The Lexus ES lineup has always been about providing buttery smooth comfort at a price that also projects a strong value to luxury consumers. With its Camry-based architecture, the ES is often the unsung hero in the luxury brand’s sales numbers with the ES preferring to let other models like the RX, LX, and even the LS shine in the limelight. Lexus has big plans for the ES but we wanted to see if the current generation ES can still hold down the fort for Lexus and continue to lure in its unique clientele of buyers.
ES styling is aging gracefully but look for the new model to address the flaws
At first glance, it’s easy to see that some aspects of the ES are starting to age. The current generation ES is based on the older Toyota Camry and while the Camry went all-hybrid only and benefitted from some of the updates that came with it, the ES gets to make do with older components. The exterior styling largely reflects this. It’s still a sharp presentation especially with the vivid red paint and black accents that adorned our F-Sport tester, but this initial flash can’t hide some of the odd bulges and creases that are scattered throughout the exterior.
Lexus has so far been tight-lipped about what buyers can expect from the updated version, but look for the model to perhaps get some of its magic from the updated IS with a crisper interpretation of the twin-spindle grille and styling that allows the ES to have a more uniform look especially at the rear with the funky looking taillights potentially being replaced with new ones that do a better job balancing out the ES’s personality. The segment the ES is in has shrunk in recent years but with mainstays like Buick long abandoning the sedan segment in favor of chasing the SUV gravy train, the ES does have an opportunity to stand out especially if it goes in a slightly more dynamic direction.
Comfort reigns supreme even in the F-Sport
Slip inside the ES and you’ll find that comfort is still priority in the ES. The F-Sport gets reworked seats that offer slightly more support but the rest of the environment is plush and high quality with the cabin getting a healthy infusion of high-quality materials and plenty of softened touchpoints. The second-row seats offer as much legroom as the front ones of tall passengers and the trunk is large enough for a good haul of luggage or even a bulky load of groceries though the lack of a folding rear seat is unwelcome. The amount of sound deadening in the cabin is also impressive with our tester doing a good job muting the bulk of the road and wind noise it encountered during our time with it.
The lone weak spot that emerged during long-term exposure was the electronics. All models get an 8.0-inch infotainment screen standard but buyers can upgrade to a larger 12.3-inch screen like the one our car had. The bigger screen is a nice upgrade in terms of screen real estate and the inclusion of standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is also appreciated. However, there were times when the software got hung up on certain functions and the wireless portion of Android Auto was far from perfect with the system cutting our phone off on select occasions when listening to music. Hopefully this quirk will be fixed when the next-generation model rolls into showrooms.
Aging ES V6 still has the muscle
Performance for the 350 version of the ES comes from a naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 that makes 302 hp and is paired with an eight-speed automatic. This V6 is one of three engines that the ES brings to the table with the base 250 model being powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder that gets standard all-wheel drive (V6 models like our example get front-wheel drive instead) with the ES300h getting a hybrid setup that makes 215 hp but gets more fuel economy in exchange.
The V6 in our tester produced good amounts of power but this is an old engine and its age shows when it comes to some of the excess buzzing that we noticed at freeway speeds. The F-Sport we were in is not a formal sport sedan by any stretch of the imagination but the handling here is more mainstream sedan that corner carver anyway with the light steering not doing a good job of painting a clear picture of what the front wheels were doing especially when the car was pushed through its paces. The V6 needed only 6.1 seconds to make the sprint to 60 mph which is not bad but far from what you get in a similarly equipped BMW 5-Series.
The EPA says a V6-powered ES350 can get 22/32 mpg in city and freeway driving with the hybrid version being more frugal at 43/44 mpg in the same categories.
Value quotient
Pricing for the 2024 Lexus ES350 starts at $48,385 for the base luxury model with the “Ultra Luxury” model starting at just over $52,000. Buyers looking to add more zest to the driving experience will have to go into the F-Sport range with the base F-Sport Design model starting at $47,800. Our F-Sport model had the Handling Package with the model starting at $49,675. The Black Line model is mainly a styling package and
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.