A luxurious cocoon
YOU can’t help but admire Toyota for offering niche vehicles like the new Lexus ES to South African buyers.
That’s because when it comes to luxurious sedans like this, there aren’t many buyers to speak of in the first place. Lexus has only sold an average of 17 of these a month since the beginning of 2022.
A recent facelift brought a sharper-looking grille, new LED headlamps and fresh 17” and 18” wheel designs and, priced from R741 500, the Lexus ES is a luxurious sedan that offers 5 Series size for 3 Series money, albeit with frontwheel propulsion.
On the road, it’s quiet, smooth and rides very comfortably. Sure, the steering isn’t exactly communicative, but thanks to its low centre of gravity and a long-wheelbase design that sees the wheels pushed to the corners, it does handle rather neatly for its size.
You get to choose between two engine options: an ES 250 powered by a normally aspirated 2.5-litre petrol unit that produces 152kW and 243Nm, and an ES 300h hybrid model that pairs an Atkinson cycle version of the aforementioned 2.5 with an electric motor for a total system output of 160kW.
Although you do get a bit of unpleasant CVT drone when working the engine hard, the Lexus ES 300h we recently tested offers adequate performance and decent fuel economy. Our unit averaged 7.5 litres per 100km on a route that consisted mostly of highway driving.
At lower speeds, in the urban jungle, the Lexus ES is a refined experience, with that electric motor making pull-offs whisper quiet.
While you get the option of using that horrible “touch pad” that has made past Lexus models somewhat frustrating to operate, the new 12.3-inch infotainment display has touch functionality.
Below it you still get separate controls for most of the climate functions. There’s also a large, shiny and conveniently placed volume-control button on the dashboard.
The EX variant, at R797 600, provides as much luxury as most people could wish for with synthetic leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control, 10-speaker DAB+ sound system, electric front seats, tilt-and-slide moonroof, dual USB ports in the front and back, cruise control and a whole suite of advanced driver assistance features.
Expensive as it is at R976 900, the ES 300h SE flagship adds a whole pile of sumptuous trimmings, including semi-aniline leather, three-zone climate control, a 17-speaker Mark Levinson sound system, wireless phone charging, Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Keeping System.
VERDICT
Most people shopping in the luxury car segment are going to ignore the Lexus ES in favour of more fashionable SUVs but for those who appreciate traditional saloon cars, the Lexus offering is a compelling luxury car package.
It’s comfortable, spacious, equipped to the hilt and, in hybrid form at least, relatively economical for its size.