Luxury sports sedans like the refreshed sixth generation Lexus ES250 Luxury and Volvo's flagship S80 sit squarely in a segment that demands a challenging combination of elegance and performance.
Previous iterations of these cars were the sort that millennials like myself found to be a little too 'uncle' for our tastebuds - no matter how amazing they really were. Those sentiments are well out the window with the latest generations of the ES250 and S80.
The enthusiastic new faces have opened up doors for them to attract younger buyers while retaining the luxurious appeals that have made them the icons they are today - the only struggle lies in deciding which is better.Exterior
Fitted with a sharper and bolder face - and larger spindle grille found on the younger members in Lexus' lineup - the ES250's current appearance makes it the younger looking car of the two.
Previous iterations of these cars were the sort that millennials like myself found to be a little too 'uncle' for our tastebuds - no matter how amazing they really were. Those sentiments are well out the window with the latest generations of the ES250 and S80.
The enthusiastic new faces have opened up doors for them to attract younger buyers while retaining the luxurious appeals that have made them the icons they are today - the only struggle lies in deciding which is better.Exterior
Fitted with a sharper and bolder face - and larger spindle grille found on the younger members in Lexus' lineup - the ES250's current appearance makes it the younger looking car of the two.
Although the S80 is slightly wider, the longer and lower ES250 - along with its more aggressively styled sheet metal - has a more distinct road presence than its Swedish rival.
Volvo has chosen a more understated approach with the S80's presentation. Even with its sleeker lines that are a huge improvement from the car's boxy past - the S80 is 'okay-looking' at best - when parked beside the spunkier ES250.
Don't write it off just yet - people usually own a Volvo for reasons that rarely involve its looks. In our Associate Editor's point of view, the S80's clean and classic shell qualifies it to be a matured machine for the more matured audience.
Volvo has chosen a more understated approach with the S80's presentation. Even with its sleeker lines that are a huge improvement from the car's boxy past - the S80 is 'okay-looking' at best - when parked beside the spunkier ES250.
Don't write it off just yet - people usually own a Volvo for reasons that rarely involve its looks. In our Associate Editor's point of view, the S80's clean and classic shell qualifies it to be a matured machine for the more matured audience.
Interior
Lexus has always had a knack of creating desirably luxurious cabins - a quality displayed particularly in its current fleet.
The centre console of the ES250 boasts traditional craftsmanship paired with modern luxuries for a high-quality fit and finish - including a hand-stitched dash panel lined with Shimamoku wood trims and an elegant LED analogue clock - tasteful touches that outshine the bromidic confines of the S80.
The ES250 does not only arouse with its fanciful details. Nifty features like touch control lighting, switches for the rear passenger to adjust positioning of the front seat and a thigh cushion length adjuster for the driver allow for a genuinely pleasant experience - no matter which seat you occupy in the ES250.
Lexus has always had a knack of creating desirably luxurious cabins - a quality displayed particularly in its current fleet.
The centre console of the ES250 boasts traditional craftsmanship paired with modern luxuries for a high-quality fit and finish - including a hand-stitched dash panel lined with Shimamoku wood trims and an elegant LED analogue clock - tasteful touches that outshine the bromidic confines of the S80.
The ES250 does not only arouse with its fanciful details. Nifty features like touch control lighting, switches for the rear passenger to adjust positioning of the front seat and a thigh cushion length adjuster for the driver allow for a genuinely pleasant experience - no matter which seat you occupy in the ES250.
Things are a little less visually stimulating in the S80. Interior construction, although extremely comfortable and functional, lack the pompous flair exuded by the ES250.
What it lacks in visual punch is made up for with quality and sensibility - including soft hugging seats that provide comfort levels even the ES250 can't match.
There are no confusing buttons and knobs strewn about the centre console. Controls are clustered neatly, giving the driver easy access to all functions without having to overtly shift his or her focus from the road.
Although the back row isn't as sizable as that in the ES250, there's still a good amount of passenger space to sit three Asian adults comfortably.
What it lacks in visual punch is made up for with quality and sensibility - including soft hugging seats that provide comfort levels even the ES250 can't match.
There are no confusing buttons and knobs strewn about the centre console. Controls are clustered neatly, giving the driver easy access to all functions without having to overtly shift his or her focus from the road.
Although the back row isn't as sizable as that in the ES250, there's still a good amount of passenger space to sit three Asian adults comfortably.
The Drive
On the road, Lexus' excellent pairing of the 2.5-litre naturally aspirated engine and six-speed ECT automatic transmission allows the ES250 to get up to speed in a refined and cultured manner.
Throttle response is immediate and the ES250 accelerates confidently from 0 to 100km/h in a respectable 9.8 seconds as its transmission shuffles flawlessly through to the sixth gear.
Given its size and remarkably tractable ride - suspension setup is more pliable than that in the S80 - the ES250 manages to remain upright and undaunted around corners better than you'd expect it to.
Things are a little quicker paced in the S80. At the heart of the Volvo is a 2.0-litre turbocharged Drive-E engine that allows it to achieve the century sprint in just 6.5 seconds - a good 3.3 seconds faster than the ES250.
Aided by a turbocharger, power deliver is a lot punchier as well. That doesn't mean that its behaves in an overtly intrusive manner though - Volvo's new eight-speed Geartronic transmission is just about as smooth and precise as the transmission unit in the ES250.
There is one aspect of the S80's driving dynamics that its demographics may not appreciate - its suspension. The ride if noticeably firmer than in the ES250 but still manages to remain within acceptable comfort levels.
You'd really have to quibbling to consider the S80's ride quality a flaw.
Conclusion
With its avant garde appearance, lavish cabin space and remarkable attention to details, the Lexus ES250 Luxury is a force to be reckoned with. Not to mention it boasts a perfect blend of comfort and performance from its well-engineered power and drivetrain.
Set side by side, the Volvo S80 T5 Drive-E may lack the aesthetic appeals of the Lexus but it serves its purpose well and in a humble fashion that Volvo buyers are deeply attracted to.Indeed the ES250 is the higher-priced vehicle at $243,000 (as of 11th December 2015) but its delightful good looks and segment-leading levels of refinement are just the things that people want in a car of its class. In our opinion, the Lexus takes this cake.
You'd really have to quibbling to consider the S80's ride quality a flaw.
Conclusion
With its avant garde appearance, lavish cabin space and remarkable attention to details, the Lexus ES250 Luxury is a force to be reckoned with. Not to mention it boasts a perfect blend of comfort and performance from its well-engineered power and drivetrain.
Set side by side, the Volvo S80 T5 Drive-E may lack the aesthetic appeals of the Lexus but it serves its purpose well and in a humble fashion that Volvo buyers are deeply attracted to.Indeed the ES250 is the higher-priced vehicle at $243,000 (as of 11th December 2015) but its delightful good looks and segment-leading levels of refinement are just the things that people want in a car of its class. In our opinion, the Lexus takes this cake.
