MD350

I want to take a positive spin on the ES and discuss the knee airbags that this car features. I know of someone who was recently in a head-on collision where the dash board came down on his legs. The engine also came into the passenger compartment. He is alive, but a lot of broken bones from the waist down.

I am very happy to know that the ES features front, side, head, and knee air bags. The knee airbags are something that is not featured on many cars in the ES's price range. Putting engine noise, bad trannys, wind noise, and other ES issues aside, it is very comforting to know that this car has knee airbags to help reduce injury in a major wreck.

onsknht

This is good yes, but would you expect any less?

I'm not saying safety need be overly mandated in all cars, but we all exercise a certain amount of known risk we accept when making our purchase... In other words a much lower-scale car still gets you from point A to point B, if I'm in the $30-$40k buying market, it's a given I expect A+ safety features.

Bottom line though... There isn't a car made that WON'T kill you.

GumboChief

This is why I live for the moment

jerfitz

We bought the ES350 specifically because of it's many safety features. The only car we found that has more and better safety features was the all new this year 2007 Volvo S80.

Front air bags and knee air bags are only a part if it. Our ES350 has hip level air bags for both the front and rear seats. Then there are side curtain airbags for both front and rear, and pre tensioning seat belts for the front and rear outide seats.

Then you get all the special braking, anti skid/roll over stuff, and, if we waited for 8-12 weeks more, we could have had the anti-collision radar for freeway travel.

The rear camera and the park assist are great safety devices mainly so you don't hit a pedistrain but also so you do not back into another car.

Finally BOTH the Insurance Institute and the US Government give the ES350 top ratings from their actual crash tests for both front-end broadside crashes . This car was tested.

It's one weakness is where you are hit from the rear.

The ES350 is probably one of the half dozen safest cars available this year(2007) .

We bought safey because it could be a long painful recovery time and possibly financially devistating if you were in a MAJOR crash.

Remember the old saying about having "Health, Wealth, and Happiness". Well...you need Health to enjoy Wealth and Happiness!

JerFitz

<VENOM>

what was he driving and what hit him, that is usually the most important factor, I saw the aftermath of a Silverado hitting a Corolla head on and the little Toyota although totalled held it's ground and protected the passengers

MD350

He was in a Honda Pilot and was hit by an F350.

ESDragon

As disappointed as I am with the flaring issue, I absolutely love this car. One of the main reason I bought the ES was the roomy size in the back. My wife always complain that we need bigger leg room for rear. When I look into the ES it was perfect in everyway. The sleet updated look for the ES model and the space and safety feature were all top notch. The navigation and all the other electronic features are very impressive. I had to take my family for a little road trip yesterday and drove over 100 miles. The navi guided to every single destination that we needed to go. And yes, it did flared ONCE!

MD350

Your feelings are exactly how I feel. For a family of four, I have room in the back for the kids and their booster seats. Don't need to take the wife's truck to haul the family if I don't want to.