This is the fifth generation of the company's popular ES (Elegant Sedan) entry level luxury model. Together with their IS sports sedan, it marks the
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| (Photo: Kevin ''Crash'' Corrigan) |
starting point of this premium brand. At least, that's what they tell me. Nowadays, every manufacturer seems to be promoting an entry level luxury vehicle. So, is the Lexus ES 350 really that, or is it just another young pretender with the right badge on it?
The exterior styling of the
Lexus ES350 is certainly typical of the rest of the brand. The company tends to be able to project luxury motoring without being overly bold and brash about it. In fact, the distinctive styling and lines announce the car's arrival before you actually notice the nameplate. The fit and finish of the exterior is, as always with Lexus, exceptional, even under close scrutiny.
Although the ES is possibly not as sporting as its brother the IS, it certainly does appear to have that modern, state of the art look about it.
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| (Photo: Kevin ''Crash'' Corrigan) |
This, I presume, is to appeal to the upwardly mobile youngsters who are placing their feet on the first rung of the high-end luxury car ladder. That sounds like a smart target market for an entry level luxury car manufacturer.
We now come to the interior which, to be honest, really impressed me. The dashboard looks as though it has been designed by a sculptor rather than a car designer. The crowning centerpiece is the distinctive "snowshoe" shaped console, which houses most of the controls and beautifully flows down through the center of the seats. This is then highlighted by some thoughtfully shaped woodgrain accents, which continue throughout the cabin area. This was apparently designed by one of Toyota's female designers and might possibly be a question of personal taste, but I thought that it just oozed style. Some manufacturers might not have been able to pull this off, but I think that Lexus have succeeded in making this a distinctive feature of the car.
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| (Photo: Kevin ''Crash'' Corrigan) |
The rest of the interior is equally impressive and boasts a whole host of "available" luxury appointments. Now you may have noticed that I highlighted the word, available. The reason for this is the way in which Lexus has packaged the ES. Some features like the Sat Nav System, the Back-up Camera, the Bluetooth Capable Stereo System and the Panorama Glass Roof are only available on the top of the line model. What this says to me, is that the upwardly mobile youngsters will have to dig a little deeper into their pockets, if they want all the modern toys to go with their new entry level luxury vehicle.
Now don't get me wrong. I think that the ES 350 is well priced in the market at $42,900 for the base model. I just think that there are some potential buyers that might go looking elsewhere, simply because they want a particular feature. I can't honestly see people stumping up another $11,400 for just one "can't live without" gadget.
