Agreed RE: next gen. going Turbo. That's why I hopped on the opportunity to grab the ES now...and was lucky enough to land a UL.

 

I'm not sure what to say about replacing 3.5 V6 with 2.4T.

The 2.5 V6 is actually smoothest.
The 3.0 V6 is also very smooth and fractionally less smooth than the 2.5 V6.
However, the 3.5 V6 is definitely rougher at idle and at high rpm compared to 2.5 and 3.0 V6's.
Though driving around town, my 3.5 V6 absolutely purrs like a cat.

Now, my missus's 2.0T has smoother idle and smoother hi rpm revving, but around town, her 2.0T makes a lethargic turbo off boost and throbby note.
Hence, I'm not sure what to make of the new 2.4T.
Theoretically, the 2.4T won't be as smooth as the 2.0T.

Lexus certainly has tried hard to slightly drop the 3.5 V6's capacity to 3.4 V6 for the TT.
Likewise, they have also tried hard to reduce to 2.5 L 4 cylinder to 2.4 L for the turbo.
Only a test drive will determine results.

Look at the Germans.
Their six TT's are only 3.0 for both economy and NVH.
Their four cylinder turbos are only 2.0 for both economy and NVH too.
Hence, Lexus' big 2.4T and bigger 3.4TT are questionable, and I have neither driven either of them.

Their 2.4T Hybrid is certainly the way to go for the near future.
Lexus also needs a 3.4TT Hybrid for their high end models like LS500h etc.
It will be a while before solid state batteries can replace the ageing inferior yet expensive current crop of lithium ion powered EV's to phase out hybrids and plug-in PHEV's.

 

Describe "purrs like a cat" because I feel that mine is bulky and kind of lumbering, honestly.
Maybe I'm too afraid to get on it. I only rev it up to 3k, tops around town.

 

Did you purchase your vehicle brand new?
Around town, my 3.5 V6 purrs like a cat; it sounds almost like an electric motor.
However, the idle is disappointingly rough, and at full throttle, the 3.5 V6 is harsh.
I have owned 2x 2.5 L V6's in 1992 Mazda 626 V6 and 2006 Lexus IS250, and these two V6's idle and full throttle superbly.
My 1994 Camry 3.0 V6 wasn't that smooth.
However, my 1988 and 1992 929 3.0 V6's, 1997 ES300 3.0 V6, 2004 Honda Accord 3.0 V6, and 2005 GS300 V6 - were all very smooth at idle, and in particular - smooth on full throttle.
The 3.5 V6 is rough at idle, and especially rough on full throttle.

My 2002 Benz C260 2.6 L V6 was a bit rough, but that was because it was a 90 degree V6 built cheaply off a V8 die.

Once a week, or at least once a month, you must wide open throttle your 3.5 V6 to remove all the carbon deposits inside your engine.

 

@peteharvey First person on a Lex forum to mention WOTs....I was actually just wondering if what applied to a Northstar engine I had years ago applied to this 6-banger and I suppose it does. The folks on the Caddy forums were all about WOTs for the Northstar and some were engineers. They suggested putting that 4 speed (or 5-speed) tranny into 2nd gear, bringing it up to redline and then letting off the gas and having it coast down to as slow as you can go...reason being, iirc: The deceleration is where a lot of the magic happens and it can essentially suck carbon off of the inerds of the engine...the rings, I think(?)
Do you have any more specific knowledge about WOTs in the 2022 ES V6?

 

Wind it out on the highway. If you don't, you're wasting its best talent. High RPMs are where the V6 is smoothest, happiest and most instantly powerful.

 

Listen for the growl every now and then which you'll never hear under normal acceleration.

 

I'm going out east this weekend and I will wind it out in Suffolk County!

 

Beautiful - don't drive east of Montauk Point though

 

@mikemu30 @peteharvey But have you guys heard of the technique of putting it in a set gear, bringing it up to redline and then just taking your foot off the accelerator? The reason I ask is that the guys in Cadillac forums were all about the deceleration causing a vacuum within the cylinders which causes the carbon to get sucked off the rings?
I'm takin her out tomorrow on William Floyd Parkway (don't tell the authorities)

 

I've never heard of this specific technique before, but will be happy to give it a try - it's basically about full throttling it with an added throttle lift-off.

It reminds me of human HIIT - hi intensity interval training - in other words, having to max out as part of exercise.

 

The website Savage Geese just reviewed the base model 2023 RX and their biggest criticism was the four cylinder engine and the coarse feeling it gave the car, especially in comparison of some 4's by MB or BMW. I worry that Lexus has jumped into this and may regret it. But a lot of people just won't care much I suppose.

 

With tightening emissions and MPG requirements, no automaker has much of a choice. But it is one of the reasons I jumped on the ES 350 before it lost the V6.

 

Savagegesse drove the RX 350 with a 2.4 turbo and he didn’t like it. The next ES350 will have it and I am not happy about that.

 

My wife has IS200t, so I'm familiar with low rpm drone or brrrrrrr around town, as well as a lack of bottom end torque.
The German 4 cylinder turbos much smoother and more powerful too.

Savagegeese says new 2.4T rough.
Generally speaking, the bigger the capacity, the coarser.

To make things worse, the 2.4T is thirstier than old 3.5 V6 too.
​The Germans achieve refinement and economy by using small 2.0 capacities.

However, the 2.4T Hybrid ES500h with the assistance of electric motors should be all three faster, smoother and more economical.
Though Savagegeese says that only 10% will buy this flagship model.