2010 Lexus ES350
The Focus Is On Luxury
Lexus ES sedans have been leaders in the entry-luxury field for well over a decade. The secret to their success has been that they pamper their owners. An ES provides a comfortable ride, a quiet cabin and a lot of amenities. However, for those who seek sportiness too, well, that’s not in this car’s DNA.
The 2010 ES350 is a tasteful looking sedan, but one that does not draw attention to itself. This year, it gets a minor makeover, but you will have to look closely to spot the changes. To make your job easier, I’ll mention that the grille, the fog lamps and the taillights are new. Additionally, the side mirrors now incorporate turn signals.
The cabin is well finished, and has decent seating for up to five passengers, although headroom in the rear might be a little tight for tall people. Push-button entry and start, leather upholstery and power front seats are standard. And now for 2010, a driver’s seat memory program, rear-seat airbags and rain-sensing windshield wipers are also included in the base price. The only complaint I had with the interior was with the dash, which looked rather plain for a luxury car. However, I really did like the touch-screen system for controlling the audio, air conditioning and navigation.
In recent years, Lexus has made high-end option packages available on the ES. My test car came with an assortment of these. The first was the Ultra Luxury group. It added features like a panorama glass roof, a wood and leather steering wheel, and heated and ventilated front seats. The Navigation package, which my test car was equipped with, incorporated a Mark Levinson stereo and the new Lexus Enform system. Enform enhances the navigation system by adding features like online routing assistance.
Like its predecessor, the ES provides an extensive array of safety equipment. Ten airbags, vehicle stability control and the new Safety Connect are standard. Safety Connect automatically contacts emergency services if you have an accident. And as an option, Lexus offers its Pre-Collision System. This feature, which incorporates radar-operated cruise control, readies airbags, seatbelts, and brakes when sensors detect that a crash is imminent.
Under the hood, Lexus propels the ES with a 3.5-liter V-6 engine that pumps out 272 horsepower. This is a strong, unobtrusive motor that accelerates well, and doesn’t make a racket when pushed hard. It is teamed with an equally refined six-speed automatic transmission. Together, they will hustle the ES to 60 in 6.8 seconds.
Out on the road, the ES350 drives like the Toyota Camry on which this car is based. The handling is competent and predictable. However, the ES350 will run wide in corners if pushed hard. The ride is compliant, but not as smooth as I expected. Bumpy city streets will produce some jiggling. However, the cabin is very quiet, and definitely conveys a sense of luxury.
Pricing for the Lexus ES350 starts at $35,675. My test car with three option packages— Ultra Luxury, Navigation/Mark Levinson Audio and Pre-Collision—had a bottom line of $44,848.
Snapshot Review:
Loads of Luxury Features
Strong and Refined Power Train
Quiet Cabin
Average Ride and Handling
