Am I going mad...Warming to one of these...Lexus ES

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
My understanding it that these are glorified Toyota Camry's. I've read the rear room isn't the best due to the curve or the roof but nonetheless a good car. 2.4 hybrid. CVT. Reliable and usual come with a lot of options as standard.
 
Ignoring the nose, for the minute, I've never understood why the ES hasn't been sold in the UK.

Is it something to do with Corporate fleet buyers? Dunno.

Whenever I've driven a rental ES (outside of Europe, natch over the last three decades), I've always been very impressed with them.

A bit soft maybe, but always luxurious, well put together, and not too large. Not as good as an E Class or 5 Series, but certainly ahead of the rest.

Lexus_ES_350_Royal_Ruby_Red_Metallic.jpg
 
We had a Toyota for 20 years that didn't set a foot wrong, was scrapped last year due to cost vs usage. Cars don't get much better than Toyota/Lexsus. And the customer service in the UK is very good.

That said, the design looks unresolved.... it looks like a novelty party-joke grille stuck on a C-Class.
 
Deja vu

Same was said about the Audi grills now no one gives a second look

And in a similar way, cars that looked futuristic and amazing when first released become mundane when common on the roads. The Sierra and the Prius Mk1 come to mind.

It takes a genius to make a classic design that defeats time and looks amazing... forever.

The Miura and Countach are good examples (not common on the roads, obviously, but still look amazing many years after the eye got used to them).
 
Anyone care to comment on the CVT gearbox on these Lexus cars .

Any good ?
 
They are excellent.
absolutely smooth and silent under normal use.
It’s a strange experience when you put your foot hard down and the revs go up while the road speed plays catch-up but it isn’t anything like as bad as some of the road tests say.
land if you want ’proper’ gearchanges they are programmed in and pretty much indistinguishable from a ’real’ gearbox when you use the flappy paddles.
I‘m sure you would like it.
 
The Lexus CVT is unique and not belt-driven so is very reliable.

I once tried the GS300h and MK2 GS450h I was impressed with the drive, ride quality and competency of the cars.

However, they left me cold as it was too clinical and had no personality / character at all.

I'd always recommend trying out stuff you have an interest in.

It helped me to rule out the GS and LS, the latter I'd had a long hankering for up until that point.

You've nothing to lose and you can decide whether you like it or not.

The ES is the successor to the GS in this country, even thought the ES is not a new model as highlighted by MIW above, but the ES doesn't have RWD like the GS... if that matters to you.
 
I ll have to take a test drive some day . I do like the look of the RC . Impeccable interiors .
 
I'm saying nothing ..... ;)


I've just noticed your sig . You own a RC ... What they like compared to the drive of say a c 250 with 7g ?
 
I've just noticed your sig . You own a RC ... What they like compared to the drive of say a c 250 with 7g ?
I've not driven a C250 but I'm fairly confident in saying the drive will be significantly different.
The RC hybrid I have comes with the e-CVT gearbox and is a very different animal to the conventional auto box.
I my opinion the e-CVT is far superior to a normal auto box. There are no 'gears' as such but a very clever constantly meshed gear set that in combination with the electric motors can give infinitely variable ratios.
It's exceptionally smooth and very quiet.
Build quality and interior materials are very good. Fit and finish streets ahead of any car I've owned previously.

If you are referring to the V8 RC-F then it will be more familiar as it uses a 'normal' 8 speed auto box.

I thoroughly recommend taking a test drive, not everyone gets on with the e-CVT
 
Not a fan of the cattle catcher front grille, but then it's not as bad as some of the current BMW comedy offerings in that department. The rest of the styling's OK & I think the interiors are nice quality without being tacky as a lot of higher end marques seem to be now. Plus it'll be as about as reliable as a car can get ;)
 
Most of these massive front grille designs are wasted (in the UK at least) . As soon as you put a legal sized number plate in the correct legal position whatever the designer had in mind kind of gets cut in half. Unless its an Audi of course , some Audi owners have special legal dispensation allowing them to put their front number plate behind the windscreen on the dashboard - passenger side only - Maybe one day Lexus owners will be given this same privilege. :p
 
Not going mad, but if you look at that grill too long you will be going dizzy!
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom