Lotus Europa S
Ratings
3 stars
Summary
Average. Better by design? Er, no.
Review
Lotus has long had ambitions of offering a rival for cars like the Audi TT and Porsche Cayman - and the Europa is meant to be that car. Based on the same chassis as the Elise, Lotus claim the Europa is comfortable and refined enough to be used as an everyday supercar.
At this point reality diverges dramatically from the PR script. By the standards of the Elise and Exige the Europa might be a comfortable long-distance cruiser - but compared to other cars in the segment it's cramped, uncomfortable and noisy - not to mention expensive.
Design lacks the fluency and grace of recent Lotus products (it's rumoured to have been originally conceived as a Proton-branded supercar). It looks ungainly and over-detailed. More importantly, it's bigger external dimensions haven't translated into any significant improvement in practicality over the Elise. It's still a two-seater and occupants still have to enter awkwardly through a narrow door aperture and over the fat sill. At least there's a proper boot accessed via a conventional tailgate, albeit a tiny one crammed in behind the mid-mounted engine.
On the road the Europa's case improves. It drives pretty much as you'd expect a slightly larger Elise too, with brilliant steering and an agile, adjustable chassis. Power comes from a turbocharged Vauxhall engine, as previously seen in the VX220 Turbo - performance is strong, at the expense of a unpleasantly loud exhaust note and lots of drone at cruising speed.
Ratings Breakdown
Styling
2 star
Lotus's weakest-looking effort for years. Slats and scoops seem to be trying too hard and there's something very mid 'nineties about the whole effort.
Handling
4 star
For all its faults the Europa drives brilliantly - Lotus hasn't forgotten how to make a great driver's car. The steering is brilliant and the well-balanced chassis responds well to hard use.
Comfort
2 star
By the standards of the segment it's set itself up to compete in, the Europa is dreadful: cramped, noisy and without the sort of luxuries that key rivals offer as standard.
Quality & Reliability
2 star
The car we tested suffered from poor paint finish and creaking trim. Not the sort of thing you expect for something so expensive.
Performance
4 star
The 2.0 litre turbocharged Vauxhall engine delivers strong performance, at the cost of a coarse soundtrack.
Roominess
1 star
In a word: laughable. Lotus's claims the Europa offers everyday practicality are well wide of the mark. Cramped, hard to get in and out of and with a tiny boot.
Running Costs
3 star
Lightweight composite construction gives the Europa respectable fuel economy, but servicing and insurance costs will be very high. Limited supply should keep depreciation in check, though.
Value for money
2 star
For nearly £34,000 the Europa looks very expensive compared to rivals, especially considering its four-cylinder engine and lack of standard equipment.
