EJC

I have to agree.
I have a '10 IS250 AWD and a '10 ES350. Very happy with both of them but they are very different cars. The IS is stiffer and tighter on the handling. The driver's position is snug and comfortable. I also use a CG Lock on the seat belt of my IS (not on the ES). The ES has a roomier passenger compartment and works well when you have larger rear seat passengers. Drivers position is not as snug as the IS. The ES is definitely a Sedan ride.

ekwlee

i think the consensus is test it out...see if u like it..does it fit your needs..then buy it..if it doesn't then dont...stay with the IS..what was that saying? to each his own?..btw my age is 25...wayyyyy off the median age of an es350 driver..

dojoman

iTrader: (5)

ES drives like a boat.

Sffd103

iTrader: (16)

I had a 2010 ES350 loaner and I like others have said liked the smooth floating on air ride. It was huge inside and trunk as well. Nice if you have others in the car a lot. I don't and like sporty cars and like the look of being slammed.So with that being said I think a GS430 would be the car for me if I ever wanted to move up the ladder.

650IS350

iTrader: (1)

Had a ES350 as a loaner for a couple of days while I wanted for a couple of recall fixes. Cool ride and space wise it was nice but power to weight ration/pick up , not my cup of tea. Also taking corners is blah, it's like driving a glorified Camry. Would I ever consider one, no I'd rather go with a GS or better a LS460

chrisyano

I had an ES350 loaner last year. It was brand new, so I guess an '09 model? I couldn't tell you if it was a base model or not, but I would guess it probably was.

I didn't care for the interior design. Certain parts just screamed out cheap to me and I didn't care for the layout (at least compared to my '07 IS). I really do like the exterior styling though...and if it were RWD with a stronger engine I'd probably be much more into the ES.

As for the ride, it was definitely much more floaty and cushy. I remember being more disappointed with the engine response than I was with the '10 IS250 I recently had. Not a bad drive at all.

Bottom line is though, I think the car is spot on when it comes to meeting the target market's wants/needs. I'm just not one of those people I guess.

flowrider

iTrader: (9)

ES and IS are aimed at different people. As you can see by my sig, we have both. My wife loves her ES, and I luv my F. Her wants, needs and desires in a vehicle are much different than mine.

Lou

Micaiah

Wow, lots of information here!! Thank you everyone for taking the time to tell me of your experiences. Dave, I tried to search IS vs ES and well.....obviously I should have searched ES350. Sorry about that, but thank you for the links, that helped alot

Looks like I won't have that fear anymore of going astray. I'll see what they have to offer. I love my Micaiah and have no desire to sell him but I was just hoping I won't be kicking myself for not getting an ES instead.

I appreciate all of your words, your posts have made me feel much much better!

bnizzle87

we were debating this for my mom as well. because we already have an IS, she wanted something more for herself. in no way did she want to mod (you know when mom gives you that look). lol. we had negotiated on an es, but i noticed some pretty deep scratches on the hood. this salesman would not do anything to try to get rid of them. i wasn't asking him to repaint the whole damn car, so we essentially walked away. because my mom commutes and she parks in some odd places, she ultimately decided on an '11 toyota avalon limited, which was pretty comparable to the ES when she explored both. she loves it, so if mom's happy, thats all that matters.

kuuqi

I'm not a fan of the ES honestly. It's something I can never see myself buying. Though I will say it's a perfect sedan for someone who's just starting a family or someone who's retired and aren't looking into spending a ton of money. But obviously, they'd want something more upscale at aren't too concerned about cornering abilities.

I've driven the ES as a loaner car and even took it on a 200 mile road trip for a weekend just to try it out. My buddies and I all agreed that it's a good car but not what we'd ever buy. Honestly I'd choose the GS at the extra cost or just end up grabbing a subaru forester for its super-practical design. just my two cents.

Fizzboy7

There is technically nothing wrong with the ES, it's just what your interests and priorities are. If you value handling and a sportier ride, the IS is for that. If you want to be isolated from the outside world and coddled in more luxury, the ES is for that. So, all depends on what you want out of your car.
The ES loaner I had was very enjoyable and the power was tempting. But in the end, I was starting to miss my IS and was glad to get it back.

ScKcBc

iTrader: (2)

i had a 2010 es350 as a loaner and I'd NEVER buy that car. If you want a bigger 4 door car, go with a GS, G37x, E class, 5 series, or TL. All of those car trump the ES350 IMO. It's such an old man car to me

Micaiah

It's not that I wanted one, heck - I never drove one before. I thought it was something of interest is all.

I'm old but remember, I come from the muscle car era and for me it has to have power, a little bit of roughness and now that I'm up there in age, a little bit of luxury. I can never give up my Micaiah. I'm just not ready to slow it down quite yet. I'm still freaked about my last speeding ticket.

650IS350

iTrader: (1)

Yeah if I wanted a larger 4 door I'd go with a GS / E350/E55/ 5 or 7 series

Micaiah

True, but $$$$$$$$$$$$$$