Lexus ES350 F-Sport is the Coolest Camry
Lexus is doing the Executive Saloon right by blending sophistication, build quality, and performance into the Toyota Camry platform.
In this review from The Smoking Tire YouTube channel, Matt Farah tells us early on that the ES350 F-Sport “shares a platform and an engine with the Camry.” However, it’s worth noting that while that was entirely accurate for the first 5 generations of the ES models, the 6th generation ES series does share the same platform as the Camry, but is more mechanically related to the Avalon.
Nit-picking aside, Lexus has indeed gone to town in building a stiffer, quieter, smoother riding, better performing version of either car and completely worthy of the Lexus badge. Farah sums it up perfectly by explaining how the F-Sport trim doesn’t make this Lexus an out-and-out sports car, but, as Farah puts it, “Lexus has built us a car that, if we end up taking the roundabout canyon route to our destination, we’ll still be able to have a good time.”
On top of the whole experience of driving the ES350 F-Sport, Farah is impressed by the value for money Lexus has brought with the package. Broadly, the ES350 F-Sport comes with a naturally aspirated direct and port injection engine, an impressive ride in both comfort and performance, and a ride quiet enough for Farah to claim, “I’m not sure I’ve been in a modern car that is quieter than this if you remove electric cars from the equation.” All of that at a base price of $44,000 for the F-Sport and the options not being overpriced, means the loaded up model he’s driving here comes in at $53,000 out the door.
That’s a lot of car for the money, and in the luxury car segment where performance is an ingredient, you’ll be hard pushed to find a better deal. Even without the performance ingredient, Farah also claims you won’t find much better in refinement outside of electric cars and vehicles at the Rolls Royce level of luxury. To him, the ES350 F-Sport, “Is the most comfortable, refined car I’ve driven.” That may sound like hyperbole, but Farah is no wide-eyed newbie and those aren’t words he would use lightly.
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