My usual commute is 12 miles each way to work and just around the community on Monday;s when I'm off. Otherwise we use my wife's car. Today I took the car on a short road trip from San Mateo to Modesto and back. I filled up at the corner; I wish I waited until I got to Modesto where the gas was 20 cents less per gallon. Traffic going there was light, coming back it was moderate with some stop and go in Pleasanton and San Leandro. I drove 168 miles and got 32.4 MPG in aggregate, averaging 62 MPH going and 57 on the return trip.

It was much quieter than my wifes 04 Nissan Quest and also quieter than the Maxima I used to have. The ML stereo sounded good for the entire trip, something that I could not say about the other two cars or my friends Cadillac with the premium Bose sound system which sounded good initially and then less good as time passed by. I also appreciated the smoothness of the ride for the 1.5 hour trip each way.

Other cars I have had in the past I thought were quiet and smooth but after being in them for an entire hour they no longer felt as smooth or as quiet as at the outset, or on short trips. Not so with the Lexus.

Perhaps some of us, myself included, have been jaded by the quality of this car. While not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, it is so good that we focus more on the little noises and annoyances (the transmission flare and the diesel sound not withstanding, neither of which plague my car) that almost any car makes because of the absence of gross deficits in quality.

Quiet, smooth, mileage, nice features, and a pretty solid ride. Not bad for an entry level vehicle.

 

Yeah, I'm pretty shocked at the mileage on this car.

We had an old Camy with the 3.0L V6. It only got about 24 mpg on the same trip that I get 30 on with the ES (at worst, 26-27). More horsepower and better gas mileage? Gotta love technological advancement.

 

This is definitely a nice road car. We have done two trips now to my wife's parents house in Pitt for Thanksgiving. I average between 32 and 33 mpg, and that is with some serious 80 mph legs on the interstate. Almost all of it at 70 or above.

Gotta love being able to drive 475 miles before the low fuel light comes on!

 

Speaking about mileage, do you guys have an issue with the indicator that shows what your mpg is? I never get an accurate reading. For example, if I am driving in the free way and I reset it while I am driving in light traffic, it shows that I am doing 32-33mpg which is correct. Now, once I slow down to local roads eventually it will come down to 18 - 19mpg. Then if go back to the freeway again, the mpg never goes up, maybe 19 - 20mpg until I have to reset it again to get an accurate reading.

 

That is because it is averaging your MPG, it takes quite a while for it to climb back up, but it will.

It has been established though that it is not accurate, more than generous in it's output readings.

 

This car is great on long trips. We frequently take trips into the Shenandoah Valley that are generally 205 to 275 miles one way. At 74 mph we consistently log 30+ mpg on 87 octane. Its quiet, comfortable, has great looks and I don't feel fatigued when I get out of the car.

We went to the ACC Championship last Nov in Jacksonville, Fl. With four adults, our bags and my golf clubs (the trunk was stuffed) we got 29+ mpg running at 74-75 mph. Our friends commented on the nice ride, how quiet the was and that the back seat was comfortable with enough room. I'm definitely pleased with this car.