports exhaust and CR box, and one without.
Decided on the following
Chrome Orange/Satin black wheels
2+2 (not sure why you’d not spec the rear seats, albeit tiny ones)
Tech Pack (Sat Nav/Cruise Control/iPod/Bluetooth/Parking sensors)
Sport Pack (Sports mode button/Cross drilled brakes/Calipers/Sports diffuser)
Xenons
Sports Exhaust
Close Ratio Gearbox
Colour coded door handles
Reversing Camera
Decided against the following
Powerfold mirrors (the mirrors still fold, just not electrically)
Premium Pack (Leather colour choice, and extended leather) – Prefered the ‘half leather’ look, and it was pricey.
Initial thoughts..
Right up until I picked it up I was unsure on my colour choice, but glad I picked orange. It looks very nice in the sun. The black wheels set the whole car off aswell. Its much better looking in the flesh than the photos.
Currently up to 1500 miles, and the first 1000 were the run in part, which went quickly enough. The attention it has been getting already is quite scary! And I’m yet to see another one on the road.
The car has a lot of nice touches, the interior handles, the headlights, and various other bits.
Drive - Well it took me a few adjustments to get the driving position right, but now I have, its superb. Very Exige like, and typically Lotus. Everything seems to fall to hand nicely, apart from the buttons behind the steering wheel! Its handling really is VERY good. It’s a very comfy cruiser on the motorway, and yet show it a back road and it comes alive. So well balanced and the steering feel is second to none. Power wise I’ve never really felt me wanting more, although if Lotus offer a SC upgrade, similar to the Elise/Exige, I’ll look into it. Its plenty fast enough for me, and comparing it to the Gallardo, its got a much bigger sense of speed, which makes it a lot more fun when within the speed limits.
Exhaust is slightly quiet for me (coming from a JP’d TVR and Tubi’d Gallardo) but at the same time, I like how civilised it can be. No longer need to worry about waking the neighbours at 3am! It does have a very nice ‘V6’ noise when pressing on though.
I always liked the gearbox on the Exige and this is just as good to use IMO. I love being back in a good manual. Averaging 30mpg so far, which is pretty good.
Interior – The seats are the best I’ve sat in. Really comfy, and yet very supportive at the same time. The ergonomics inside however aren’t great. The steering wheel blocks a few of the dash buttons, and the mirror adjustment is a bit awkward to reach. Saying that, once they are set, they won’t be moved again. I really like the funky interior buttons and layout, it gives the car character.
The rear seats are also quite small, but I’ve had 3 of us in it a few times, and its do-able over a short journey. I wouldn’t want to spend too long in there though. Its also great for extra luggage space. We could quite happily go away over the weekend/week without worrying. The last couple of cars has always required strategic packing!
Negatives – None really so far worth noting. The rear head room would be ideal if it just had a few extra inches. The rear view isn’t great, but its ok. I find the Alpine head unit a bit fiddley but its not too bad. Its actually a great idea, having all the tech going through it, but it just seems a bit glitchy and cheap. I’ll call these all Lotus ‘quirks’.
I’ve also got a couple of negatives about buying a new Lotus experience, but I don’t really want to post them up just yet.
Overall
Very happy so far, it really is just what I wanted. I guess I’m still in the honeymoon period just now, but so far so good. The true test will be in 12 months time when I’ve been through four seasons with it. The positives far outweigh the negatives for me, and can’t wait to put some more miles on it. I’d definitely recommend anyone to go and try one out before writing it off. I love it!
Some pics
Typical roads near me!
Comments welcome
Sorry for the length!
Thanks all, I'll keep this updated as the miles climb 
Mr Purple said:
Brilliant write up , this is exactly what i want to hear being on the cusp of placing my order , real world experience good and bad. Not sure the colour is for me but it does look very tasty.
Feel free to email me if you have any questions.. 
Thanks for the write up.
I currently have a Europa 225, but still feel the need to own another car for high mileage hacking (I do 25k miles a year in total across 2 cars). I'm looking for something that does both jobs well.
My choice is to keep the hack (a 100k mile diesel Alfa 159) and either modify the Europa, buy a 10yo 996GT3, 5yo Z06 or a 5yo Maserati Gransport as a weekend toy......
....or buy either a Cayman S, Evora or M3 as my sole car.
My heart says Evora, but more reports like yours might be enough to convince the head as well!
I look forward to further updates. You might be responsible for a rare opening of my wallet.
I currently have a Europa 225, but still feel the need to own another car for high mileage hacking (I do 25k miles a year in total across 2 cars). I'm looking for something that does both jobs well.
My choice is to keep the hack (a 100k mile diesel Alfa 159) and either modify the Europa, buy a 10yo 996GT3, 5yo Z06 or a 5yo Maserati Gransport as a weekend toy......
....or buy either a Cayman S, Evora or M3 as my sole car.
My heart says Evora, but more reports like yours might be enough to convince the head as well!
I look forward to further updates. You might be responsible for a rare opening of my wallet.
Just want to say how great the roads are up there Justin - I had a day out with half a dozen other owners last Sunday. We met at the viewpoint you've shown and went up over the Lecht and Glenshee back again. Awesome roads but a bit tricky in the wet at the speeds I had to go to keep up! And some of those single track roads are not ideal for a V8 Esprit - no wonder the Elises and Evora left me for dead....
I'm so glad those roads are just an hour away for me. Great therapy.
I'm so glad those roads are just an hour away for me. Great therapy.
Hedgerley said:
Just want to say how great the roads are up there Justin - I had a day out with half a dozen other owners last Sunday. We met at the viewpoint you've shown and went up over the Lecht and Glenshee back again. Awesome roads but a bit tricky in the wet at the speeds I had to go to keep up! And some of those single track roads are not ideal for a V8 Esprit - no wonder the Elises and Evora left me for dead....
I'm so glad those roads are just an hour away for me. Great therapy.
Indeed! I'm gutted I missed it. Joys of working I'm so glad those roads are just an hour away for me. Great therapy.
Redlake27 said:
Thanks for the write up.
I currently have a Europa 225, but still feel the need to own another car for high mileage hacking (I do 25k miles a year in total across 2 cars). I'm looking for something that does both jobs well.
My choice is to keep the hack (a 100k mile diesel Alfa 159) and either modify the Europa, buy a 10yo 996GT3, 5yo Z06 or a 5yo Maserati Gransport as a weekend toy......
....or buy either a Cayman S, Evora or M3 as my sole car.
My heart says Evora, but more reports like yours might be enough to convince the head as well!
I look forward to further updates. You might be responsible for a rare opening of my wallet.
You need to try one! Two car set up doesnt work for me, and so far the Evora is a great all rounder.I currently have a Europa 225, but still feel the need to own another car for high mileage hacking (I do 25k miles a year in total across 2 cars). I'm looking for something that does both jobs well.
My choice is to keep the hack (a 100k mile diesel Alfa 159) and either modify the Europa, buy a 10yo 996GT3, 5yo Z06 or a 5yo Maserati Gransport as a weekend toy......
....or buy either a Cayman S, Evora or M3 as my sole car.
My heart says Evora, but more reports like yours might be enough to convince the head as well!
I look forward to further updates. You might be responsible for a rare opening of my wallet.
Mag1calTrev0r said:
OP: Do you have these pictures in a larger size? I really like them and would love to pinch them (for personal use) for my screensaver
Ta!
I do, but they are on my home computer, I'll email them over next week Ta!
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