Lexus ES300h Hybrid 2.5 (A) First Drive Review
29 Nov 2013|18,736 views
For five generations, the ES series has been based on the Camry. But for the sixth generation ES that you see here, it's based on the Avalon (Toyota's flagship sedan in the States).
Aiming to change its reputation to a sportier and younger image, the Lexus ES easily shies away from the old man image, thanks to its L-finesse body styling, which contributes to its bold-looking sheet metal.
The ES300h comes with different driving modes, including an EV-only option
While the Lexus ES300h is the ES model's first entry into the hybrid segment, it's every bit as Lexus as you would imagine - sumptuous, snug and sophisticated.
Up close and Personal
Let's get the elephant out of the way here. It's nothing like the Toyota Camry in the ES' cabin. The perception of this car being a more expensive Camry is a thing of a past and the sixth generation ES deserves it.
For starters, the ambience is typical of Lexus, with top-notch materials and an overall sense of sophistication not found in Toyota products.
Aiming to change its reputation to a sportier and younger image, the Lexus ES easily shies away from the old man image, thanks to its L-finesse body styling, which contributes to its bold-looking sheet metal.
While the Lexus ES300h is the ES model's first entry into the hybrid segment, it's every bit as Lexus as you would imagine - sumptuous, snug and sophisticated.
Up close and Personal
Let's get the elephant out of the way here. It's nothing like the Toyota Camry in the ES' cabin. The perception of this car being a more expensive Camry is a thing of a past and the sixth generation ES deserves it.
For starters, the ambience is typical of Lexus, with top-notch materials and an overall sense of sophistication not found in Toyota products.
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The seats are spacious and supportive, making the ES the perfect choice for long drives. The rear, too, is a spacious place to be with generous head and legroom. Where it does lose out to its petrol sibling, though, is the boot space. Due to the battery pack, the ES300h has 420 litres of boot space - a tad smaller than the 490 litres in the ES250.
Before you dismiss the ES300h as just another boring green car that's aimed at buyers who are wary of fuel consumption, think again. It looks similar to the ES250 in all aspects and angles except for the hybrid badges.
It's still every bit aggressive-looking, with all the enhancements like LED daytime running lights and Lexus' spindle grille. As such, it's instantly recognisable as a Lexus, even from afar. The side profile resembles much like the sportier GS while the rear has the flagship LS' DNA written all over.
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The Drive
Unlike the ES250, the ES300h's 2.5-litre powerplant is mated to an electronic continuously variable transmission (E-CVT). As far as CVTs go, this one is exceptionally quiet and seamless. You can select the driving modes to better suit your mood, but we reckon the car is better left in Normal mode, where the car makes all the choices relating to performance and fuel efficiency on its own without showing its contempt for total driver control.
It's not a bad thing. The Lexus ES is made for comfort and targeted at drivers who enjoy seamless operation. In this aspect, the car has certainly succeeded. Bumps and ruts on the road are well-absorbed, with barely a hint of vibration reaching occupants on board.
The instrument panel changes according to the selected driving mode
Despite weighing some 115kg more than the Toyota Camry Hybrid, the trip from 0 to 100km/h takes only 0.1 seconds faster in the Lexus ES - resulting in an 8.5 seconds century sprint timing. Credit goes to the 158bhp 2.5-litre twin cam Atkinson cycle petrol engine and a 105kW electric drive motor that combine to produce some 205 horses.
There are some similarities with its hybrid driving characteristics. Like the Camry, the ES can drive on pure electric mode for approximately 2km with speeds of up to 45km/h before the gasoline engine kicks in. And when it does, you will hardly notice the transition. Such is the smooth nature of the motor and engine.
Unlike the ES250, the ES300h's 2.5-litre powerplant is mated to an electronic continuously variable transmission (E-CVT). As far as CVTs go, this one is exceptionally quiet and seamless. You can select the driving modes to better suit your mood, but we reckon the car is better left in Normal mode, where the car makes all the choices relating to performance and fuel efficiency on its own without showing its contempt for total driver control.
It's not a bad thing. The Lexus ES is made for comfort and targeted at drivers who enjoy seamless operation. In this aspect, the car has certainly succeeded. Bumps and ruts on the road are well-absorbed, with barely a hint of vibration reaching occupants on board.
Despite weighing some 115kg more than the Toyota Camry Hybrid, the trip from 0 to 100km/h takes only 0.1 seconds faster in the Lexus ES - resulting in an 8.5 seconds century sprint timing. Credit goes to the 158bhp 2.5-litre twin cam Atkinson cycle petrol engine and a 105kW electric drive motor that combine to produce some 205 horses.
There are some similarities with its hybrid driving characteristics. Like the Camry, the ES can drive on pure electric mode for approximately 2km with speeds of up to 45km/h before the gasoline engine kicks in. And when it does, you will hardly notice the transition. Such is the smooth nature of the motor and engine.
Comparing between the two ES models, the ES300h comes across as the more appealing one. It may not be as intuitive and inspiring around bends but it allows for reasonable gusto, thanks to a confident character and ample grip. Plus, the ES hybrid is at its best during around town drives with its lively 217Nm of torque, which allows for strong short bursts to overtake slower-moving vehicles.
The combination of the 2.5-litre engine with two electric motors delivers a seamless acceleration
More relevantly for a hybrid, we managed a frugal 15.5km/L with a heavy foot, which isn't too far off from the stated figure of 18.2km/L.
Conclusion
With a suspension setup that's tuned for comfort, the Lexus ES300h delivers the posh ride quality that most have come to associate with the Japanese marque. The very fact that reliability is one of Lexus' forte helps the car stand out from the rest of its peers, too.
With exorbitant car prices now, the ES may not land on the shopping list of many, even if it's very attractively priced. But for those who can still afford to choose, this is a good one.
More relevantly for a hybrid, we managed a frugal 15.5km/L with a heavy foot, which isn't too far off from the stated figure of 18.2km/L.
Conclusion
With a suspension setup that's tuned for comfort, the Lexus ES300h delivers the posh ride quality that most have come to associate with the Japanese marque. The very fact that reliability is one of Lexus' forte helps the car stand out from the rest of its peers, too.
With exorbitant car prices now, the ES may not land on the shopping list of many, even if it's very attractively priced. But for those who can still afford to choose, this is a good one.
For five generations, the ES series has been based on the Camry. But for the sixth generation ES that you see here, it's based on the Avalon (Toyota's flagship sedan in the States).
Aiming to change its reputation to a sportier and younger image, the Lexus ES easily shies away from the old man image, thanks to its L-finesse body styling, which contributes to its bold-looking sheet metal.
While the Lexus ES300h is the ES model's first entry into the hybrid segment, it's every bit as Lexus as you would imagine - sumptuous, snug and sophisticated.
Up close and Personal
Let's get the elephant out of the way here. It's nothing like the Toyota Camry in the ES' cabin. The perception of this car being a more expensive Camry is a thing of a past and the sixth generation ES deserves it.
For starters, the ambience is typical of Lexus, with top-notch materials and an overall sense of sophistication not found in Toyota products.
Aiming to change its reputation to a sportier and younger image, the Lexus ES easily shies away from the old man image, thanks to its L-finesse body styling, which contributes to its bold-looking sheet metal.
While the Lexus ES300h is the ES model's first entry into the hybrid segment, it's every bit as Lexus as you would imagine - sumptuous, snug and sophisticated.
Up close and Personal
Let's get the elephant out of the way here. It's nothing like the Toyota Camry in the ES' cabin. The perception of this car being a more expensive Camry is a thing of a past and the sixth generation ES deserves it.
For starters, the ambience is typical of Lexus, with top-notch materials and an overall sense of sophistication not found in Toyota products.
The seats are spacious and supportive, making the ES the perfect choice for long drives. The rear, too, is a spacious place to be with generous head and legroom. Where it does lose out to its petrol sibling, though, is the boot space. Due to the battery pack, the ES300h has 420 litres of boot space - a tad smaller than the 490 litres in the ES250.
Before you dismiss the ES300h as just another boring green car that's aimed at buyers who are wary of fuel consumption, think again. It looks similar to the ES250 in all aspects and angles except for the hybrid badges.
It's still every bit aggressive-looking, with all the enhancements like LED daytime running lights and Lexus' spindle grille. As such, it's instantly recognisable as a Lexus, even from afar. The side profile resembles much like the sportier GS while the rear has the flagship LS' DNA written all over.
Before you dismiss the ES300h as just another boring green car that's aimed at buyers who are wary of fuel consumption, think again. It looks similar to the ES250 in all aspects and angles except for the hybrid badges.
It's still every bit aggressive-looking, with all the enhancements like LED daytime running lights and Lexus' spindle grille. As such, it's instantly recognisable as a Lexus, even from afar. The side profile resembles much like the sportier GS while the rear has the flagship LS' DNA written all over.
The Drive
Unlike the ES250, the ES300h's 2.5-litre powerplant is mated to an electronic continuously variable transmission (E-CVT). As far as CVTs go, this one is exceptionally quiet and seamless. You can select the driving modes to better suit your mood, but we reckon the car is better left in Normal mode, where the car makes all the choices relating to performance and fuel efficiency on its own without showing its contempt for total driver control.
It's not a bad thing. The Lexus ES is made for comfort and targeted at drivers who enjoy seamless operation. In this aspect, the car has certainly succeeded. Bumps and ruts on the road are well-absorbed, with barely a hint of vibration reaching occupants on board.
Despite weighing some 115kg more than the Toyota Camry Hybrid, the trip from 0 to 100km/h takes only 0.1 seconds faster in the Lexus ES - resulting in an 8.5 seconds century sprint timing. Credit goes to the 158bhp 2.5-litre twin cam Atkinson cycle petrol engine and a 105kW electric drive motor that combine to produce some 205 horses.
There are some similarities with its hybrid driving characteristics. Like the Camry, the ES can drive on pure electric mode for approximately 2km with speeds of up to 45km/h before the gasoline engine kicks in. And when it does, you will hardly notice the transition. Such is the smooth nature of the motor and engine.
Unlike the ES250, the ES300h's 2.5-litre powerplant is mated to an electronic continuously variable transmission (E-CVT). As far as CVTs go, this one is exceptionally quiet and seamless. You can select the driving modes to better suit your mood, but we reckon the car is better left in Normal mode, where the car makes all the choices relating to performance and fuel efficiency on its own without showing its contempt for total driver control.
It's not a bad thing. The Lexus ES is made for comfort and targeted at drivers who enjoy seamless operation. In this aspect, the car has certainly succeeded. Bumps and ruts on the road are well-absorbed, with barely a hint of vibration reaching occupants on board.
Despite weighing some 115kg more than the Toyota Camry Hybrid, the trip from 0 to 100km/h takes only 0.1 seconds faster in the Lexus ES - resulting in an 8.5 seconds century sprint timing. Credit goes to the 158bhp 2.5-litre twin cam Atkinson cycle petrol engine and a 105kW electric drive motor that combine to produce some 205 horses.
There are some similarities with its hybrid driving characteristics. Like the Camry, the ES can drive on pure electric mode for approximately 2km with speeds of up to 45km/h before the gasoline engine kicks in. And when it does, you will hardly notice the transition. Such is the smooth nature of the motor and engine.
Comparing between the two ES models, the ES300h comes across as the more appealing one. It may not be as intuitive and inspiring around bends but it allows for reasonable gusto, thanks to a confident character and ample grip. Plus, the ES hybrid is at its best during around town drives with its lively 217Nm of torque, which allows for strong short bursts to overtake slower-moving vehicles.
More relevantly for a hybrid, we managed a frugal 15.5km/L with a heavy foot, which isn't too far off from the stated figure of 18.2km/L.
Conclusion
With a suspension setup that's tuned for comfort, the Lexus ES300h delivers the posh ride quality that most have come to associate with the Japanese marque. The very fact that reliability is one of Lexus' forte helps the car stand out from the rest of its peers, too.
With exorbitant car prices now, the ES may not land on the shopping list of many, even if it's very attractively priced. But for those who can still afford to choose, this is a good one.
More relevantly for a hybrid, we managed a frugal 15.5km/L with a heavy foot, which isn't too far off from the stated figure of 18.2km/L.
Conclusion
With a suspension setup that's tuned for comfort, the Lexus ES300h delivers the posh ride quality that most have come to associate with the Japanese marque. The very fact that reliability is one of Lexus' forte helps the car stand out from the rest of its peers, too.
With exorbitant car prices now, the ES may not land on the shopping list of many, even if it's very attractively priced. But for those who can still afford to choose, this is a good one.
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