The Lexus ES 350 is available in four trim levels: Standard, F-sport, Luxury and Ultra Luxury. All ES 350 vehicles are equipped with a V6 engine producing 302 horsepower and 215 foot-pounds of torque which sends power to the front wheels via an 8-speed automatic. A hybrid version of the Lexus ES, dubbed the ES 300h uses a 2.5 liter 4-cylinder Atkinson engine mated to a 29.1 kW motor, which is good for 215 combined horsepower and a 44 mpg rating. The ES300h is available in all trims other than the F Sport trim.
The F Sport includes adaptive dampening control, which increases chassis stiffness in corners while maintaining comfort during highway driving conditions. Also added are unique 19-inch wheels, an F Sport grille, unique seat upholstery, Active Noise Control, a rear spoiler and Hadori aluminum interior trim.
Standard features across the lineup include 17-inch wheels, LED headlights and taillights, power moon roof, NuLuxe seating, power 10-way adjustable seats, push button start, dual-zone climate control, 10-speaker audio system, Amazon Alexa compatibility and four-zone automatic climate control.
Lexus offers a couple option packages for those wanting even more luxury. An aptly named Luxury trim includes heated side mirrors, wood trim, acoustic side glass and leather seats. The Ultra Luxury trim brings even more comfortable Semi-aniline leather seats, a power rear sunshade, front and rear performance dampers and a hands-free power trunk. Stand-alone features like heated steering wheel, panoramic sunroof, heads-up display, Mark Levinson audio, navigation with 12.3-inch display, Qi wireless smartphone charging and 18-inch wheels can be added at any level.
On the safety side, Lexus' Safety System+ 2.0 comes standard. Some of the features it includes are intelligent high beams, lane departure alert with steering assist, adaptive cruise control, 10 airbags, and a pre-collision system that also has low-light pedestrian detection, oncoming vehicle detection and daytime bicyclist detection. Optional safety features include blind-spot monitoring, park assist sonar with pedestrian detection and panoramic view monitor for added ease of parking and pedestrian mitigation.
Unique Exterior Styling
Exceptional Performance
Luxurious Interior
Award-winning Safety Features
After a full redesign last year, the Lexus ES returns for 2020 with only minor changes. Lexus has updated the infotainment system slightly and added power folding side mirrors as a standard feature to all but the base versions of the car. In addition, a rear spoiler is now available as an option for those wanting a little sportier styling.
The Lexus ES combines luxury, improved driving dynamics and bold new styling to help stand out in a competitive luxury mid-sized sedan crowd. Lexus has set its sights on the likes of the Mercedes E-class and BMW 5-Series offering comparable levels of luxury, with considerably less cost to the consumer. The ES starts at just under $40,000 while the E-Class starts a whopping $14,000 more, making the ES a bargain when compared with the German status quo.
