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2022 Lexus ES 300h F Sport First Look (ClubLexus Official)
Hey, folks! Michael here from the front-page editorial team. So Lexus decided to add the F Sport package (trim) to the ES 300h hybrid for the 2022 model year and they sent me a prototype to review. On paper, it's a strange combo. A fuel-sipping economy car that's now meaner-looking and sporty in the twisties. But it ended up winning me over.
I'm not opposed to the idea! I think giving this car adaptive dampers to allow it to firm up a bit in the twisty bits can only make it that much more versatile. Though I don't consider it a true sport sedan by any means, this would be a nice efficient daily.
I'm not opposed to the idea! I think giving this car adaptive dampers to allow it to firm up a bit in the twisty bits can only make it that much more versatile. Though I don't consider it a true sport sedan by any means, this would be a nice efficient daily.
Yeah, that's pretty much where I landed after driving it.
Why is AWD exclusive to the 250? I don't understand that. Not only did they nix the GS, but they simply refuse to even attempt to fill that void. They really don't want my business when I'm done with the GS, so I'll have no choice but to oblige them and take my business elsewhere.
I'd go for an IS hybrid in a heartbeat. Sporty on the outside, efficient on the inside. The ES is okay, but doesn't check all the boxes.
Great color though.
The IS (& RC) hybrids (300h) have existed in Europe from the onset of the 3IS (& the RC) - same 2.5 D4-S 4-pot. Economy is top notch, but performance is... lacking, for a lack of better words. We also don't get the is/gs/rc350 variants - the only way to get a 2GR is to go for the gs450h...
The ES is a fine car but should not in any way be compared to the GS, period. Transverse engine... sedan... sporty... not a Honda... Something smells.
when scrolling i initially thought the author mistakenly put an IS in the video thumbnail, but i was mistaken! wow the color got me. the ES looks good and better than the past few iterations.
the ES is a nice sedan, and glad lexus has not removed it from the lineup where most auto makers are removing sedans in favor of CUVs/SUVs. i agree it's a FWD car, very different from the RWD as far as driving personality goes, but it will sell to the brand loyalists out there (not necessarily enthusiasts).
f sport is just trying to cater to the performance mentality without going full blown F; just like AMG, M, and S-lines are doing over in germany.
What a shame. Those badges used to mean something.
I get what you're saying. If you see the M badge on an older car at all, it means something performance-related has been done. Yet, now, almost all BMWs can be had with an M-Sport package which puts a lot of M badges on the car. Take our 330i for example, which has the M-badged wheels, sill plates, stainless steel pedals, and steering wheel, along with the M colors making an appearance on the floor mats and the stitching on the seats.
I find it prudent to point out two things about this. First of all, there are some actual changes here that, at least theoretically, change the driving experience to be more sporting. The wheels are larger, giving less sidewall for more responsive handling, and the suspension is firmer than a non-M-Sport model. Also, the steering rack is different in the M Sport model. The steering has more weight and is quicker. However, aside from that, I would say it's a shame that everything else different is cosmetic. It's an awful lot of advertising for such minor improvements. Yet, improvements they are. Even on my IS 350 F Sport, the car has differently-tuned suspension and more supportive seats to better tackle a spirited drive. In the US, for 2021, it's worth pointing out that there's no such thing as a "base IS 350" anymore, since they are all F Sport, but still, it does not have the same tuning as the IS 300. Second thing to point out is that an actual "M" badge on the car's decklid still means it's got more power and improved handling over the standard model. For an M340i, for instance, you get a different engine and suspension tune compared with the 330i. With the F cars, it's even harder to mistake the F Sport for a full-on F because the badge's location and shape are totally different.
I guess the summary is this: as long as the cars actually have some upgrades that improve performance, I am fine with it. The whole "F Sport Style" package is nonsense, but at least Lexus is being up-front that it is cosmetic by naming it that way, I guess.
when scrolling i initially thought the author mistakenly put an IS in the video thumbnail, but i was mistaken! wow the color got me. the ES looks good and better than the past few iterations.
the ES is a nice sedan, and glad lexus has not removed it from the lineup where most auto makers are removing sedans in favor of CUVs/SUVs. i agree it's a FWD car, very different from the RWD as far as driving personality goes, but it will sell to the brand loyalists out there (not necessarily enthusiasts).
f sport is just trying to cater to the performance mentality without going full blown F; just like AMG, M, and S-lines are doing over in germany.
It still means that with a stage 1 tune it will outrun anything with an L on it. The M340i is a great example of how far Lexus missed the mark performance wise
12-20-21, 08:45 AM
2022 Lexus ES 300h F Sport First Look (ClubLexus Official)
) look way out of place on otherwise "M-package" cars.
