SANDWICHED IN COMFORT
The ES has been given a mid-life update. Do you still need to look at its siblings in the Lexus line-up?
What’s new?
After returning to Thai forecourts three years ago, the latest generation ES from Lexus gets a nip and tuck.
Visual changes are mostly subtle including restyled front and rear ends and new wheels. Interior updates also include a new steering wheel, bigger central screen and more features, especially those related to driver assist technologies in rangetopping form.
Although the 3.5 million baht Luxury spec has risen by only 10,000 baht, the 3.97 million baht Premium trim is 90,000 baht more due to that enhanced amount of kit.
Like before, the front-drive ES has a 500,000 baht breathing space between the smaller IS and bigger GS rear-drive saloons, both coming with a similar but not identical 2.5-litre petrol-electric hybrid.
To the usual question: can the ES300h’s sandwiched position in Lexus’ line-up still make any sense?
What’s cool?
When we first sampled the ES in its latest generation, we found it a little too meek in style amid the presence of the two other saloons, which bore aggressivelooking snouts.
Well, it now appears that Lexus has brought the ES closer in design philosophy to its siblings by making the spindle-like grille more accentuated than ever. While some people may not like it, we think it’s an effective move. The lights also look sharper and smarter.
Thais love a rich amount of features and the ES isn’t lacking this at all, even when you compare it with those German executive saloons like the BMW 5-series or Mercedes-Benz E-class.
Some outstanding stuff include air-con ventilated seats, three-zone climate control and knee airbags up front. And opt for Premium, you get systems that can remind you to keep within a driving lane and warn you of objects in your blind spots, as such. Then there are the virtues made inherent ever since: absorbent low-speed ride, comfy and spacious rear quarters and a 205hp hybrid engine that you can choose to either be frugal at over 15kpl or punchy all the way up to its 180kph governed top speed.
What’s not?
Probably the only mid-life change that hasn’t really worked in the ES is the interior. Despite some new things inside, it still feels generally the same as before. The mix of classy and sporty materials still can’t give a clear standpoint of what the ES tends to exude.
And for driving snobs, the ES isn’t a match in dynamic terms to either its two stablemates or outsiders from Europe. In other words, the ES has very bland driving manners and an overwhelmed chassis when the driver makes maximum use of the 200plus ponies.
Buy or bye?
The ES may have always been a strange member of the Lexus family of saloons. But it makes no bones about its high comfort-oriented traits, unlike in the IS and GS that offers more, if artificial, amounts of sportiness.
The ES properly defines what Lexus is all about and Thais should like it. But if you look at Lexus’ sales figures, the ES has only managed to shift just over 100 buyers before it was facelifted.
In the similar time frame, both the IS and GS managed to double that figure. This could mean that customers are either accepting Lexus’ new sporty mission or have simply found its past values too old-fashioned.
But from an objective point of view, the ES still has its place in the luxury car market by focusing on unrivalled levels of real-world comfort.
It should distract buyers of the GS rather than the IS. That’s because, after all, the ES is a proper midsize executive saloon that’s equally as big as the GS yet is cheaper spec-on-spec.