Auto news on Youtube Nov 2 2018

What do you want from a luxury car? Prestige? Comfort? Thrilling driving

dynamics? You take two out of three? If so then the Lexus ES might be the car for

you. Here's why. The Lexus ES is an exceptionally comfortable sedan in all

regards. The cabin is super quiet with a will calibrated suspension that expertly

masks the road's less civilized qualities.

Then there are the seats. Lexus and parent company Toyota have a talent for

shaping supportive pressure-point free seats. The ES is no exception,

especially up front with the optional power adjustable lumbar and thigh

support engaged. In back legroom is outstanding, and look, despite a sleek

profile headroom is plentiful. Similarly, the trunk is a roomy 16.7-

cubic feet, and it'd be nice if the seats folded for larger cargo, but

at least there's a pass-through for hauling, uh, I don't know, traffic cones? In all

positions occupants are treated to premium materials that are soft in all

the right places. I dig these squishy armrests, this tasteful stitching and

this cushy pad for resting my shin, because outside of Muay Thai nobody

likes a battered shin. Sure there are plastic key bits, but a broad sense of

quality permeates the interior. For example, notice how the glove compartment

door features a soft panel, and if you open it up there's a mesh material

inside instead of cold unfeeling plastic. Lexus could have skimped here, but they

didn't. It's the same deal with the slightly soft material in the grab

handles. Other niceties include a dual height cup holder, a two-way opening center

console cover, and an analogue clock for a little old-school luxury. For less than

$41,000 including destination charges you can get into a

base Lexus ES 350 with LED head and tail lights, three USB ports, a moonroof, smart

entry with push button start, and 10-way power front seats. Honestly that is

plenty of car, but move up the trim ladder and you can indulge with heated

and highly-effective cooled seats, leather, a power rear sunshade, a

panoramic moonroof, and 1800-watt Mark Levinson audio system, a 360-degree

camera system, and wireless phone charging. In peak fanciness an ES 300h

ultra luxury trim tops out at more than $54,000

Taste is subjective, but to my eyes Lexus has achieved something special with the

ES's exterior. It's long, wide, assertive shape speaks to longtime, yes, loyalists,

and perhaps new maybe even younger buyers, at least the ones who still want

a sedan instead of an SUV. For more daring types the ES 350 F-sport

adds visual aggression via unique 19-inch wheels, special seats, F-sport

exclusive aluminum interior trim, a thick perforated sporty steering wheel, dark

exterior accents, a larger eight-inch multi-information display in the gauge

cluster with this moving ring a la the Lexus LC coupe, and a spoiler, because you

just can't look fast without a spoiler.

First, the good. Lexus's Safety System Plus 2.0 comes standard. It's a suite of

safety and driver assist features including intelligent high beams,

adaptive cruise control, pre-collision warning with bicyclist detection,

pedestrian detection and automatic braking, ten airbags, and lane departure

warning with steering assist. On LA's ruthless freeway systems the adaptive

cruise control leaves a big gap between you and the vehicle ahead that other

motorists can exploit, but overall the driver assist systems work well. Then there's the

infotainment system. We love that Apple CarPlay comes standard but we wish

Android Auto did as well we also like the easy viewability afforded by the

high placed eight-inch or optional 12.3-inch display. The trick is it's not a

touchscreen, and even if it were it's too far away to touch. Instead you control it

with this remote touch interface featuring haptic feedback. You use your

finger to operate a cursor up on the screen. You get a little bit of a tap

here on your finger when it goes over an icon that you can then press and select.

You can also use pinch-to-zoom gestures to zoom in and out on the map. It's not

my favorite way to control the screen, but it's okay.

I suggest you try it before you commit, zoom, pinch

The ES 350 and its F-sport variant use the same 3.5-liter V6 matched to an

8-speed automatic transmission. It's a powerful powertrain combination.

If you need proof floor it from a stop.

Listen to this baby sing.

That power enables quick passing, easy freeway merging, and 0-60 sprints

around 6.5-seconds. At the same time the transmission feels busy, frequently

downshifting following even modest throttle inputs. We've also noticed

occasional rough shifts. On an unambiguously positive note the brakes

are fantastic. They're firm with excellent feel, from first press all the

way to that satisfying moment when you realize that you've stopped but you're

not exactly sure when.

The latest Lexus ES certainly looks quicker than ESsof yore, and to a

certain degree its handling matches the aesthetic. Driving fun is not this car's

top priority, but it does feel stable and reassuring when cornering. Livening the

ES driving experience is the aforementioned F Sport, featuring adaptive dampers and a

Sport S+ mode. In the sportiest of drive modes the ES has a taut, eager quality,

flowing into corners. It's still not a sports car, but it is more fun than ESs

of the past. Corner just kind of keeps going doesn't it? Sport S+ mode is only

offered on the F-Sport, but the standard ES 350 and ES 300h each offer

normal, eco, and sport modes to customize steering throttle and transmission

behavior. Regarding visability, it's good in most directions except over the

driver's left thanks to a thick B-pillar. The good news? Leaning forward to look

around it really works your core. Feel the burn, yo!

The standard ES 350 is a decently efficient machine and the ES 350 F-Sport

is just slightly thirstier, but if trimming fuel cost is your goal

go buy a Prius, and if that's not fancy enough consider the ES 300h hybrid. It's

only $1,800 more and looks virtually identical to the

standard ES aside from some badging and a lightly reworked lower rear fascia.

Also trunk space is not compromised by the battery. There's an EV mode for

brief all-electric stints. The brakes feel relatively normal unlike some

hybrids, and no surprises here, it's exceedingly efficient.

That's stellar for a roomy luxury sedan running 87 octane. Granted the hybrid is the slowest

of the ESs but standstill to 60 miles per hour at barely more than eight-

seconds it's still respectable, if not thrilling.

Sixty! With few downsides and plenty of power from its 2.5-liter four-cylinder

engine and electric motor, the hybridized ES might be the best of the bunch, but

honestly there's no wrong choice. In sporty, efficient, or original flavors the

Lexus ES is a comfortable, captivating luxury sedan bolstered by Lexus's

renowned reliability and strong residual values. Look elsewhere and the Genesis

G80 offers rear-wheel drive and more horsepower for roughly the same price.

Meanwhile the Buick LaCrosse and Acura TLX can each be had for

thousands less though neither approaches the ES's upscale vibe. Further up the

food-chain the BMW 5-series and Mercedes Benz E-Class each offers

superior luxury trappings but cost much more than the ES.

With top-tier comfort, Goldilocks styling, and a lack of game-killing flaws, the

latest ES is even more proof that Lexus knows what luxury car buyers want.

Here's that unfortunate moment where I recognize that I'm on two GoPros.