Minor controls are few, but somewhat randomly placed and in every case cryptically marked if marked at all. This is not a car you can get into late at night for the first time and instinctively know how to operate. Horn buttons are in the two steering wheel spokes and are hard to find in an emergency.
There is a regimen for disarming the alarm and immobilizer that requires pressing a button on the key fob before pressing the Start button, which seems fussy. We've found the anti-theft system can be prone to false alarms, but a technician can turn the sensitivity down. In short, the remote locking key fob and alarm systems are not our favorite features.
The standard Alpine audio is fair at best in terms of sound. Worse, its 1-DIN layout, microscopic controls and low placement in the dash make it difficult to operate and adjust while underway; then there's the annoying, flashy LED. The fussy audio system may be this car's worst feature followed by the alarm system.
The air conditioning system features rudimentary controls in the form of three round alloy knobs and two small supplementary black buttons. The light indicating whether the air conditioning is on is difficult to see, especially on bright (hot) days. Most of the time, it chills the small cabin quickly and gets the job done. However, the A/C is outclassed in warmer climates when the car is traveling at slow speeds and there is insufficient ram air passing through the front-mounted condenser. The heater works acceptably well.
Lotuses are traditionally small cars. Small on the outside is great, as small makes them nimble, lightweight, fast and efficient. Small on the inside is limiting. Many people over six feet tall simply don't fit in this car. And some under six feet, particularly those of broader beam, don't fit very well.
The ProBax seats are tight and confining, thinly padded and lightweight to the core. They're ideal for track and aggressive street use where you really want to be held in place. They can be accommodating and supportive if you're the right size to start with. If you're outside the envelope, they're tight and unyielding.
Getting in and out of it the Elise is difficult. The high door sill is great for structural rigidity at the lightest possible weight and contributes significantly to side-impact safety, but it also represents a threshold for entry and egress. For the small and limber, no issue. For the larger and less flexible, this could be a challenge bordering on the near impossible. Another issue is the comparatively short door, which means having to hook leg and foot around and across a curved alloy hinge to get out. Easy for some but more difficult for others. Then there are those who won't even try. Sliding the driver's seat back before getting in or out is a good idea. We usually go in rear first, folding ourselves in half, and swinging the legs over the sill, with the upper body coming in last. Getting out usually involves sitting on the sill, squeezing the feet past the door, then lifting the body up.
As opposed to the Exige with its fixed hard top, the Elise offers the advantage of a removable top. Entry-egress is easiest with the top off. Hold the windshield header, then slide down and in. Pull on the steering column and sill assembly, and lift yourself out. With the top on, the aperture is smaller and lower, and you lose the ability to grab the header. Regardless of whether you go legs first, legs last, twisted body, sliding body or whatever, the first couple of times in and out are fairly routine. But use the Elise as a commuter car, getting in and out several times a day, and you'll likely come to really appreciate other, larger cars in your fleet.
The Elise is available with a roll-up soft top and bolt-on hardtop. The soft top is a gem, easy to install and snug fitting. It keeps wind and water out and, when removed, rolls easily into something the size and shape of a runner carpet. At that point, it stores easily in the trunk. The hard top, in turn, takes several minutes to remove or install with multiple socket-head bolts. When removed, it cannot be stored in the vehicle, so has to be left behind, in your garage. Assuming security is not a major issue and the car will be used in warmer climates, go for the soft top alone. But some owners like the hardtop for its styling, the security it provides and use for track events.
Visibility forward is fair, though it is not possible to gauge the front end of the car from the driver seat. Visibility to the rear is restricted by tall and wide seat headrests, a shallow rear window and the exterior buttresses. Reversing maneuvers in parking lots are best coordinated by someone outside the car. Door mirrors are small and only manually adjustable, which limits both their functionality and field of vision. Elises are built to go forward, and fast, which is to say whatever lies alongside or behind is but a minor and momentary inconvenience.
There is a small trunk area behind and above the engine compartment. It's accessed by key through a lift-up decklid. Access is up-and-over, and the aperture is small. A flimsy prop rod somewhat awkwardly holds the lidup, and the delicate lid needs to be handled carefully. Soft luggage is recommended. Perishables are best carried in the passenger compartment. Next Page