Lexus ES 2013 Review

OVERVIEW

Lexus stopped building the mid-size ES sedan in right-hand drive when the fifth generation was introduced, so the Australian division had no choice but to drop it.

From 1992 to 2006 nearly 7000 ES 300s were sold in Australia and the car definitely had a following, even if it shared a heap of mechanicals – including its front-wheel drive platform -- with the more humdrum Toyota Camry.

It was certainly something different in the range of rear-wheel drive sedans Lexus offered.

These days the mechanical linkages with Camry are less pronounced – but still strong - and with the decision to reinstate right-hand drive manufacture, the ES gets another shot.

This time however, there’s a petrol-electric hybrid 300h in the line-up as well as an orthodox V6 350.

That starting price is $63,000 for the ES 300h Luxury, rising to $72,000 for the ES 300h Sports Luxury. The ES 350 Luxury is $65,000 and the ES 350 Sports Luxury is $74,000.

The base model hybrid’s price positioning is a little artificial because it is the only model without a wave radar for active cruise control, which costs an extra $3000 and is the only option offered across the range. See the ‘SAFETY’ section for more on that.

There are significant mechanical differences between the drivetrains of the two cars, which we will detail below as part of the ‘MECHANICAL’ section, but in terms of equipment there is a lot of commonality.

Luxury standard features include satellite-navigation, a reversing camera, parking sonar, blind-spot monitor, sunroof, eight-speaker audio, keyless entry and start, digital radio, a leather-accented interior and dual zone climate-control with Nanoe enabling.

According to Lexus, Nanoe technology is gentler on the skin than regular air-con because it coats microscopic ions in 1000 times greater water content than regular air ions.

Sports Luxury models add tri-zone climate-control, HID headlights, 15-speaker Mark Levinson audio, heated and ventilated front seats, a power bootlid, manual side sun shades, rear centre armrest-mounted controls and semi-aniline leather-accented interior.

A full-size spare tyre is standard.

A four year/100,000km warranty with roadside assist is standard, as is an eight-year warranty for the hybrid’s nickel-metal hydride battery.

Lexus hopes to sell around 100 examples of the ES per month to a combination of both private and fleet/hire buyers. It forecast a 60/40 split in favour of the hybrid.

The 2GR-FE 3.5-litre V6 is familiar to Australian Lexus and Toyota buyers in a wide variety of vehicles, including the locally built Toyota Aurion and the Lexus RX SUV.

In this particular case the all-alloy 60-degree DOHC engine makes 204kW at 6200rpm and 346Nm at 4700rpm. It accelerates to 100km/h in 7.4 seconds, consumes 95 RON at a claimed average of 9.5L/100km, emits 224 grams of CO2 per kilometre and drives via a six-speed automatic transmission.

A new active engine mount system, including three fluid-filled engine mounts, is claimed to reduce transmission of noise, vibration and harshness from the engine bay to the body at low rpm.

Australians are also aware of the 300h’s hybrid drivetrain because it is the fundamentally same as the one employed in the recently launched Lexus IS 300h and is scheduled to go into a new GS 300h in early 2014.

It's also in the locally built Toyota Camry Hybrid. It features the a 2.5-litre 2AR-FXE four-cylinder Atkinson-cycle engine and two electric motors that produce a combined 151kW and an unspecified maximum torque output around 270Nm.

The 300h regenerates electricity by braking, which is stored in a nickel-metal hydride – rather than latest tech lithium-ion – battery.

Claimed average fuel consumption is a miserly 5.5L/100km and emissions just 130g CO2/km. It accelerates to 100km/h in 8.5 seconds and drives its front wheels via a planetary gear-type continuously variable transmission (CVT). It can run for short periods of time as an EV at speeds up to 45km/h.

The ES is based on a new front-wheel drive architecture it shares with the US-market Toyota Avalon. Lexus says it is more rigid, lighter, longer and lower than the underpinnings that had originally been planned for the car, which were shared with the Camry.

This change was driven by a desire to improve the car’s dynamic abilities as well maintain its traditional spaciousness, comfort and quietness.

The new ES Line has a wheelbase of 2820mm, a front track of 1590mm and a rear track of 1575mm – compared with figures of 2720mm, 1545mm and 1535mm respectively for the last ES sold in Australia. Overall length increases by 45mm to a Holden Commodore-rivalling 4900mm.

Claimed kerb weight varies between 1630kg and 1705kg depending on the model.

Suspension is via MacPherson struts up front and new dual-link rear system. The road speed sensitive rack-and-pinion steering rack is electrically assisted. Turns lock to lock are 2.9 and the turning circle 11.4 metres. All models are fitted with 215/55 R17 Yokohama low-noise tyres.

The new braking system utilises 296mm ventilated front discs and 281mm solid rear discs.

The electric power steering, acceleration feel and air-conditioning systems can be adjusted via the Drive Mode Select, which can be shifted between eco, sport and normal modes.

The attractive exterior, which features a conservative execution of the distinctive Lexus ‘spindle grille’, boasts a wind-cheating 0.27 coefficient of drag.

Leg room is especially good at 1065mm up front and 1015.4mm in the rear, the latter better than a Mercedes-Benz S-Class, says Lexus. The front-wheel drive layout helps here because there is no transmission tunnel interfering with space.

Sitting in the back there is no question how much room there is. The ES has the potential to appeal to chauffer drivers thanks to the roominess and the wide-opening doors. Maybe the Lexus badge will also be a factor.

But there are a couple of omissions in the rear that disappoint: no door pockets and no door grabs. Otherwise it’s all quite nice and yes, very quiet.

The instrument panel display features two dials that change colour (red for sport and blue for eco) depending on the mode you are in. The 350 gets an orthodox tachometer while the hybrid has a power meter. There is a standard eight-inch satellite-navigation screen at the top of the centre stack.

The steering wheel adjusts for reach and rake manually and the driver’s seat is fully powered.

Luggage space is 490 litres for ES 350 while the hybrid offers 425 litres because the battery pack sits behind the rear seat. There is no split/folding rear seat function to expand the space.

LED foot area illumination is standard on all models.

The interior is available in a range of different trim and colour options including three leather-accented interior colours: black, light grey and ivory.

The type of leather-accented interior depends on the grade. Luxury grades receive an embossed leather-accented interior while Sports Luxury models feature a semi-aniline leather-accented interior for a premium feel.

Piano black finish is standard for Luxury models, while Sports Luxury models feature Birdseye Maple. Bamboo is offered with the hybrid models.

The overall feel and presentation is quite high without quite hitting the standards of the IS and GS. No complaints, just reality.

ES 300h models have the added features of Hill-start Assist Control (HAC) and an electronically controlled brake system (ECB).

All Sports Luxury and ES 350 Luxury models, and the ES 300h with Enhancement Pack 1 (add $3000), have the added feature of a millimetre-wave length radar sensor in the grille.

It provides input for the Lexus Pre-Collision Safety System (PCS) and active (distance and speed measuring) cruise control. PCS combines active and passive safety features, including Pre-Collision Brake Assist.

The ES is fitted with 10 airbags, including dual-stage front airbags, front-seat knee airbags, front and rear side airbags and full-length curtain-shield airbags.

There is no Australian NCAP crash safety rating as yet for the ES.

We’re not sure if many Audi A4, BMW 3 Series or Mercedes-Benz C-class shoppers will be swayed into a Lexus showroom by that argument. If they are then the IS and the ES are going to eat each other’s sales as well.

We’d imagine the ES buyer profile is going to be pretty mature and pretty logical, rather than being swayed by the romance of a badge or the lure of spinning rear wheels.

So logical competition? The Toyota Aurion is one obvious place to start and the Camry Hybrid another. Yes, we know they are much cheaper and not as well equipped, but there are strong similarities which have been pointed out.

The lower end of the Lexus GS lines up close to the ES, as does the Jaguar XF. There’s even an E 200 Benz not that far away. The Volvo S60 is another potential rival.

The ES could also tempt some chauffer drivers out of their Holden Caprices too.

Of the two models, the hybrid actually seems the better choice. It is quieter, rides at least as well, seems to have a better handling balance and offers better fuel economy.

The V6 has the advantage in performance on paper, but there’s not that much to it in terms of real-world acceleration.

From the driver’s seat the hybrid feels better connected to the road. The V6 developed a real stickiness in the steering when in sport mode but its six-speed transmission went dormant in normal mode. Manual changing can only be made via the shifter.

The hybrid’s steering was notably better and the CVT did a good job of keeping the engine interested without having to resort to using any of the six programmed steps.

Only the wooden feel of the hybrid’s regenerative braking system worked against it compared to the V6.

Ride comfort is good, the dulling of exterior intrusions commendable (Lexus even claims the motors for the power boot opening and closing in the Sports Luxury model are the quietest available) and there’s no arguing there is plenty of space.

Yes the ES lacks in terms of excitement, but then that’s not at the top of the priority list for everyone, is it?

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