Almost perfect
When a car maker owns two different brands or more, it can afford to share various components between models in order to reduce development costs.
Toyota offers the ultra-competent Camry sedan, while its premium division, Lexus, has made the ES 350 one of the best offerings in the midsize luxury segment. Both use the same platform and share many components; yet, they do not look like twins. Clearly, designers from each brand did a great job of setting their car apart.
Beautiful fit and finish
As soon as you sit inside the ES 350, you notice how much the folks at Lexus have paid special attention to details. The design of the center console is extremely well executed with wooden appliqués and the beautiful layout of the climate and audio interfaces.
Build quality is flawless. Every control feels solid and operates smoothly. The car remains very quiet and the HVAC system proves very effective. The only part that doesn't seem on par with the rest of the cabin is the top of the dashboard; it mainly consists of a large rubber surface. At least, the texture is pleasant and glare-free.
Some of my colleagues appreciated the seat comfort provided by the ES 350, but since I'm larger than most of them, I found the front buckets too small. In addition, the ultra-low roofline forced me to drive with a reclined seatback. A low roofline also means a low-mounted rearview mirror, which impedes forward visibility.
As a result, I was unable to find the perfect driving position -- which is kind of strange since I didn't have this problem with the Camry. Obviously, the latter's more generous headroom makes all the difference. In the back, room seems to be limited, too; three people won't tolerate anything more than short-distance drives.
Interesting performances
With a 3.5L V6 producing 270 horsepower and 254 lb-ft of torque, the ES 350 is a really spirited performer. Accelerations on the fly are instantaneous. The 6-speed automatic transmission works brilliantly to manage every action and reaction of the engine. Sure, it's an awful lot of horsepower for the front wheels to handle, but the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and Traction Control (TRAC) systems know how to counter torque steer without being too intrusive.
When a car maker owns two different brands or more, it can afford to share various components between models in order to reduce development costs.
Toyota offers the ultra-competent Camry sedan, while its premium division, Lexus, has made the ES 350 one of the best offerings in the midsize luxury segment. Both use the same platform and share many components; yet, they do not look like twins. Clearly, designers from each brand did a great job of setting their car apart.
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| This stylish look is the result of the brand's L-Finesse design philosophy. |
Beautiful fit and finish
As soon as you sit inside the ES 350, you notice how much the folks at Lexus have paid special attention to details. The design of the center console is extremely well executed with wooden appliqués and the beautiful layout of the climate and audio interfaces.
Build quality is flawless. Every control feels solid and operates smoothly. The car remains very quiet and the HVAC system proves very effective. The only part that doesn't seem on par with the rest of the cabin is the top of the dashboard; it mainly consists of a large rubber surface. At least, the texture is pleasant and glare-free.
Some of my colleagues appreciated the seat comfort provided by the ES 350, but since I'm larger than most of them, I found the front buckets too small. In addition, the ultra-low roofline forced me to drive with a reclined seatback. A low roofline also means a low-mounted rearview mirror, which impedes forward visibility.
As a result, I was unable to find the perfect driving position -- which is kind of strange since I didn't have this problem with the Camry. Obviously, the latter's more generous headroom makes all the difference. In the back, room seems to be limited, too; three people won't tolerate anything more than short-distance drives.
Interesting performances
With a 3.5L V6 producing 270 horsepower and 254 lb-ft of torque, the ES 350 is a really spirited performer. Accelerations on the fly are instantaneous. The 6-speed automatic transmission works brilliantly to manage every action and reaction of the engine. Sure, it's an awful lot of horsepower for the front wheels to handle, but the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and Traction Control (TRAC) systems know how to counter torque steer without being too intrusive.
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| The ES is rated as an Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV II). |