2019 ES 350 F Sport Finally Gets a Performance Model

F Sport on the Road

Before getting into how much I enjoyed driving the 2019 Lexus ES 350 F Sport, I want to point out that yes, this car is still front-wheel-drive. A big part of the Lexus push for sportier sedans has been a focus on rear-drive. But, like it has always been, the ES still powers the front wheels only. However, the engineers have done a great job of drawing enjoyable driving dynamics from this front-drive luxury sedan.

With the F Sport in Eco or Normal modes, it behaves a great deal like the regular ES 350, and in the Sport S mode (like the Sport mode in the ES 350) the performance model has a noticeably sharper throttle response and shift schedule that improves acceleration through the mid-range. When you switch into Sport S+, that is when the F Sport really shines brighter than the other ES 350 models on a curvy country road.

With the steering and suspension systems in their most aggressive settings, the ES 350 F Sport feels surprisingly confident when slaloming through a series of back-and-forth curves on a relatively straight road. If you get into turns a bit too tight, especially tighter turns of 30-degrees or more, the F Sport will bind up and slide a bit, but that really only happens when you are pushing the car right to the edge of its limits. However, when you drive the ES 350 F Sport hard along a twisty road, it responds better than any ES models in the past. And while we did not drive any competitors’ vehicles, I believe that this is one of the more engaging front-wheel-drive luxury-sport sedans on the road.

When you switch the transmission to manual shift mode and use the steering wheel paddles, you can keep the revs of the 3.5-liter engine right where you want them, allowing you to leave turns with plenty of power to rocket onto a long straight stretch. The paddles also allow you to downshift in preparation for a turn, providing you with the kind of control that you want when you are scooting through a section of twisty country roads. When you get out onto long, open straightaways, the 302-horsepower engine quickly gets the ES 350 up past any posted speed in the United States, while the braking system and the high tech suspension system makes entering the next turn at speed far more comfortable than it has been on any previous ES models.

This isn’t a car that you are going to use to dominate the local autocross scene, but for someone who wants a midsized luxury sedan that is a whole lot of fun to drive, the 2019 ES 350 F Sport answers the call.

Join the Club Lexus forums now!

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