2019 ES 350 F Sport Finally Gets a Performance Model

F Sport Performance Advantages

The 2019 Lexus ES 350 F Sport is powered by the same 3.5-liter V6 as the non-F Sport models, packing the same 302 horsepower and 267 lb-ft of torque with the same 8-speed automatic transmission. Where the F Sport differs on the road–aside from the steering wheel, driver’s seat, and 19-inch wheels and tires–is in the Drive Mode settings. The regular 2019 ES 350 has three modes, Eco, Normal, and Sport. While the F Sport with its Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) system has four modes: Eco, Normal, Sport S, and Sport S+. This AVS system is the similar to the one offered in the range-topping LC and LS models, with 650 different suspension settings to maximize ride quality or road handling depending on a variety of inputs. Using sensors that measure linear and vertical g-loads, vehicle speed, steering angle, yaw rate, master cylinder pressure, and throttle input, the AVS system makes adjustments in milliseconds to maintain the ride quality during relaxed driving, while improving cornering grip during spirited driving.

The Drive Mode system in the ES 350 F Sport has the same Eco and Normal settings as the non-F Sport models, but with the introduction of the AVS system comes two unique settings: Sport S and Sport S+. Sport S sharpens up the throttle response while also quickening shift times and altering the shift schedule. In Sport S mode, the gas pedal is far more sensitive, and while you are working with the same power levels, the sharper throttle response makes the car feel much quicker. That is bolstered by the altered shift patterns which hold the car longer in gear during periods of hard acceleration, while also reducing the shift times.

The Sport S+ setting is my personal favorite, as it offers the same improvements to the throttle and transmission shifts, but it also adjusts the electronic steering system for a stiffer feel and improved feedback along with setting the adaptive suspension to its most aggressive setting. In Sport S+ mode, the electronic dampers offer the best cornering capabilities, reducing body roll to almost nothing, and giving the ES 350 the proper road feel that you would expect from a luxury-sport sedan. This suspension setting is stiffer, so you feel and hear more of the road than you do with the other settings or in the non-F Sport models, but the compromise is minimal, at worst. The entire 2019 ES lineup has a whisper-quiet cabin, so even with the F Sport set to Sport S+, the ride is comfortable for everyone inside while still being the most fun for the driver.

If I owned a 2019 Lexus ES 350 F Sport, I would spend all of my drive time in Sport S+, as it offers the best driving dynamics without any real loss of driving comfort.

Continued…

Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Facebook   Twitter