lesz

Below are the requested photos. I was going to wait for a sunny day, but that may not happen for a while. I'm sure that the car would look better without the gloomy skies. Also, I notice that, in less than a day, I've already tracked lots of dirt onto the floor liners, but I guess that is why I have them.

imrankh24

Nice color choice. Man what a nice car. The front end really is so nice. The ore refresh looks so dated compared to our refreshed ones.

jollick

Congratulations Lesz!

bc6152

The car is gorgeous Les. Too bad Illinois requires front plates.

chromedome

Congrats on the purchase. You might not like the front end but I think it's gorgeous, especially the contrast against a dark color. The facelift interior looks and feels more classy than before. That's probably more important because you'll be looking at it often

Any differences in ride comfort, noise levels and handling?

lesz

As I said earlier, with the interior updates and with the new technology, it does feel like a different car from my 2013. I really expected a harsher ride with the 18 inch wheels, compared to the 17 inch wheels on the 2013, but if there is any difference in ride comfort, noise levels, or handling, it isn't big enough for me to notice. Yes, the interior does feel more "classy", but, while I accept that my opinion might be different from that of others, I will continue to prefer the front of the 2013-2015 ES. To me, it comes across as a look of understated elegance, and the 2016-2017 front screams "gaudy" to me.

LexBob2

The new car looks great. Individually the changes are small but collectively they really update the looks in a very good way. Lexus always does a nice job with updates.

TechNut

Looks great. I love the color but it looks like work! From what I can see of the floor liners they look great too. Looks like a nice car that will bring you years of enjoyment.

My Inquiry regarding country of construction was merely idle curiosity. A previous Avalon and Tundra of ours were built in the states and both were great cars, definitely up to Toyota's standards.

lesz

I've had quite a few black cars. While I know that maintaining a black car can have its issues, I can be somewhat OCD about fits and finishes, and what I like about a black car is that, if any paint work is ever needed, a non-metallic black is one of the rare colors for which a paint technician can easily get a virtually perfect match. I've had too many cars that required even very minor paint work to repair, say, a small scratch, and, even though the shop did a great job, my eye always ended up focusing on the repaired area, and, because of that, my enjoyment of the car was never the same. About the only other color that is as easy to match is a non-metallic white, but non-metallic whites are pretty much only used, today, for commercial vehicles. The colors that I never will consider for a car are any of the multi-stage pearls, like the pearl whites or the Lexus Atomic Silver. Even though I think that those colors are quite beautiful, I'm not sure that there is a paint technician alive who can re-paint a bumper, quarter panel, etc. to repair minor damage and have the end result be one that I would find to be acceptable.

My only concern about the black is that I'm not sure how much the self-healing paint that Lexus uses is going to restrict my ability deal to with minor surface scratches, polishing swirls, etc. Over the years, I've become quite good at using a wide variety of polishes with varying levels of abrasives to keep cars, especially black ones, looking nice. With this being my first experience with the self-healing paint, I'm not sure what products I'll be able to use on it and whether I'll have to modify some of the techniques that I've used in the past. For sure, it will be a learning experience.

Sonnyj

Great looking car whether the sun is out or not!!

amphiprion

Car looks great, even in the gloom. I think the front end looks best when viewed from a quarter angle otherwise it can look too flashy or "gaudy" as you've said. Actually it will probably become less polarizing as time goes on, but my biggest complaint is its close resemblance to the Camry's refreshed grill and fogs. The ES350 has sharper, sleeker angles and overall looks better to be sure, but still, Toyota should have pulled from a different design bag for the Camry instead of recycling and watering down the spindle grill. And as far as the license plates, I think they actually help mitigate the oversize grill and help break up and define the front plane.

I really like the new seats. I have no complaints with the comfort and feel with the equivalent semi-aniline seats in mine, but I prefer the new look in yours. I also really like the subtle changes with the rear of the vehicle. The tail lights, the lower valence and trapezoid exhausts. Moved it upscale without overdoing it. It's very similar to the LS, except more compact and not stodgy.

lesz

I think that I agree with every one of the thoughts that you expressed, and I especially agree with what you said about the similarity between the the ES grille design and that of the new Camry. Every time I'm on the road and I see a new Camry approaching in the distance, my first thought is that the front of the Camry has an uncanny resemblance to that of the ES. One of the dealers from whom I had solicited offers before buying the new ES sent me information about the paint protection film packages that his dealership offered. When I looked at the pictures that showed what parts of the vehicle were covered in each package, it took me a couple of seconds to realize that I was looking at pictures of a Camry and not an ES.

With the new seats, the new console, the new door switch plates, etc. and with lots of new technology, it really is the interior of the car that makes me feel like I'm driving a different car from my 2013 ES.

imrankh24

Imho you guys are completely wrong. I have a 16 es and the Camry looks like complete garbage. The fogs and lights and grille are comp different.The pre refresh on the other hand has a lot of Camry resemblance esp the tail

TechNut

I completely agree. I have seen several repairs on black cars and they come out good. I agree that my Atomic Silver would be a problem if it ever needs body work. My wife and I love the color, but it really shows scratches easily too - although I know that can also haunt black finishes as well.

As for the grill comments by other members, I didn't like the new super-sized grill at first, but I admit it has grown on me over the past year. I'm ok with it now but still prefer the 2013 to 2015. It would be nice if the new grill had a matte finish or something so it didn't look as plasticky. It's ok though. It isn't as obnoxious as the smashed Darth Vader grill on the new RX.

zes

Lesz, gorgeous car, congratulations. So I did not realize this but I had started taking my 14 es for granted. Then I was on a business trip and I had a new (500 miles on odo) 16 Camry as a rental car. Drove it about a thousand miles about half on highway and half in the city over 10 days. It felt cheap and tinny. The major impact was when I got home and back into my es. Man, what a difference. The es is such a sweet step up. It starts from the way the doors close to the way the engine sound is tuned, to the suspension tuning. And I just love the wooden wheel. I think the dash has so much class. I dont think any dash comes close. And the seat fits so well. I used to notice how the back lights look so similar, but that is where it ends. The es is just a different class of vehicle. I feel grateful for owning one every time I sit in it.