2007 Lexus ES 350 Road Test

(Photo: Philippe Champoux, Auto123.com)

Step in the Lexus, but watch you don't bang your head. The car's height is only 1 cm lower than the Camry, but it feels lower than that. It's especially the case when accessing the back seat, and headroom suffers a bit. Otherwise, there's plenty of space, and the centre console is less intrusive then in the IS (remember, the IS is rear-wheel drive). The front seats offer a range of power adjustments, and the steering wheel is power tilt and telescopic, so it's easy to get comfy. The slanted back window reduces visibility.

The dashboard left us with mixed feelings. The quality is top-notch, but it looks a little bare on top and on the passenger side. The center stack looks better with its wood trim (it's so glossy it looks fake; thanks Alec P for the heads-up), but the heating and ventilation buttons are set up high; they should be inversed with the radio that's placed lower, since you can control the latter with buttons mounted on the steering wheel. Since we're on the subject, the wheel-mounted controls look cheap, but are placed well nonetheless.

(Photo: Philippe Champoux, Auto123.com)

The highlight of the dashboard is the instrument panel. Turn on the car, and the numerals as well as the needles light up with a soft white glow. It definitely looks good and makes up for the dull dash top.

My ES 350 tester carried no extra options, and a price of $42,900. In comparison, you can get a Chrysler 300C for $44,190, a new-for-2007 Infiniti G35 for $39,990, a similarly-equipped Lincoln MKZ for $42,799, a Saab 9-5 for $43,540 and a Volvo S60 2.5T with Premium package for $43,895. There are loads of other choices I'm also not mentioning.

So the ES 350 is more of a luxury touring sedan than a sports sedan. But that's ok, as it will please an older or more mature crowd, and its 272 horsepower is an easy cure for those sudden urges for speed. I thought I had a clear preference for the IS 250's character and size, despite its power disadvantage, but after driving the 2007 ES, I'm not so sure anymore. Getting old isn't all that bad.

What I like:
Smooth character and ride
Powerful engine
Excellent fuel economy

What I don't like:
Dull dashboard
Back-seat headroom
Ventilation controls could be lower


For more details concerning this vehicle, please refer to the technical specifications and to the standard features list.

If you wish to test-drive or receive a price quotation for this vehicle, you only have to perform a retailer / dealer search in your region.

(Photo: Philippe Champoux, Auto123.com)