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While my IS 350 is sitting at the dealer waiting for a new set of wheels to be installed, I've been loaned an ES 350. This is a typical dealership loaner car, and I've no doubt many members on this forum have driven one before thanks to its relative popularity as a loaner car. This ES has been in my possession far longer than any loaner car I've had before, as I'm going on four days with it now. I have to say, I miss my IS 350, but is the ES 350 all that bad?
Exterior Styling
I find the ES 350, especially in this Cloudburst Gray metallic paint, to be elegant. That's the primary word I'd use to describe its overall smooth lines, sleek profile, and just-right level of styling touches. It doesn't come across as angry or racy like many other modern Lexus models of late, but it also is not boring. The grille shape seems to have been refined specifically to work with the overall shape of this ES, and I see a lot of lines that run into one another. The little notch in the headlight housing where the DRL ends is one of my favorite touches, along with how the chrome accents in the lower bumper seem to mirror the shape of the headlight housings.
Unlike the more upright IS, the ES adopts a more wind-swept stance, appearing more aerodynamic. Though the ES shares its overall architecture with the Camry and Avalon, it doesn't particularly strike me as Camry-esque, or even Avalon-esque for that matter. Lexus have achieved that, in part, but narrowing the window glass slightly, which is noticeable inside the vehicle.
Much like the rest of the styling, the wheels and rear lights of the car are detailed, but inoffensive, as you can see in the photos. Faux exhaust tips built into the lower rear bumper hide real tips, and I'm not mad at them. They make sense for what the ES is. All in all, this car's what I'd call handsome, and yes, elegant. And, unlike many German rivals, this ES adopts a sleeker stance, not a boxy, alert one.
Interior Space
The ES has a wonderfully simple but stylized interior. I have to say, the way this looks and feels is among my favorites on sale from Lexus today, especially in the price range. The asymmetric, driver-focused dashboard layout looks natural in this car, with gradually-sloping, mostly straight lines - no curves like you'd see in an Infiniti, but no polygons like you'd see in a BMW. Lexus is doing its own thing here, which I can appreciate. One of the first things I noticed about this car was the analog clock, which is hidden behind the same glass as is the infotainment screen. It's a nice-looking clock, though undoubtedly feels like an afterthought with its placement.
Sitting inside, the seats are initially very roomy, and surprisingly sit a bit lower in the car than I'd expected. This car has the comfort entry setup, whereby the seat and steering wheel are magically adjusted once you turn the car on or off, to ease ingress and egress. And when I do this, firing up the engine, I realize just how quiet this ES is going to be. Even the 2GR-FKS V-6 engine, which can at times be noisy in some Lexus models, is at a whisper volume. The cabin feels airy, yet I don't feel as though I'm swimming in the vehicle, either. It's a truly great space.
All the interaction points of the car are well-judged, for the most part. While the window switches don't feel particularly special and have a sort of plasticky quality, they are immediately below one of the most unique door handles in a car. The smooth shape with its satin-aluminum-like finish look striking, and it feels premium in the hand, as well. It's understandable that Lexus also uses these door handles in the LC and LS - they're that nice.
Finally, the gauges are actually pretty great. The fonts are large and clear, and things are generally laid out logically. In this non-F-Sport ES, the gauges may not have the crisp style of an F Sport unit, but the way the information is presented is arguably more space-efficient. I also like the subtle animations that happen when switching between the Eco, Normal, and Sport modes, and all the settings are easy to access using the steering wheel controls. It's a shame this car had the base infotainment, as the base screen is pretty disappointing compared to a different ES I had before with a larger, sharper screen. I'd suggest avoiding a lower-spec ES if only for this reason.
In its natural habitat.
Driving Impressions
Relaxing. Comfy. Smooth. All words that you'd expect me to use when talking about an ES 350's driving feel. And, you'd be right. My first impressions of this car were actually somewhat disappointing, however. I know, I know, but it's not what you think. You see, it's the transmission.
When I first set out from the dealership on my way home, I notice a hesitation when the car shifted gears. "No big deal," I think, "it needs to warm up." However, this is a constant phenomenon, even after driving for several minutes. I don't know what this 13,000-mile loaner's history is, but I suspect warming the car up before giving it the beans was not a big part of it. However, once moving, it's a smooth operator. As I spend more time with the car, I find the transmission struggles for a while, but somehow manages to get better by the day I am writing this review.
The engine may well be the standout feature of driving it, perhaps unexpectedly. It's a humble 2GR like you would get in a V-6 Camry. But, here, it can be very quiet when driven gently, and it fades into the background even with music playing at a modest volume. Yet, when I need the power to reposition myself relative to other motorists, it responds instantly. The way the V-6 is tuned in this car is actually remarkably well done. There are no delays and no dead spots in the torque band. It always gives me the power I desire. Is this a fast car? Well, as a loaner car, it's the fastest car around. Seriously, though, front-wheel-drive traction issues are the limiting factor here. I did try accelerating from a dig once - a normal launch, no brake boosting or anything like that - and it... struggled in first gear. Wheelspin, TC intervention, followed by more wheelspin. Then, it seems to accelerate faster in second gear than in first. It's a pleasing amount of power, and honestly doesn't feel that different from my IS 350, if somewhat less torque-rich down low.
The ride-handling balance in the ES 350 is also well-judged. It feels competent in handling; it's not razor-sharp but also not like a couch on wheels. In normal driving, the ES's reasonable steering and tight chassis make it feel a little bit agile, though it has its limits. On a fun back road, it quickly starts to feel heavy, despite its relatively-low curb weight for its size. That's a deliberate choice on Lexus's part - they know the audience for this vehicle is going to be doing more of the "normal driving" thing than the "fun back road" thing. Even so, on a back road, it's hilarious. Once you get traction, it can really rocket out of corners, and then the next corner feels far more dramatic than it would in an IS. Am I going slower? Yes, but maybe not as slow as the car is asking me to, which is entertaining. Don't judge! But really, this car feels right at home cruising at 70 MPH on the highway. It's super quiet, rides exceptionally well, and is just one of the easiest cars to drive smoothly I've driven in a long time.
Side note - I didn't really get to test out the driver assistance tech much, since I barely drove it on the highway. However, I notice it doesn't seem to have lane centering like my IS does, more on the "alert" side of lane-keep assist. It was mostly unobtrusive and didn't alert unless I was way out of line from my experience.
Final thoughts
This is not the elderly church-mobile you are looking for. While it can do that, I think the great tuning of this car shows promise for the future of Lexus's more mainstream models. It's relatively refined, despite some initial transmission hiccups, flies under the radar, and overall left me feeling relaxed after driving it each time. If I could have a car to do the boring stuff in, and a separate car for fun activities, this is how I'd want the "boring" one to drive. But, boring doesn't mean bad. In fact, it's got just enough personality that there's some fun in there, somewhere, underneath the solid construction and sound deadening.
Great read. Good car. A bit dated on the exterior IMO
the engine is the same one as your IS is it not?
It's a shame this car had the base infotainment, as the base screen is pretty disappointing compared to a different ES I had before with a larger, sharper screen. I'd suggest avoiding a lower-spec ES if only for this reason.
Yes, that is true! This ES runs on 87. Premium does help with power a bit. Mainly, it seems like I have to rev out the ES a bit more - the IS seems to wake up in the mid-range a bit more than the ES does. Though, I would say the ES 350 never felt underpowered or sluggish - totally satisfied with it.
The V-6 in general, like I stated above, is actually great in this car. Perfectly suits the rest of the car - smooth, quiet, easy to live with.
Good write-up. A few weeks ago I had a very similar loaner, but my ES was a new hybrid. I felt it was very unmemorable, but was impressed with the quietness. Probably the quietest car I've ever ridden in. But the lack of luxury inside, bizarre black wood trim, ho-hum exterior, and overall experience did nothing to make me think of putting this car on my shopping list. However, I can see how it may appeal to people who aren't into cars.
Good write up! Good info. Just a personal opinion, I hate the ES interior dash, shifter, and buttons though. I much prefer the IS Fsport interior over this ES..
I agree, very good write up. Thanks. I've been considering an ES350 for a while, but Ultra Luxury models are very difficult to get, especially around my area and I don't want to jump through too many hoops to get one. I can see why Lexus sells so many of them even with the popularity of CUV's and SUV's.
My Friends 2009 ES350 with 158K. He needed to borrow my Sienna as his in-laws were in town visiting from Florida, so we swapped and I drove this for the weekend while my son drove the Polestar. Damn good car, The best 3.5L V6 engine that exists IMO. Even being almost 14 years old, no rattles or squeaks, It's so quiet, it might as well be an EV. Only problem...averages 19 MPG. Lexus once knew how to build them
My Friends 2009 ES350 with 158K. He needed to borrow my Sienna as his in-laws were in town visiting from Florida, so we swapped and I drove this for the weekend while my son drove the Polestar. Damn good car, The best 3.5L V6 engine that exists IMO. Even being almost 14 years old, no rattles or squeaks, It's so quiet, it might as well be an EV. Only problem...averages 19 MPG. Lexus once knew how to build them
Engine from the 2009 is not identical as the new one. Different transmissions. That 2009 had a pretty crappy built interior. 2009 also requires premium fuel. EPA combined average is 22MPG
Good write up! Good info. Just a personal opinion, I hate the ES interior dash, shifter, and buttons though. I much prefer the IS Fsport interior over this ES..
It's funny, I actually like the shifter in the ES. It still has a mechanical feel and has the little release button on the side instead of a zig-zag pattern like my IS.
The F Sport seats in the IS will forever be better than these ES's seats, as well as most seats out there.
Engine from the 2009 is not identical as the new one. Different transmissions. That 2009 had a pretty crappy built interior. 2009 also requires premium fuel. EPA combined average is 22MPG
I wasn't comparing it to the new one, and you are wrong, engine in the 2022 is still the same 20 year old design, both use the 2GR (2GR-FE vs 2GR-FKS 1) with different tuning and an 8 speed in the 2022. HP is not even that much of a difference (272 vs 302)
11-07-22, 08:41 PM
2022 Lexus ES 350: What's an IS 350 owner think?
