Test drive Lexus ES
How to choose the right Lexus ES, why it is often confused with a huge LS and for whom this car is: a driver or a passenger in the back on the right
In a comparison test where the Lexus ES competed with the Volvo S90 and Audi A6, we took apart the Japanese sedan down to the smallest detail. If you missed this tutorial, you can find it here. Now is the time for money - how to choose the right ES and what you need to remember before buying.
Tip # 1: don't skimp on the motor. The Lexus ES is offered with three engines to choose from, all naturally aspirated. In basic versions it is 2,0 (150 hp), in more expensive versions - 2,5 liters (200 hp), and top-end versions are equipped with a 6 liter V3,5 (277 horsepower). The initial version is rather weak, this is especially felt at highway speeds, when you need to accelerate sharply to overtake or quickly pick up cruising speed after the settlement.
We had a V6 version on our test: with a decent supply of traction, moderately economical and with a cool velvet sound. But such versions start at $ 49, which is already expensive by the standards of the class. Therefore, it is best to choose the golden mean, that is, 130 liters with a capacity of 2,5 horsepower. It burns an average of 200-11 liters in the city, promises good dynamics at the level of 12 seconds. up to 9,1 km / h, and you can also buy this option for $ 100.
Tip # 2: Don't think about front-wheel drive. The ES is built on the advanced TNGA architecture, but there is one problem: it's front-wheel drive. None of the versions offer the Lexus ES with four-wheel drive, although you shouldn't be upset. In civilian modes, ES is as predictable and even gambling as possible. And with a squeal to take turns in a long and very comfortable sedan - this is not an idea. So if you don't plan on turning the city into a track, the Lexus ES looks like a good option.
Tip # 3: order ES in light color. The modern design of Lexus is incomparable: complex shapes, sharp edges, chrome, LEDs, muscular silhouette. But there is one caveat: it all looks great in bright colors. Black or dark brown ES is a beautiful sedan, but not as emphatically fast as, for example, gold, white or silver.
For a couple of weeks at Lexus ES, I still could not answer the main question for myself: is this a car for the driver or is it for the passenger in the back? It seems that the silhouette, huge doors and almost 5 m in length openly hint that the main one here is the one who is not driving. At the same time, the ES is a real provocateur on the go, so you start to doubt: does a hired driver really need all this? In general, let's figure it out.
There is really a lot of space in ES. And the back is so free that it seems a little bit more, and you can put another row of seats. The Luxury version (the most expensive of all) has electric shutters, a giant climate and multimedia control unit, and the seats have an electric backrest and three-stage heating. Still, the main feature of the back sofa is its very correct profile. It seems that not only designers, but also doctors worked here: the backrest has a too adjusted slope and strict molding. There is no other way to explain this comfort phenomenon.
On the other hand, there are too many hints of sports in the Lexus ES to be considered just a car, albeit a premium brand. The dashboard from the LC500 sports car, the asymmetrical front panel, deployed towards the driver, and the advanced multimedia system (there are no screens behind at all) are all clear signs that the owner will drive himself.
Finally, Lexus has an older LS. It is no less elegant than the ES, there is even more space, and on the go, the flagship is several orders of magnitude quieter and more comfortable. In general, I did not find an answer to the question about drivers and important passengers. Maybe it doesn't exist at all? Imagine a classic European story, when a hired driver takes a top manager to the office all week, and on weekends, the owner of the car gets behind the wheel and enjoys the autobahns. This seems to be a common story about the Lexus ES.
Actually, everyone thinks that I'm a Lexus fan, although this is not entirely true. I give it credit, there are favorite models - this is closer to the truth. However, until recently, one model did not fit into this paradigm - ES. I know Lexus hates this comparison, but for me it was still a Camry, just in a different wrapper.
That's how I felt about the car until last Wednesday, when colleagues suggested that I try the new ES. OK ES, I'm taking all my words back, you're not a Camry anymore. Even in the eyes of your stern critic. In love with the LS, now I can well imagine that I would buy myself a junior sedan. A car with almost identical, at first glance, appearance, not much inferior in configuration and half the price - an obvious profit.
And yes, even the fastest ES is seriously inferior in overclocking to the slowest LS: 7,9 seconds. against 6,5 seconds. But here's the paradox: when driving a junior sedan, this difference is not felt. Moreover, it seems to be just as comfortable. This, however, imposes fair restrictions on fast driving not in a straight line: in corners, the car may seem too soft.
All in all, $ 54 for the top-of-the-range ES493, if you don't cry for the $ 350 dollar days, seems like a pretty reasonable deal. Especially when the LS price list is nearby. And yes, sorry again for the Camry.
| Body type | Sedan |
| Dimensions (length / width / height), mm | 4975/1865/1445 |
| Wheelbase, mm | 2870 |
| Ground clearance, mm | 150 |
| Cargo space, l | 472 |
| Curb weight, kg | 1725 |
| engine's type | V6 benz. |
| Working volume, cubic meters cm | 3456 |
| Max. power, l. with. (at rpm) | 249 / 5500-6000 |
| Max. cool. moment, Nm (at rpm) | 356 / 4600-4700 |
| Drive type, transmission | Before., 8AKP |
| Max. speed km / h | 210 |
| Acceleration from 0 to 100 km / h, s | 7,9 |
| Fuel consumption, l / 100 km | 10,8 |
| Price from, $. | 54 493 |
