New Lexus ES

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The Lap of Luxury
Based on the same mechanical underpinnings as the faithful Toyota Camry, the Lexus ES is a practically priced four-door five-seater sedan that is a great overall vehicle for the average driver. You can choose between a base line four-cylinder, a V6, or a four-cylinder hybrid powertrain that gets an EPA rated 44 miles per gallon fuel efficiency. All-wheel drive is an available option.
 
We found the posh interior to be comfortable and roomy and the ride for your daily commute is cushy and predictable. That said, those looking for more performance may wish to explore one of the two F Sport models. These include the F Sport Design that comes with the option of three powertrains, and the F Sport Handling which includes additional sport driving modes, adaptive dampers, and a parking assist function. If you are considering the ES for its luxury designation, the Ultra Luxury trim variant adds 18-inch wheels, leather upholstery, a power sunshade, a wood and leather steering wheel, and an upgraded 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen package with in-dash navigation and voice recognition.

Under the Hood

The classy Lexus ES comes in a whopping fourteen trim levels and three motor options. The entry level ES250 is powered by a 2.5-liter four cylinder that produces 203 horsepower. All-wheel drive is standard. All of the ES350 trim versions include a 3.5-liter V6 with 302 horsepower married to an eight-speed transmission and front-wheel drive. If you're looking for a hybrid powertrain, all versions of the ES350h gas and electric combo include a four-cylinder, 215 horse hybrid system and variable automatic transmission (CVT).
 
When it comes to performance, the all-wheel drive ES250 and the ES350h hybrid will get you from zero to 60 miles per hour in a leisurely 8.1 and 8.3 seconds, respectively. The ES300h F Sport variant picks up the pace, getting you to an estimated 60 mph in 7.9 seconds. The best time comes from the ES350 gasoline-only version which will whisk you from zero to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds.
 
While the ES sedan is known for its composed ride quality, more precise handling can be had in the form of the F Sport variants which add larger wheels and more precise suspension tuning. When it comes to fuel economy, the ES250 gets an estimated 25 mph city, 34 mph highway. The ES350 will take you an estimated 22 mpg city, 32, highway. The best rating naturally goes to the ES300h hybrid that manages an amazing estimated 43 mpg city, 44 mph highway.

Inside the Cabin

The plush and pleasing interior of the ES is filled with quality materials to create a luxurious environment. There's plenty of legroom, even in the back seat, and the seats make you feel comfortably supported. The trunk offers a best in class 17 cubic feet of space. Overall, the cabin is a quiet and serene place to be, even at highway speeds.
 
When you buy a luxury car, you expect the latest infotainment, safety, and  driver assist features. In that regard, there is plenty to appreciate in the ES. An 8-inch infotainment touchscreen takes you to Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Amazon Alexa as well as a 10-speaker audio system that includes SiriusXM satellite radio. Also standard is Bluetooth capability, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and GPS Link navigation. A 12.3-inch screen is an optional extra.
 
Every trim level of the ES comes with the Lexus Safety System+ 2.5 which brings you more driver assist features than many competing sedans. These include automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning with lane-keep assist, and even adaptive cruise control with blind-spot monitoring.

On the Road

We managed to get our hands on an ES300h hybrid model for our road test and were pleased with the upscale quality of the interior materials and the attractive two-tone seats and door panels. The steering wheel features wood trim and shift paddles. In fact, the wood trim throughout the dash and doors is a nice touch. The digital gauges are easy to read, and a 360-degree camera system gives you a bird's eye view of what is around the car. Before we set off down the road, we noticed that visibility through the windshield and windows was very good.

The sticker price for the version we drove came in at $56,700, similarly priced to the ES350 F Sport version. This hybrid has great acceleration from a stop thanks to the electric motor and handles very well. The suspension is extremely comfortable in around town driving, absorbing bumps from train tracks, road irregularities and even potholes.
 
The ES300h isn't as punchy as the ES350 F Sport, but it is remarkably heroic for a car with just 215 horsepower. It is especially good from zero to 40 miles per hour. Lexus is known for producing comfortable luxury sedans and the hybrid ES we drove was very good. It is like a luxury version of a Prius, and that's not a bad thing.
Wrap it up!
This brings us to our final remarks on this sweet sedan. We can't think of another midsize sedan that seats five that offers you the comfort and the latest driver assist features in this price range that gets 44 miles to the gallon in the hybrid version. It's like a better looking, more luxurious Prius. The ES is just a terrific all-around car. Starting MSRP $43,190.