2014 & 2015 Lotus Hatchback Reviews & Ratings

Lotus is known for many things when it comes to cars. The Lotus Hatchback is not one of them. While there have been hatchback models available from the company, that is not what it has become known for. From its inception in the 1950s, Lotus has focused much of its attention on two distinct markets. The first was the racing circuit. A number of well designed racing cars from Lotus made its impact on the circuit from a very early time and has continued to do so throughout the years even after ... (full review continues below)

Lotus is known for many things when it comes to cars. The Lotus Hatchback is not one of them. While there have been hatchback models available from the company, that is not what it has become known for. From its inception in the 1950s, Lotus has focused much of its attention on two distinct markets. The first was the racing circuit. A number of well designed racing cars from Lotus made its impact on the circuit from a very early time and has continued to do so throughout the years even after the company divided into several branches to handle the various production needs that it had.

The second variant of Lotus that has become synonymous with the name is the sports car. While most of the sports cars come in either a coupe or convertible version, there are a couple that would classify as the Lotus hatchback. The simple fact is that hatchbacks had a limited run in popularity when it came to sports cars. So that left only a small time frame when Lotus offered hatchback variants of their more popular car lines.

One of the popular versions of Lotus hatchback began in 1974 and was known as the Eclat. Unlike many of the vehicles that Lotus offered, the Eclat held an engine in the front under the hood. However, the fastback body provided additional storage that was needed in the car. The engine changed several times during the production years of the Eclat series 1 but never achieved more than 160 hp. It also hit the market at the same price as a Mercedes. In 1982 the Eclat was discontinued permanently. It would not be the only hatchback produced by the company and would become the basis for the design of its successor.

After the Eclat came the newest addition to the Lotus hatchback range of vehicles. In 1982 the company released the Type 89 Excel. Much like the Eclat, the Excel had a front engine design with rear wheel drive. Because of a deal that was struck between Toyota and Lotus, there were many parts included in the Excel that were made by Toyota. In fact, the company owned shares in Lotus until the time it was acquired by General Motors. The Excel went through a few design changes and then settled into its final variant that would be discontinued in 1992.

The company itself started with an idea and it has kept it at the forefront throughout the years it has been building cars. Over the years the company went from its creator to become the property of General Motors and later Proton. Currently Proton is the parent company and still chooses to focus on the sports car market. A handful of sedans and hatchbacks over the years have been thrown into the mix, but it is the coupe and roadster that have kept the company as a household name in more than one continent.