Lotus Elise S2
The bonded-aluminium featherweight that rebooted Lotus.
24 reviewers · 58 videos · 14 hours watched
Reviewers strongly agree on its performance and handling, but split on daily drivability and value.
across 24 reviewers
"even with its short wheelbase the ride quality is as comfortable as most small commuter cars"
MotorWeek · ▶ 4:55"Wow, this car is so physical to drive. Absolutely exhausting."
Zygrene · ▶ 15:31"would i recommend somebody go out and buy a lotus s2 or even an s1 for fun great value and a car to hold its price absolutely"
Anything Automotive · ▶ 6:32"once you get up to a Lotus Elise you're talking $30,000 now and that's about the threshold between the lower and middle classes"
Regular Car Reviews · ▶ 1:48Performance
4.0/524 of 24 reviewersstrong consensus“it's fast it's grippy it's telekinetic and it's responses and it's the most fun you'll ever have when you drive”
positive · EverydayDriver · ▶ 3:25“at 6200 rpm this thing just completely transforms revs out to 8000 and it is a friggin blast”
positive · Tedward · ▶ 1:45“It's no K series engine, but it's the next best thing. Revving out to 8,500 RPM.”
positive · Jubbal & Cars · ▶ 5:45Handling
5.0/524 of 24 reviewersstrong consensus“this is one of the best steering racks I have ever driven it is this tiny steering wheel also helps but it is so precise”
positive · Jubbal & Cars · ▶ 12:16“this steering is super direct there's no power steering you get a completely unadulterated steering feel from this wheel”
positive · EatSleepDrive · ▶ 6:27“because this steering is just completely raw unadulterated there's really nothing filtering you from the road in your fingertips”
positive · Tedward · ▶ 11:44Fun to drive
5.0/524 of 24 reviewersstrong consensus“if you think that came in our special this takes to a whole new level the noise the lightness I mean this thing just gets flung and tossed in the corners no problem”
positive · Jubbal & Cars · ▶ 16:51“I bought this car because it's an absolute blast to drive”
positive · EatSleepDrive · ▶ 3:38“it's just an eager little go-kart it just wants to go go go go go i love it”
positive · Tedward · ▶ 10:07Daily drivability
2.0/524 of 24 reviewerssplit“Wow, this car is so physical to drive. Absolutely exhausting.”
critical · Zygrene · ▶ 15:31“the actual usability of this car is nearly nothing”
critical · EverydayDriver · ▶ 1:47“obviously we're not talking practical daily driver”
critical · Jubbal & Cars · ▶ 19:57Value
4.0/523 of 24 reviewerssplit“would i recommend somebody go out and buy a lotus s2 or even an s1 for fun great value and a car to hold its price absolutely”
positive · Anything Automotive · ▶ 6:32“you want to buy yourself a Lotus El lease you got 20 grand don't worry cuz you can already afford what is the second best of all of them”
positive · JayEmm on Cars · ▶ 22:51“with the performance and the feel of car is costing 10 times as much”
positive · EverydayDriver · ▶ 2:29The one that grew up. The S2 kept the aluminium tub but, from 2005, swapped the fragile Rover K for Toyota's 2ZZ-GE — the VVTL-i four from the Celica/Corolla, mated to Toyota's C64 six-speed. That move finally gave the Elise reliability, and in supercharged Elise SC form, ~218 hp in a sub-tonne car. It's also the only Elise federally sold in the US (2005–2011), which is why so much of the car's enthusiast base is Stateside. The character moment is the cam crossover — the 2ZZ's lift to its high-rpm profile is the whole event — though that same VVTL-i system is the one to inspect for rocker wear. Variants run from the NA 111R/Elise R to the supercharged SC and later Cup 250. Earliest cars still used the Rover K, HGF and all. Where it places: the daily-able Elise, and the entry point for most US buyers.
Hear it in the reviewer’s words
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- Elise SCEaton-supercharged 2ZZ-GE, ~218 hp
- 111R / Elise Rnaturally-aspirated 2ZZ-GE VVTL-i
- Cup 250later aero/track variant
The Toyota 2ZZ's lift to its high-rpm cam (VVTL-i) is the car's defining trait, but the rocker-arm / oil-starvation failure mode makes oil level and the cam-follower hardware key watch items. Early (2002–04) S2 cars retained the Rover K-series and its HGF risk.