Lexus ES300 Interior Review
Inside, the first thing that strikes you is the purplish shade of the California walnut wood, which flows in a subtle T shape from the center console up to the dash then out to the back of each front door. The wood has a different look, and it works with the brushed aluminum trim. The standard steering wheel and shift lever are stitched leather and look very nice; the optional wheel is part walnut and the lever all walnut, and they add prestige.
A clean instrument panel features analog instruments with a white background, and they are easy to read. Besides the usual indicator lights, there's an exterior temperature gauge and an information display that covers fuel mileage, driving range and average speed.
We had a big problem with reading the radio and climate control digital displays in the sun, however. And the air conditioning has a tiny crumb-sized green light indicating it's on, which is undetectable in the bright of day.
The glove compartment contains a trunk lock, as well as trunk lid and fuel door releases; and the rearview mirror is self-dimming electrochromic, with a digital compass. The console holds a storage box with a power outlet inside, and two cupholders with adjustable rings. There's a purse hanger in the front passenger footwell, and two retractable coat hooks in the rear.
The standard fabric seats offer 10-way power adjustment for the driver and eight-way for the front passenger, so the seating position is excellent, with lots of front-seat legroom. There are good places to brace your limbs, and a big dead pedal for your left foot. Our test model was loaded, and had the plush Regency leather. The seats are very comfortable, but if you try to drive the ES 300 around corners like a sports sedan, your upper body will slide a bit.
Increasing the size of the ES 300 resulted in more headroom, and more legroom in the rear. Front and rear headroom increased by 1.7 and 1.4 inches, while rear legroom grew from 34.4 to 35.6 inches. Front legroom suffered, however, shrinking from 43.5 to 42.2 inches. Despite the increased height, there doesn't seem to be an abundance of headroom; a 5'10" driver can touch the headliner by stretching a bit. And the slope of the rear window doesn't allow a panoramic view, though it still fills the rearview mirror. The mirror is mounted so close to the headliner that it has to be grabbed awkwardly from the bottom to adjust.
The optional DVD navigation system is state of the art, designed for intuitive operation, according to Lexus. It has a tilt screen and simplified highway graphics for easier viewing, and multi routes to multi destinations for those so intuitively inclined. This system is third generation, and route calculation is twice as fast as before, with voice guidance that directs you back to the route if you blow it. In French, if you want it. The database also contains the location of airports, banks, hotels, restaurants, shopping centers and even ATMs.
Lexus ES300 Road Test
Suspension and styling are key strengths to this car, and the suspension is highly polished. Our test car had the Adaptable Variable Suspension, which is tuned very nicely, although four stiffness settings might be overkill, especially since neither 4 (firm) nor 1 (soft) were extreme. We drove in position 4 around town and it wasn't harsh (definitely stiff on a washboard gravel road, though). Conversely, the car didn't wallow during spirited cornering, even in position 1. The ride simply can be made great in all conditions.
The 16-inch tires have gone from 205/65 to 215/60, making them lower and wider. The four-wheel independent strut suspension is the same design as before, (it keeps body roll down), but strengthened subframes allow more precise handling. The speed-sensitive power-assist rack-and-pinion steering has a very nice touch: light, but with good feel. We got into the ES 300 after a week in a very nice Volvo C70, also front-wheel drive, and immediately noticed the effortless steering.
The brakes, too, were effortless; very nicely sensitive. The first time we applied them, at 30 mph, we went, "Whoa!" You get used to it quickly, and appreciate it.
If the styling and suspension are the strong features, the engine and transmission offer less to boast about. The all-aluminum, 24-valve V6 engine produces the same 210 horsepower as the previous ES 300, although refinements have made it smoother and quicker; its 0-60 acceleration time of 8.1 seconds is decent, but may be disappointing if compared to some of the high-horsepower competition, such as the 260-horsepower Acura TL-S.
The new transmission is a five-speed automatic with manual shift capability, and it's a solid advancement in technology over the old four-speed automatic. Aggressive upshifts are snappy and casual upshifts are invisible, but the downshifts aren't always smooth; and we were surprised at how frequent the transmission kicked down, given the engine's healthy 222 pound-feet of torque.
The ES 300 shares its platform with the new Toyota Camry (similarly styled), and its front-wheel-drive layout puts it in the category with the Audi A4, Acura 3.2 TL, and Infiniti I35. Rear-drive sedan competition includes the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes C-Class, and Cadillac Catera (soon to be replaced by the sporty CTS).
The ES 300's weight distribution of 61 percent front, 39 percent rear might limit the cornering potential (that's where the Skid Control option comes in), but then Lexus offers a rear-drive alternative, the IS 300, with a five-speed gearbox for those truly into driving.
Lexus ES300 Lineup
There's just one model, the ES 300 sedan, which borrows so many luxury features from the LS 430 that it's being called the "Baby LS 430" in the halls at Lexus. It starts inside with the shape and construction of the power front seats, and adds a Supplemental Restraint System of multi airbags. New standard equipment includes Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), which works the antilock brakes independently on each wheel; dual-zone climate control with air filtration; seven-speaker, 86-watt audio system with single CD and cassette; water-repellant front door glass; and lamps that illuminate the doorsill and the ground when the doors are opened. The snazzy nine-spoke alloy wheels nicely set off the un-conservative styling.
And how's this for value? The base price remains the same, $31,505.
It will cost another eight grand or so to get it fully loaded, however. Options include Vehicle Skid Control ($650); Adaptive Variable Suspension ($620); the same Regency leather as in the LS 430 ($1560); a touch-screen DVD satellite navigation system featuring faster route calculation and voice guidance ($3960, including the leather and a six-disc CD); three upgrades in audio systems, the ultimate being a Mark Levinson system with six-disc in-dash (or console, with the navigation system) CD changer offering 240 watts ($3010, including the leather); a power rear sunshade ($210); high intensity discharge headlamps with automatic leveling and rain-sensing wipers ($640); heated seats ($440); and chrome wheels ($1700).