More and more carmakers feel the necessity to combine sportiness with luxury. BMW does it. Infiniti does it. Mercedes-Benz does it. Hell, even Hyundai does it with their 2012 Genesis sedan. And Lexus does it – at least with its IS and GS sedans.
However, Lexus doesn’t do it with the ES 350. And that’s OK.
You see, the 2011 Lexus ES doesn’t encourage sporty driving. Oh, it can handle an apex or two just fine, but that’s not what this car is all about. And you know what? A lot of people seeking luxury cars don’t give a damn about apexes. Some don’t even know what an apex is – and that’s OK, too.
A glorified Camry? Maybe.
Some might write the Lexus ES 350 off as being nothing more than a tarted-up Toyota Camry, and that’s partly true. They do share a platform, powertrain and some other components, but that’s not a big deal.
After all, the 24-valve, 3.5L V6 mated to a fluid 6-speed automatic is a smooth operator and a powerful one when required. In the Lexus, the engine produces 268 horsepower and 248 lb.-ft of torque, just like the Camry. Actually, it used to offer 272 hp until the 2010 model year, but that required premium fuel. You can now use regular unleaded and save some dollars.
Since the ES is front-wheel drive, you shouldn’t dream about more power anyway as you’ll visit torque-steer city more often than you want. As it stands, this Lexus is fine as is, delivering 0-100km/h times of 7.1 seconds.
The ES 350’s suspension is comforting and relaxing. There is absolutely no harshness to be felt here. Multi-hour highway jaunts in this car don’t tire you out at all, like if you only drove to the local shopping mall and back. Road noise – or any noise besides the kids for that matter – is kept to a faint hush. However, I do wish the steering would offer more feedback.
Well crafted cockpit
At first glance, the ES 350’s dashboard design doesn’t give the impression that Lexus was trying very hard. Truthfully, the car’s age doesn’t help either, as the simplistic centre stack layout looks dated. But again, I think the typical customer interested in this car appreciates the straightforwardness of the instrument panel.
When you look more closely, you’ll realize that there is cohesion in the design; the soft crease that curves upwards from the centre stack flows right through to the door panels. As for fit and finish, it’s day and night compared to the 2007-2011 Camry; everything lines up perfectly and nothing feels flimsy.
One aspect I personally like about Lexus products are the seats. They benefit from a firm softness that is supportive for long-distance travelling. On a road trip from Montreal to New Hampshire and back, I never felt fed up of driving. And during that road trip, since I’m on the subject, I observed a fuel economy average of 8.5L/100km, which is pretty good.
The rear seat can easily accommodate two adults, but three across is pushing it a little. While there is sufficient legroom, the low roofline and the firmness of the middle cushion result in some noggin-scraping on the ceiling. Trunk space, at 416 litres, provided plenty of room for the aforementioned road trip including all the kid's belongings.
Classy looks
True, the Lexus ES sheet metal doesn’t get that ol' adrenaline pumping. It’s a matter of personal taste, but one thing's for sure, the car displays a restrained elegance that can be appreciated by many. And cars with less-than-striking designs allow faster driving without getting, uh, noticed.
The $500 Touring package added to our tester rounds up adaptive HID headlights, a different alloy wheel design and a rear decklid spoiler. In my opinion, the latter doesn’t look right on the ES, as it spoils the elegant lines of the car.
And you know the age-old habit of popping the hood to show your neighbours what kind of firepower your car is packing? Forget it in the ES 350. Everything except the washer fluid filler cap is hidden under plastic covers including the engine. Bo-ring.
Is it worth it?
At $42,150 before taxes, freight and delivery charges, the 2011 Lexus ES 350 doesn’t come cheap. Those who prefer sporty luxury cars will quickly point out that you can get an all-wheel drive Infiniti G37x or a BMW 328i sedan, however, that’s not the real competition for the ES. This Lexus rivals the Buick LaCrosse, the Nissan Maxima and the Lincoln MKZ.
The Lexus ES 350 is a serenely smooth, whisper-quiet and fluffy luxury sedan. It isn’t particularly exciting, but for those who want a relaxing ride – essentially a capsule that isolates them from this crazy, noisy and technology-driven world – the ES is a solid and reliable choice. Just don’t add any options to it.
