BALLER ON A BUDGET
The revitalised Lexus ES sedan offers space to rival range-topping limousines for the price of a quality family car
This was Lexus’ middle child. Larger than the BMW 3 Series-rivalling IS sports sedan, and cheaper than the posh GS and LS, the Lexus ES was the odd one out in Lexus’ four-strong sedan line-up. Sharing more in common with the front-wheel-drive Toyota Camry than Lexus siblings, it was the only car in the range that wasn’t based on a sporty rear-drive platform.
We use past tense here as the compact IS and mis-sized GS were discontinued locally in late 2021. If you want a four-door Lexus that isn’t an SUV, it’s either this ES priced from about $69,500 drive-away, or the flagship LS available from $209,000 drive-away.
SOMETIMES THE MIDDLE CHILD DESERVES ATTENTION
Updated for 2022, the ES benefits from reworked looks including a new grille and advanced LED headlights. There are new wheels - including black treatment for 19-inch alloys on the F Sport model tested here - and suspension retuned to match a reinforced chassis. A massive new 12.3-inch touchscreen with smartphone mirroring is easier to deal with than Lexus’ divisive touchpad controller, and tweaks to its driver aids include an intersection turn assist function that can slam on the brakes if an oncoming car turns across your path.
VALUE IS A STRONG POINT
The cheapest ES is loaded with luxury features such as heated faux-leather seats in a choice of black or tan trim with 10-way front adjustment, a sunroof, 10-speaker stereo and active cruise control. The F Sport hybrid version we tested for about $81,000 drive-away adds ventilated seats with driver memory adjustment, along with extras such as a powered boot.
Range-topping Sports Luxury models get a 17-speaker Mark Levinson stereo, upgraded front seats and power reclining rear seats, a rear window sunshade and more. The best bit might be the ludicrous amount of rear seat space - room that rivals the loaded Mercedes-benz SClass for the price of a C-class.
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YOU’VE GOT TO GET THE HYBRID
A conventional 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with 152kw is standard, or you can get a 2.5-litre hybrid for about $2000 more.
The latter uses less fuel ( just 4.8L/100km) to make more power (160kw), while ramping up the sort of quiet refinement people expect from a luxury car.
It’s a sensible choice, which is why some 85 per cent of customers go the petrol-electric route. But it’s not sexy – you’ll find the same technology under the bonnet of most taxis in any capital city.
BUT NOT THE F-SPORT
We’re fans of the Lexus ES. It’s a spacious, comfortable and pragmatic choice.
But the glam-camry is nowhere near as fun to drive as a BMW 3 Series or Genesis G70, so we’d steer away from the tauter suspension, low-profile tyres and angry black rims of the ES - the latter look like something a teenager on a budget might do to grandad’s hand-me-down .
The basic version on 17-inch wheels is easier to reconcile, as is the fully-loaded Sports Luxury with its opulent cabin at an eyecatching price. After all, the middle option isn’t always right.