newgsman

iTrader: (4)

Fast and loud cars have their place and I own two of them, a 74 Dodge Challenger and 2012 Lexus ISF, but for daily driving, my 2022 Lexus ES300h Ultra Luxury package takes the cake. It is serene, quiet, comfortable, has plenty of zip for normal driving and the gas mileage is incredible. I am sure an ES350 would be a nice car also but in my opinion it borders on being just ordinary when it comes to being a luxury car. Other than projected reliability it hardly offers anything much more than any other luxury sedan. The ES300h on the other hand, provides a refined hydrid drivetrain that is rare to find in a luxury car. It stands out without standing out.

asadani

I would tend to disagree with your observation. I have the RX350h and the ES350. As much as I can say the RX is refined, it does sound boomy when you press the gas, whereas the ES is silent and reacts to the requirements very sophistically. I test drove the ES300h prior to picking up the ES350 and felt that the ES300h although has great gas mileage, it surely lacks in terms of the sheet pleasure of driving. I'm unclear how people are moving away from the V6' preferences over the hybrid trains. Most are just after saving gas but the car drive pleasure and refinement can be given only with the v6.

However, I do absolutely like how the es300h and the rx350h starts. (completely silent) but that's about the max I can go. Drive pleasure. !! -10. Now If I want a good drive experience, I'll get the tesla or a byd someday but a hybrid is a big no for me. Although I don't wanna say this, I absolutely dislike the RX. Its just been sitting in my garage with 800 miles on it. My wife picks up the ES, I drive the ES. We have a discussion on who will get the ES.
Drive the ES350 and see for yourself.

Bankses350

Long time es350 owner. Test drove the 300h, 2024. Found the total silence at rest to be interesting and potentially relaxing. We did a highway test and on acceleration i could hear a noise, kind of high and a bit whining. It was the kind of thing i could learn to live with, but i wondered if the smaller motor was being stressed? This was less relaxing. I dont drive so many miles that the gas savings would be enough to live with noise. Maybe the es 300h luxury has more sound deadening? But didn't want to spend the extra cash for that. bought a 2024 es350.

UltraLux22

When I was deciding which '22 Ultra Luxury car to get, I hadn't yet tested a 300h of any year. This was during the pandemic, and the dealer had a really tough time acquiring one. The day they finally did, I got a call from the GM to "come on down," so I drove over there like I was on The Price is Right!

It was a solid white 2021 300h UL. I'm not usually a fan of white cars, but for some reason, the Lexus ES and RX are two exceptions to my rule. So, I was excited to see what this thing would do. I was currently in a 2019 350 Luxury maxed out with all the features except for semi-aniline and rear window manual side shades.

The interior of the 300h was as luxurious as expected, so I pushed the start button, put it in drive, and pressed the accelerator, ready to be wowed – or at least moderately pleased. I drove maybe 50 feet, and I was ready to head back to the parking spot. My brain was saying, "Let's just give it a chance," but my heart just said, "Not today!"

Out of respect for the GM, I did drive it a little further. It's one of those things in a car – when you're not deciding on a heads-up display or premium audio – it's the drive that matters most, at least for me. When you know, you know, and I knew I would forever be disheartened if this was the experience I was going to have every time I got behind the wheel.

Blame it on the power of the 350 that I'd become accustomed to, but I just couldn't do it. There just wasn't enough “vroom vroom from the boom boom's tune!” That's not to say the 300h isn't a fine powertrain, and it certainly helps the pocketbook stay a little more full, but I was spoiled.

It's not that I'm a speed demon, but I do want the confidence that 306hp would provide. Plus, on the immature side of things, it's kinda fun leaving someone in the dust, and the 300 just doesn't inspire that for me.

The halo effect (Google it, it's a thing!) surrounding Lexus and my positive experiences with the ES led me to believe that the 300h would deliver a similarly exciting driving experience. Sure, I knew the horsepower was way less than my 350, and I was honestly trying to be open-minded about it. But after driving it, I realized the loss of power was just too much for me. Let's just say I fell victim to a classic case of heuristics: (I won’t make you Google this one!) We use mental shortcuts to make quick judgments. In this case, I relied on engine power as a quick indicator of a luxury car's overall desirability. Within seconds of driving it, my gut reaction solidified my decision not to proceed with the purchase. So, I got a 22 ES 350 Ultra Luxury instead. It was a clear reminder that even with a luxurious brand, personal preferences for power and performance can't be overlooked.

Aegean

The comparison of the ES 350 and the ES 300h is not apples to apples. The only comparison that makes sense is between the ES 250 and the ES 300h with similar horsepower and price. The hybrid power train is smoother, more relaxed and yes gets a better mpg but for a Lexus owner the gas cost is a minor consideration. The ES 250 power train just seems two decades old in power delivery and overall engine response.

UltraLux22

Nobody said the comparison was fair; I wanted to know firsthand the difference. Now I know, now you know, and now the world knows. 250-300h, that's your comparison, and this was mine. Besides, I like strawberries over apples. See, I win!

Wait, wait, that's not very grown-up of me. That's not fair, either. Umm, okay. Let’s try this again.

You're absolutely right; it's not a fair comparison. That's like comparing a kitten to a tiger – sure, they're both cats, and they'd both definitely try to kill me (especially my sweet little cuddle-muffin, Ms. Kitty), but the experiences would be vastly different. One would do it with the ferocity of a jungle predator, the other with the calculated sneak attack of a furry assassin waiting for my deepest sleep. I just wanted to experience a hybrid; I did it, and let's just say I didn't like it. If it helps, I wouldn't be too fond of the 250 either!

But you know what really doesn’t make sense? A tiger as a house pet! Can you imagine the litter box situation? Yikes!

*** Oh, I just remembered that I actually attempted to test drive a UL 250. My GM said, "You don't want to do that." Nuff said!