[Randy Chase]

1) HEIGHT
Elise: 45.72
MR2: 48.8
Miata: 48.4
S2000: 50.6
Boxster: 50.8
Z06: 47.7
Accord: 57.1
Chevy pickup: 74.2
Escalade: 76.5


2) LENGTH:
Elise: 151.4
MR2: 153
Miata: 155.3
S2000: 162.2
Boxster: 170.1
Z06: 179.7
Accord: 189.5
pickup: 222.1
Escalade: 198.9

3) WIDTH:
Elise: 68.76
MR2: 66.7
Miata: 66
S2000: 68.9
Boxster: 70.1
Z06: 73.6
Accord: 71.5
pickup: 78.5
Escalade: 78.9

 

[zvezdah1]

Randy,
great comparo, thanks

Chris

 

[Dougie]

Old Elan numbers are also interesting:

Height: 46"

Length: 145"

Width: 56"


Here are some pictures. It's hard to tell in some of them because of the perspective...

MX-5 and a row of Elises

Miata and Elan

Elise is bigger than an Elan

Good comparison picture of Elan and Elise

 

[jml1952]

Intersting comparisons.

However, according to the November Road and Track article, the Elise has the following dimensions:

Height - 45.2 inches
Length - 149.0 inches
Width - 67.7 inches

The December Car and Driver article concurs on length and width, but lists height as 44.0 inches.

Also, I would note that my owner's manual for my 1990 Miata lists height at 48.2 inches, length at 155.4 inches and width at 65.9 inches.

Notice you avoided weight comparisons, Randy. Road and Track cited 1975 pounds for the Elise and Car and Driver went with 2000. My Miata is listed as 2700 pounds (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, whatever that means), which includes driver side airbag and air conditioner in my car.

In any case, close enough for comparison purposes.

It would be nice to own an Elan, but I wouldn't be able to keep it running with my lack of mechanical abilities. So the Elise looks good to me.

 

[Joetz]

Road and Track cited 1975 pounds for the Elise and Car and Driver went with 2000. My Miata is listed as 2700 pounds (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, whatever that means), which includes driver side airbag and air conditioner in my car.

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) is the maximum allowable total weight of the vehicle that may not be exceeded. GVWR is the combination of curb weight plus payload (including driver and fuel).

Does anyone know, out of curiosity, what the GVWR of the elise is?

 

[jerryspet]

Small

 

[Roadsterdriver]

I think Miata payload is 300lb.

 

[MotorCade]

If that's the case, I exceed the capacity of my miata anytime I carry a passenger. I don't have any friends who weigh 90 lbs or less.

Cade

 

[Eddie Haskell]

Randy,
Do you know what the clearance is on the front bumper? I need to know what (if any) changes I need to make to my driveway in order to keep from scraping the underside.
Thanks,
EH

 

[strawtarget]

I'm not sure about the clearance, but it's LOW. Not only is it low, but the front overhang of the car is pretty long. I'm guessing that it will be extremely easy to scrape the nose of the car when exiting parking lots or pulling into driveways.

I wish more cars would adopt extremely short overhangs, like the MINI.

It's very hard to get your friends to understand the concept of angling over uneven surface transitions when they drive big floaty sedans or trucks/SUV's. They tend not to believe you when you say it's necessary until they actually scrape the nose of your car while you're sitting in the passenger seat.

 

[jml1952]

I will try very hard not to scrape the underside of the front end, but it may just be a matter of time until it happens, since it doesn't appear that you have much room for error. Not only driveways, but also those cement blocks in parking lot spaces will get you sooner or later. I know that the lower front portion of my Miata has taken a beating over 14 years, but after a while it's no big deal.

Perhaps our European correspondents can weigh in on this.

 

[L8BRAKR]

I'm hoping my hydraulics will take care of this problem

But seriously, I will try to get over to the dealership and measure. Could be moot since we don't know if the fed car will have the same ride height though.

 

[jml1952]

You slow to 2 mph as you turn from the street into the driveway of the local mini-mall, to avoid scraping the underside of the front end. Only to get rear-ended by the car following you, which can't figure out why you came to a near stop and was too busy ogling your car to pay attention anyway.

Or you pull into a driveway at a normal speed, and hear the sickening sound of your car scraping paint onto the sidewalk.

Perhaps I'm paranoid, but I can see both of these happening quite easily. Neither really appeals to me.

 

[_JD_]

You slow to 2 mph as you turn from the street into the driveway of the local mini-mall, to avoid scraping the underside of the front end. Only to get rear-ended by the car following you, which can't figure out why you came to a near stop and was too busy ogling your car to pay attention anyway.

Or you pull into a driveway at a normal speed, and hear the sickening sound of your car scraping paint onto the sidewalk.

Perhaps I'm paranoid, but I can see both of these happening quite easily. Neither really appeals to me.

If I have a pre-pubescent ricer behind me while turning into a tough entry (high angle), I'll bag it, go straight and loop around for a less stressful entry. I think you can pretty much tell when a situation is likely to get ugly if you take a look at the potential shite heads around you. When in doubt, I bag it. You'll arrive later, but in the long run your car will thank you.

 

[JeffersonRaley]

My car will spend enough time on the track that driveway scrapes are the least of my concerns.

Speaking of scraping the car's underbelly, a friend of mine used to track his yellow 360 frequently. When he brought it in for service, the technicians were amazed to find scratches perpendicular direction of travel. It was always nice to see/hear that car being driven hard.

 

[MikeAR303]

If I have a pre-pubescent ricer behind me while turning into a tough entry (high angle), I'll bag it, go straight and loop around for a less stressful entry. I think you can pretty much tell when a situation is likely to get ugly if you take a look at the potential shite heads around you. When in doubt, I bag it. You'll arrive later, but in the long run your car will thank you.

I agree with this 100%...

Unfortunately in my area you would have to replace "pre-pubescent ricer" with "h2 driving housewife digging through purse on the floor in front of the passenger seat"

 

[Modern Wedgie]

As I've had to pull into driveways practically stopped for the past 3 years, I have learned how to deal with it. Just slow down much earlier than you would normally plan before making the turn. That gives people enough time to see that you are stopping. Just assume that all driveways are at bad angles so that you dont have to make any sudden stops.

 

[James A]

Think of it this way, the Elise is large compared to some cars:
My 7:
Overall length: 136"
Overall height 44" (that is the top of the roll bar)
Overll width: 66"
Weight: 1240 pounds
And this is the 7 SV the slightly larger version for tall or portly drivers. I am 6'-4" and the extra leg room is very nice. Oh the Elise is a good fit also.

 

[rtking]

Unfortunately in my area you would have to replace "pre-pubescent ricer" with "h2 driving housewife digging through purse on the floor in front of the passenger seat"

Funny... that sound EXACTLY like Huntington Beach, California! Except the kids of said-housewife drive Pick-Up trucks, Expeditions, Excursions, Yukons/Tahoes and Suburbans that have 8-16" lift kits on them.

I really need to move...

Bob K.

 

[Dougie]

Smart car to be introduced to North America.