It’s been a while since I’ve driven a Lexus ES. So, when it was delivered, I didn’t immediately see where it had been parked on my street. I finally spotted it and was surprised. It looked larger and sleeker than I had remembered.
The test vehicle was a 2008 ES 350 that topped out at $42,181 with some pretty hefty options like the navigation ($2,650) and the Premium Plus Package ($2,480). With the Smoky Granite Mica paint sparkling in the spring sunshine, it looked like it could have been a lot pricier. Base price for the ES is $34,585.
The inside looked pricey as well, with the optional heated/cooled front seats, simple wood accents, SmartAccess and push-button start. The leather seats were soft, well-stitched and comfortable, and I got a great driving position with the 10-way power adjustable driver’s seat. I liked the adjustable lumbar support, but I wish I could adjust the height of the support as well as how much the support bulges. On the ES 350, it hit me mid-back rather than in the lumbar region because of my petite height. Taller drivers might find that it’s too low.
There are a lot of nice interior finishing touches from the easy-to-use steering wheel controls to the intuitive dials and controls on the center stack. The visual treat, however, centers around the behind-the-wheel gauges. The brushed silver housings and blue back lights speak of elegance and style.
The 3.5-liter, 272-horsepower V-6 engine provides quiet and smooth power. I liked the clean and fast acceleration, and I thought the ES 350 was very well-powered for a mid-size sedan. In fact, the 0-to-60-mph time is a respectable 6.8 seconds. The ride is luxurious with a sporty bent, providing as much comfort as possible over those Chicago potholes, yet rising to the task when sweeping through a highway on ramp.
I had a minor quibble, however, with the six-speed automatic transmission. As long as you applied constant pressure to the gas pedal, everything shifted appropriately. But if you hit the gas pedal, let off quickly and then hit it again, I could feel a bit of a hesitation, which was more annoying than dangerous.
The optional navigation from Lexus is one of my favorites with the touch-screen operation. The map is big and clear, and it’s always easy to see where you are vs. where you’re going.
The optional Bluetooth connectivity in the ES 350 is also a favorite. And it actually still works with my 2-year-old Sprint Katana cell phone. The system is intuitive, and it’s very easy to pair your phone with the car. Making calls through the car, then, allows you to talk into the air while you’re driving and the person on the other end comes through the stereo speakers.
I like the ES 350, and it’s definitely a luxurious vehicle. But the problem I have is with the exterior styling. All the Lexus sedans have this outward cookie cutter shape that is a little too similar for my taste. At a quick glance, the only obvious difference between the LS, GS, ES and IS (aside from the $30K price span) seems to be the size.
If you expand beyond the Lexus lineup and look over at Toyota, the plot thickens. The ES 350 and the Toyota Camry have an uncanny likeness as well. Yet the price difference at a base level is a cool $15K. Their dimensions are almost identical, and even the horsepower rating of the 3.5-liter V-6 engine (optional on the Camry) is close with just a 4 horsepower difference. Then, if you take a top-of-the line Camry XLE and load it up, it will still cost almost $2K less than the base ES 350.
I’ve said it before, but it’s great for Toyota that their design has been Lexified. But it’s not so great for Lexus. I mean, why pay more when you don’t necessarily have to?
To be fair to the ES 350, however, there is some kind of refined aura surrounding it that speaks of money. It could be the elegant chrome accents surrounding the exterior of the car. Or the intricate wheel covers. Or even the interior wood accents from the door panels to the steering wheel. But whatever it is, you don’t see it on the Camry.
DriveLive around Chicago in a VW Eos
