Lexus ES 300h: A Good Hybrid Sedan Lost in the Times, says Forbes
Despite consumers picking crossovers over sedans and hybrids, magazine says ES 300h is an excellent luxury hybrid.
Most consumers are loading up on crossovers these days, not acting too worried about how much it’ll cost to fill the tank. Thus, sedans and hybrids (and hybrid sedans) are left lingering on many a dealer’s lot, hoping for things to change.
While Lexus has a few crossovers of its own to snag those consumers, like the UX, NX, and RX, it hasn’t abandoned those who prefer luxury sedans, especially if they have hybrid power under the hood. That car, the ES 300h, was recently reviewed by Forbes on the streets of Chicago, finding the hybrid sedan “as good as it gets” for those in the know, despite being lost in the shuffle of the zeitgeist.
Per Forbes, the ES 300h’s “seamless hybrid powertrain is so quiet you want to knock the dash to see if it’s on. But the dash in top Ultra Lux trim is so gorgeous that instead of knocking it you might want to smooth a palm over its leather padding and real wood trim bands… Lexus feels like luxury again.”
The powertrain is an updated unit, comprised of a 2.5-liter four-pot married to a refreshed hybrid system with a lightweight, self-charging electric motor. All of that is linked to a CVT to deliver 215 horsepower to the rear, a good boost in power over the previous ES 300h’s 200 hybrid ponies.
Inside the ES 300h, plenty of wood trim and black leather are there to greet one and all, while the infotainment system’s 12.3-inch display is within the line of vision with the gauge cluster, ensuring the driver can keep their eyes on the road without effort.
Speaking of the infotainment system, Forbes found “the array of controls and ding bling things” having the potential to overwhelm, though most of the system “is for the passenger or for drivers who don’t want to use the steering wheel controls.” Drivers who happen to have iPhones will have access to Apple CarPlay as a standard feature on the ES 300h, while Android users will have to make do with Amazon Alexa bridging the gap.
“There isn’t much to be critical about [the ES 300h] except for it being a victim of the times,” Forbes says. “But for the smart people out there wanting a fuel-efficient luxury vehicle without a plug, this is the car for now.”
Photos: Forbes
