Lexus ES300h Hybrid 2.5 Luxury (A) Review
11 Dec 2013|21,966 views
The Lexus ES has left us for some time now - seven years to be exact. But the impression never quite departed, or so the brand's history books will have us believe.
It was the ES that forayed the brand's debut way back in 1989, a brother-in-arm to the flagship LS sedan. And while the latter went on to scale great heights in areas of refinement and ultimate luxury, the ES helped to put the Lexus name high on the sales chart and brought home the bacon for the firm. This was evident in the U.S. where the ES was Lexus' best-selling sedan for more than 15 years.
The ES' cabin upholds the luxurious trademark of the Lexus brand
Up close and Personal
It comes as no surprise that the ES sedan wear the brand's now signature spindle grille, although it doesn't look quite as dramatic as the GS or its younger IS brother.
Instead, it seems that the designers were determined to demonstrate the sedan's more comfort-biased genes right from the exterior with a cleaner, less fanciful cloak of sheet metal.
It was the ES that forayed the brand's debut way back in 1989, a brother-in-arm to the flagship LS sedan. And while the latter went on to scale great heights in areas of refinement and ultimate luxury, the ES helped to put the Lexus name high on the sales chart and brought home the bacon for the firm. This was evident in the U.S. where the ES was Lexus' best-selling sedan for more than 15 years.
Up close and Personal
It comes as no surprise that the ES sedan wear the brand's now signature spindle grille, although it doesn't look quite as dramatic as the GS or its younger IS brother.
Instead, it seems that the designers were determined to demonstrate the sedan's more comfort-biased genes right from the exterior with a cleaner, less fanciful cloak of sheet metal.
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It is the cabin, however, which fully unveils the ES' motives. The interior showcases a good combination of technology and conventional carmaking wisdom, with a classy blend of aluminium-look trims and soft touch leather, and an eight-inch monitor, which also serves as display for other accessories such as the reverse camera.
Interior allowances have also been optimised for better comfort on the new ES, with headrooms in the front and rear quarters increased by up to 20mm, and a substantial 60mm increment in the rear legroom. Within the compounds of the cabin, there will not be an instance where you would require more space.
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The Drive
As with its predecessors, the latest ES favours a softer, comfort-inclined ride over stiffer ones strutted for better handling. The result is a plush experience that genuinely lives up to the renowned luxury badge.
The ES' 2.5-litre, together with its hybrid powertrain, will churn out a total of 205 useful horses and 213Nm of torque
That said, the ES will not inspire any keen drivers. In normal and Eco modes, especially, the ES hybrid is effortless to drive, with part credits to its light steering. Put it to Sport mode, and the helm will regain some of the much required weight.
With a featherlight foot, it is possible to keep the ES hybrid running solely on invisible charges (EV mode) - if you have enough of that stored in the battery pack, that it.
However, it wouldn't be possible to keep the hybrid sedan in EV mode for long, as the electric drivetrain will hand over the duties to its more superior petrol counterpart as soon as it senses any slight depress at the gas pedal. The transition though, is done in a truly seamless manner.
As with its predecessors, the latest ES favours a softer, comfort-inclined ride over stiffer ones strutted for better handling. The result is a plush experience that genuinely lives up to the renowned luxury badge.
That said, the ES will not inspire any keen drivers. In normal and Eco modes, especially, the ES hybrid is effortless to drive, with part credits to its light steering. Put it to Sport mode, and the helm will regain some of the much required weight.
With a featherlight foot, it is possible to keep the ES hybrid running solely on invisible charges (EV mode) - if you have enough of that stored in the battery pack, that it.
However, it wouldn't be possible to keep the hybrid sedan in EV mode for long, as the electric drivetrain will hand over the duties to its more superior petrol counterpart as soon as it senses any slight depress at the gas pedal. The transition though, is done in a truly seamless manner.
Another highlight of the hybrid, naturally, lies in the extra ooze of power. Despite being quoted with a 8.5 seconds 0-100km/h sprint timing, the ES hybrid feels punchier and more sprightly on the move, thanks to the load of low-end power, which is very useful for urban driving.
Furthermore, the indulgence in all the power can be achieved in a relatively guilt-free manner, as the hybrid will still manage 14km/L without an overtly 'eco-friendly' right foot.
The CVT in the ES is decidingly smooth, but can be overly reactive to accelerator inputs
Conclusion
While many carmakers have resorted to compromising their cars for a more neutral standpoint between sportiness and comfort, Lexus has dedicated the ES to those after a refined and luxurious experience - and the end result does not fall any short of expectations.
And considering the price point that the ES is pegged at, the quality construction is even more remarkable. At press time, the ES300h only costs a tiny $3,000 more than its smaller IS300h counterpart. That itself gives it a bang-for-buck preposition that few others can match up to.
Furthermore, the indulgence in all the power can be achieved in a relatively guilt-free manner, as the hybrid will still manage 14km/L without an overtly 'eco-friendly' right foot.
Conclusion
While many carmakers have resorted to compromising their cars for a more neutral standpoint between sportiness and comfort, Lexus has dedicated the ES to those after a refined and luxurious experience - and the end result does not fall any short of expectations.
And considering the price point that the ES is pegged at, the quality construction is even more remarkable. At press time, the ES300h only costs a tiny $3,000 more than its smaller IS300h counterpart. That itself gives it a bang-for-buck preposition that few others can match up to.
The Lexus ES has left us for some time now - seven years to be exact. But the impression never quite departed, or so the brand's history books will have us believe.
It was the ES that forayed the brand's debut way back in 1989, a brother-in-arm to the flagship LS sedan. And while the latter went on to scale great heights in areas of refinement and ultimate luxury, the ES helped to put the Lexus name high on the sales chart and brought home the bacon for the firm. This was evident in the U.S. where the ES was Lexus' best-selling sedan for more than 15 years.
Up close and Personal
It comes as no surprise that the ES sedan wear the brand's now signature spindle grille, although it doesn't look quite as dramatic as the GS or its younger IS brother.
Instead, it seems that the designers were determined to demonstrate the sedan's more comfort-biased genes right from the exterior with a cleaner, less fanciful cloak of sheet metal.
It was the ES that forayed the brand's debut way back in 1989, a brother-in-arm to the flagship LS sedan. And while the latter went on to scale great heights in areas of refinement and ultimate luxury, the ES helped to put the Lexus name high on the sales chart and brought home the bacon for the firm. This was evident in the U.S. where the ES was Lexus' best-selling sedan for more than 15 years.
Up close and Personal
It comes as no surprise that the ES sedan wear the brand's now signature spindle grille, although it doesn't look quite as dramatic as the GS or its younger IS brother.
Instead, it seems that the designers were determined to demonstrate the sedan's more comfort-biased genes right from the exterior with a cleaner, less fanciful cloak of sheet metal.
It is the cabin, however, which fully unveils the ES' motives. The interior showcases a good combination of technology and conventional carmaking wisdom, with a classy blend of aluminium-look trims and soft touch leather, and an eight-inch monitor, which also serves as display for other accessories such as the reverse camera.
Interior allowances have also been optimised for better comfort on the new ES, with headrooms in the front and rear quarters increased by up to 20mm, and a substantial 60mm increment in the rear legroom. Within the compounds of the cabin, there will not be an instance where you would require more space.
Interior allowances have also been optimised for better comfort on the new ES, with headrooms in the front and rear quarters increased by up to 20mm, and a substantial 60mm increment in the rear legroom. Within the compounds of the cabin, there will not be an instance where you would require more space.
The Drive
As with its predecessors, the latest ES favours a softer, comfort-inclined ride over stiffer ones strutted for better handling. The result is a plush experience that genuinely lives up to the renowned luxury badge.
That said, the ES will not inspire any keen drivers. In normal and Eco modes, especially, the ES hybrid is effortless to drive, with part credits to its light steering. Put it to Sport mode, and the helm will regain some of the much required weight.
With a featherlight foot, it is possible to keep the ES hybrid running solely on invisible charges (EV mode) - if you have enough of that stored in the battery pack, that it.
However, it wouldn't be possible to keep the hybrid sedan in EV mode for long, as the electric drivetrain will hand over the duties to its more superior petrol counterpart as soon as it senses any slight depress at the gas pedal. The transition though, is done in a truly seamless manner.
As with its predecessors, the latest ES favours a softer, comfort-inclined ride over stiffer ones strutted for better handling. The result is a plush experience that genuinely lives up to the renowned luxury badge.
That said, the ES will not inspire any keen drivers. In normal and Eco modes, especially, the ES hybrid is effortless to drive, with part credits to its light steering. Put it to Sport mode, and the helm will regain some of the much required weight.
With a featherlight foot, it is possible to keep the ES hybrid running solely on invisible charges (EV mode) - if you have enough of that stored in the battery pack, that it.
However, it wouldn't be possible to keep the hybrid sedan in EV mode for long, as the electric drivetrain will hand over the duties to its more superior petrol counterpart as soon as it senses any slight depress at the gas pedal. The transition though, is done in a truly seamless manner.
Another highlight of the hybrid, naturally, lies in the extra ooze of power. Despite being quoted with a 8.5 seconds 0-100km/h sprint timing, the ES hybrid feels punchier and more sprightly on the move, thanks to the load of low-end power, which is very useful for urban driving.
Furthermore, the indulgence in all the power can be achieved in a relatively guilt-free manner, as the hybrid will still manage 14km/L without an overtly 'eco-friendly' right foot.
Conclusion
While many carmakers have resorted to compromising their cars for a more neutral standpoint between sportiness and comfort, Lexus has dedicated the ES to those after a refined and luxurious experience - and the end result does not fall any short of expectations.
And considering the price point that the ES is pegged at, the quality construction is even more remarkable. At press time, the ES300h only costs a tiny $3,000 more than its smaller IS300h counterpart. That itself gives it a bang-for-buck preposition that few others can match up to.
Furthermore, the indulgence in all the power can be achieved in a relatively guilt-free manner, as the hybrid will still manage 14km/L without an overtly 'eco-friendly' right foot.
Conclusion
While many carmakers have resorted to compromising their cars for a more neutral standpoint between sportiness and comfort, Lexus has dedicated the ES to those after a refined and luxurious experience - and the end result does not fall any short of expectations.
And considering the price point that the ES is pegged at, the quality construction is even more remarkable. At press time, the ES300h only costs a tiny $3,000 more than its smaller IS300h counterpart. That itself gives it a bang-for-buck preposition that few others can match up to.
Photos by Low Fai Ming
Car Information
Lexus ES300h Hybrid 2.5 Luxury (A)
CAT B|Petrol-Electric|18.2km/L
Horsepower
151kW (202 bhp)
Torque
213 Nm
Acceleration
8.5sec (0-100km /hr)
This model is no longer being sold by local distributor
All Used Lexus ES300h Hybrid
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