Review: 2007 Lexus ES350
05-25-06, 06:11 AM
#1
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Review: 2007 Lexus ES350
http://www.lexus.com/models/es/index.html
In a nutshell: The classic Anti-Sport sedan gets some sport.
Model Tested: 2007 Lexus ES350
Base price: $33,170
Major Options: Premium Plus Package with NAV $7424 ( many different premium packages are available...this was the top-of-the-line one )
Freight $695
List Price $41,289
Color: Blue Onyx Pearl
Interior: Cashmere ( beige ) leather with Brown Walnut trim.
Drivetrain: FWD, 3.5L transverse-mount V6, 272 HP @ 6200 RPM, torque 254 ft.-lbs. @ 4700 RPM, 6-speed ECT sequential-shift automatic.
The mid-sized Lexus ES series was originally introduced shortly after the introduction of the original LS400 as the ES250...essentially a Toyota Camry with a Lexus badge on it. Potential customers, in general, were not impressed, as the car's rather dismal sales showed....people knew they could get the same car for thousands less at a Toyota dealership.
That started to change, however, with the introduction of the second-generation ES300, as Lexus learned from the sales flop of the first model, and the car by then started to be a real entry-level luxury car that, while still using the Camry platform, differentiated itself from the Camry in a number of ways, such as electroluminescent gauges, two-tone exteriors, extra sound insulation, more features inside, etc....
That second-generation car also developed a bulletproof reputation for reliability IF you kept the oil changed regularly on the 3.0L V6. If you did not, like other Toyota and Lexus models equipped with this powerplant, you ran the strong risk of the oil gelling, sludging, and a ruined engine. This engine was durable but NOT forgiving of oil neglect.
The third-generation car, the ES300 / 330, while again keeping the basic Camry platform and really coming into its own as a super-plush entry-level luxury car, incorporated a new 3.3L V6 midway through its model cycle, radical up-sweep headlights, stunning wood trim throughout the cabin and doors, a super-smooth, quiet ride, and flawless workmanship throughout. This car, quite deservingly, in a world of increasing sportiness and BMW look-alikes and drive-alikes, developed a reputation as the " Anti-Sport " sedan....as was a comfort standout in its price range.
So......so does the 2007 model continue the luxury and comfort tradition of the car it replaces? Yes...and No......as we will shortly see.
The 2007 model is available in only one trim line...but with quite a number of different packages that allow you to more or less tailor the car to your own tastes, equipment-wise. The new 3.5L V6 is a major improvement over the former engine. The general interior layout and fit-and-finish level, IMO, is rather dissapointing, though, especially compared to the 2006 model, and while the new car does not exactly worship at the altar of sportiness, it is apparant that it has hung around that altar long enough to say a few prayers.....like in the change of tires from the smoother-riding 60-series to firmer-riding lower-profile 55-series. Lexus, like other manufacturers, is gradually moving away from comfort and trying to pander to the corner-carving crowd....and, for the first time, it shows up even on this car.....one of the last reasonably-priced, comfort-oriented cars in today's automotive world. Folks, I'm afraid that we are at or near the end of an era.
OK...so much for the car's history. let's look at this new car now in detail:
PLUSSES
Smooth, quiet, powerful, torquey engine.
Smooth, quiet, seamless transmission.
Classically Lexus A-1 paint job.
Headlights now less gaudy-looking .
Well-designed brakes with reasonably firm pedal.
Nice wood trim.....but not enough of it.
Clear, well-designed gauges and controls, even with the NAV system...with one exception.
Low noise level.....except from the new tires.
Killer stereo....like on other Lexus vehicles.
New engine-start button replaces key.
MINUSES:
New 55-series tires detract from the former silky-smooth ride quality.
New, lower roofline compromises headroom, especially in the rear seat.
NOTHING is accessible under the hood except for oil dipstick and a few fluid reservoirs.
Less-plush interior than previous car.....and with some fit-and-finish problems.
Interior too much like the IS and GS...needs more differentiation from those cars.
Power-mirror controls hard to use.
Rear-seat pull-out armrest and cupholders cheaply made ( for a Lexus )
Exterior paint colors could be a little better ( the gorgeous Matador Red color from the IS and GS is not offered on this car...it should be ).
The first impression you get of theis car as you walk up to it is that of the increasing similiarity of design among the various new Lexus models. This car, outside, looks much like the new IS and GS in many ways, though the new headlights, IMO are a major improvement over the wild, ultra-sweepback design of the last ES330, which were clearly out of character with that car. In fact, the new front end on this car looks very much like the new Acura RL.....a car I have an extremely high opinion of.....and like the RL, with this car, and with virtually all Lexus products, you get a truly first-class paint job, even if the colors are a little dull. Lexus should consider the truly stunning Matador Red for this car....that paint job will knock your socks off without being too garish a color.
Unfortunately, under the hood, the designers really blew it. While they put in a real gem of an engine this time, due to the engine's huge plastic cover and the covers on the inner fenders, nothing....that's right, NOTHING....can be reached except the oil dipstick and filler cap, window-washer fluid container, and brake-fluid reservior. Only the Porsche Boxster is worse.....it has no hood at all....you go up underneath.
The new, slightly lower roofline takes away some headroom, especially in the rear seat where there is a sharp down-sweep ( I kept banging my 6' 2" head getting in and out of the back seat even after trying it several times ), and the virtually standard-equipment sunroof takes away more headroom in front. According to the salespeople, you can get non-sunroof models, but you must special-order one and wait....you probably will not find one on the lot. Legroom, however, unlike in the sibling IS, is fine both front and rear....and the leather seats are comfortable front and rear.
The new interior, IMO, like the new exterior ( and I know opinions are going to differ on this ) looks too much like brothers IS and GS. It is not particularly easy to differentiate these three models from a distance.....a factor that makes each model rather difficult to pick out on a dealer's lot where they are all crammed in together. Likewise inside....the general layout of the interior, door panels, and dash, while showing some minor differences, is much the same in all three cars....and in the new ES version loses some plushness not only in comparison to the 2006 model but to the new IS and GS as well. The Brown Walnut wood trim is very well done, especially on the steering wheel, which has a slick, polished feel, and on the center console, but IMO there just isn't enough of it anymore for a real luxury car....the former, beautiful, wide wood-trim strips that ran across the whole dash and all 4 door panels are gone, with much smaller ones on the doors. And somehow, to me, the whole interior doesn't seem as well-done, trim-wise, as the new IS or GS despite the obvious similiarities....the console and shifter in particular, depite the well-polished wood, did not seem as well-finished as the one in the new IS.
There were some assembly problems, too, inside.......unusual for a Lexus....which did NOT show up on the new IS or GS. My particular test car ( brand-new ) not only had minor dash creaks and rattles but a loose radio-tuning **** as well that fell off and had to be stuck back on. And the rear-seat center pull-down center-armest that also housed the cupholders looked and felt like the ones that GM sticks into a lot of their vehicles.
Not all inside, however, is second-rate. The basic control layout and ease of use is still the typical Lexus high standard. Unlike the awful controls in some German cars, everything except the power-mirror switch was well-laid out, clearly marked, simple in function, and easy-to-use....even the integrated NAV / climate control / stereo functions. And Lexus stereos? Simply the BEST.....and this one is no exception. ( I wish I had brought along some Judas Priest or Twisted Sister CD's with me to REALLY enjoy it
).
Only the power-mirror switch was difficult to use. It is too small and it is hard to get a big finger like mine inside the hole in the center part to activate the left-right tab.
In back, there is OK room inthe trunk, and the trunk has the usual Lexus amenities like a nice cargo net and first-aid kit.
On the road, the new engine is a real gem ( except for the previously stated fact that you can't REACH anything on it ).....and it partly makes up for some of the other defincies in this new car. Smooth, quiet, powerful, torquey ....everything you could ask for. Lexus quotes a standard 0-60 time of 6.8 seconds...not bad. This is not only comparable to some of the 60's muscle cars that I grew up with but roughly equals the Turbo GS-T 1995-1999 Mitsubishi Eclipses and Eagle Talons that were so popular with tuners and the caps-on-backwards crowd. The new six-speed automatic, with a manual shift-gate, likewise, was a gem of a unit......smooth, seamless, quiet, with no quirky-shift characteristics that I could note......that was a major area of owner complaints in the 2001-2003 models.
The new car also retains the former excellent sound isolation from wind noise and road rumble that the previous car offered, and over smooth surfaces, the new car, like the old one, is as quiet as a tomb........but the switch to the lower-profile ( and slightly more aggressive ) 55-series tires, an obvious sop to the " sport " crowd, took a little out of the former silky-smoothness.. The car is still relatvely softly-sprung compared to the IS and GS, and of course is no Miata or S2000, but the new tires transmit noticeabley more impact noise and harshness over bumps and road irregularities. As I mentioned before, when even the ES and Cadillac DeVille / DTS start to get tires like these, I'm afraid we're at the end of an era in ride comfort. But, conversely, ( and not surprisingly ) there is a little less understeer, plowing, and body roll with this car. Obviously, it is still not designed to tame the Nurburgring, but it is a little more forgiving in a sharp corner than the old car was. I, however, preferred the ride comfort of the old one......race-car handling is not particularly important to me.
Brakes...no problem, even though the FWD layout gives puts more stress and braking action on the front wheels than in the more evenly-balanced RWD and AWD IS and GS models. The pedal has a nice combination of a firm feel, smooth response, and evenness of proportion. Just don't expect Porsche 911 stopping distances, that's all.
So...the verdict? Those who like the new IS and GS will probably like this car as well....although the new ES's interior does not seem to be quite as well-done as on those other two cars. The new ES comes a little closer to the IS and GS standard of handling, while still offering FWD foul-weather traction without the complexities of AWD. If you regularly carry tall people in back, though, check the back seat carefully...the sweep-down roof takes its toll.
Those of you, though, like me, who like a plusher and easier-natured car, will probably prefer the old one.....so my recommendation for you is to get a leftover 2006 while they are still on the lot.....soon they will be gone.
Next planned review: 2007 Hyundai Entourage
In a nutshell: The classic Anti-Sport sedan gets some sport.
Model Tested: 2007 Lexus ES350
Base price: $33,170
Major Options: Premium Plus Package with NAV $7424 ( many different premium packages are available...this was the top-of-the-line one )
Freight $695
List Price $41,289
Color: Blue Onyx Pearl
Interior: Cashmere ( beige ) leather with Brown Walnut trim.
Drivetrain: FWD, 3.5L transverse-mount V6, 272 HP @ 6200 RPM, torque 254 ft.-lbs. @ 4700 RPM, 6-speed ECT sequential-shift automatic.
The mid-sized Lexus ES series was originally introduced shortly after the introduction of the original LS400 as the ES250...essentially a Toyota Camry with a Lexus badge on it. Potential customers, in general, were not impressed, as the car's rather dismal sales showed....people knew they could get the same car for thousands less at a Toyota dealership.
That started to change, however, with the introduction of the second-generation ES300, as Lexus learned from the sales flop of the first model, and the car by then started to be a real entry-level luxury car that, while still using the Camry platform, differentiated itself from the Camry in a number of ways, such as electroluminescent gauges, two-tone exteriors, extra sound insulation, more features inside, etc....
That second-generation car also developed a bulletproof reputation for reliability IF you kept the oil changed regularly on the 3.0L V6. If you did not, like other Toyota and Lexus models equipped with this powerplant, you ran the strong risk of the oil gelling, sludging, and a ruined engine. This engine was durable but NOT forgiving of oil neglect.
The third-generation car, the ES300 / 330, while again keeping the basic Camry platform and really coming into its own as a super-plush entry-level luxury car, incorporated a new 3.3L V6 midway through its model cycle, radical up-sweep headlights, stunning wood trim throughout the cabin and doors, a super-smooth, quiet ride, and flawless workmanship throughout. This car, quite deservingly, in a world of increasing sportiness and BMW look-alikes and drive-alikes, developed a reputation as the " Anti-Sport " sedan....as was a comfort standout in its price range.
So......so does the 2007 model continue the luxury and comfort tradition of the car it replaces? Yes...and No......as we will shortly see.
The 2007 model is available in only one trim line...but with quite a number of different packages that allow you to more or less tailor the car to your own tastes, equipment-wise. The new 3.5L V6 is a major improvement over the former engine. The general interior layout and fit-and-finish level, IMO, is rather dissapointing, though, especially compared to the 2006 model, and while the new car does not exactly worship at the altar of sportiness, it is apparant that it has hung around that altar long enough to say a few prayers.....like in the change of tires from the smoother-riding 60-series to firmer-riding lower-profile 55-series. Lexus, like other manufacturers, is gradually moving away from comfort and trying to pander to the corner-carving crowd....and, for the first time, it shows up even on this car.....one of the last reasonably-priced, comfort-oriented cars in today's automotive world. Folks, I'm afraid that we are at or near the end of an era.
OK...so much for the car's history. let's look at this new car now in detail:
PLUSSES
Smooth, quiet, powerful, torquey engine.
Smooth, quiet, seamless transmission.
Classically Lexus A-1 paint job.
Headlights now less gaudy-looking .
Well-designed brakes with reasonably firm pedal.
Nice wood trim.....but not enough of it.
Clear, well-designed gauges and controls, even with the NAV system...with one exception.
Low noise level.....except from the new tires.
Killer stereo....like on other Lexus vehicles.
New engine-start button replaces key.
MINUSES:
New 55-series tires detract from the former silky-smooth ride quality.
New, lower roofline compromises headroom, especially in the rear seat.
NOTHING is accessible under the hood except for oil dipstick and a few fluid reservoirs.
Less-plush interior than previous car.....and with some fit-and-finish problems.
Interior too much like the IS and GS...needs more differentiation from those cars.
Power-mirror controls hard to use.
Rear-seat pull-out armrest and cupholders cheaply made ( for a Lexus )
Exterior paint colors could be a little better ( the gorgeous Matador Red color from the IS and GS is not offered on this car...it should be ).
The first impression you get of theis car as you walk up to it is that of the increasing similiarity of design among the various new Lexus models. This car, outside, looks much like the new IS and GS in many ways, though the new headlights, IMO are a major improvement over the wild, ultra-sweepback design of the last ES330, which were clearly out of character with that car. In fact, the new front end on this car looks very much like the new Acura RL.....a car I have an extremely high opinion of.....and like the RL, with this car, and with virtually all Lexus products, you get a truly first-class paint job, even if the colors are a little dull. Lexus should consider the truly stunning Matador Red for this car....that paint job will knock your socks off without being too garish a color.
Unfortunately, under the hood, the designers really blew it. While they put in a real gem of an engine this time, due to the engine's huge plastic cover and the covers on the inner fenders, nothing....that's right, NOTHING....can be reached except the oil dipstick and filler cap, window-washer fluid container, and brake-fluid reservior. Only the Porsche Boxster is worse.....it has no hood at all....you go up underneath.
The new, slightly lower roofline takes away some headroom, especially in the rear seat where there is a sharp down-sweep ( I kept banging my 6' 2" head getting in and out of the back seat even after trying it several times ), and the virtually standard-equipment sunroof takes away more headroom in front. According to the salespeople, you can get non-sunroof models, but you must special-order one and wait....you probably will not find one on the lot. Legroom, however, unlike in the sibling IS, is fine both front and rear....and the leather seats are comfortable front and rear.
The new interior, IMO, like the new exterior ( and I know opinions are going to differ on this ) looks too much like brothers IS and GS. It is not particularly easy to differentiate these three models from a distance.....a factor that makes each model rather difficult to pick out on a dealer's lot where they are all crammed in together. Likewise inside....the general layout of the interior, door panels, and dash, while showing some minor differences, is much the same in all three cars....and in the new ES version loses some plushness not only in comparison to the 2006 model but to the new IS and GS as well. The Brown Walnut wood trim is very well done, especially on the steering wheel, which has a slick, polished feel, and on the center console, but IMO there just isn't enough of it anymore for a real luxury car....the former, beautiful, wide wood-trim strips that ran across the whole dash and all 4 door panels are gone, with much smaller ones on the doors. And somehow, to me, the whole interior doesn't seem as well-done, trim-wise, as the new IS or GS despite the obvious similiarities....the console and shifter in particular, depite the well-polished wood, did not seem as well-finished as the one in the new IS.
There were some assembly problems, too, inside.......unusual for a Lexus....which did NOT show up on the new IS or GS. My particular test car ( brand-new ) not only had minor dash creaks and rattles but a loose radio-tuning **** as well that fell off and had to be stuck back on. And the rear-seat center pull-down center-armest that also housed the cupholders looked and felt like the ones that GM sticks into a lot of their vehicles.
Not all inside, however, is second-rate. The basic control layout and ease of use is still the typical Lexus high standard. Unlike the awful controls in some German cars, everything except the power-mirror switch was well-laid out, clearly marked, simple in function, and easy-to-use....even the integrated NAV / climate control / stereo functions. And Lexus stereos? Simply the BEST.....and this one is no exception. ( I wish I had brought along some Judas Priest or Twisted Sister CD's with me to REALLY enjoy it
).Only the power-mirror switch was difficult to use. It is too small and it is hard to get a big finger like mine inside the hole in the center part to activate the left-right tab.
In back, there is OK room inthe trunk, and the trunk has the usual Lexus amenities like a nice cargo net and first-aid kit.
On the road, the new engine is a real gem ( except for the previously stated fact that you can't REACH anything on it ).....and it partly makes up for some of the other defincies in this new car. Smooth, quiet, powerful, torquey ....everything you could ask for. Lexus quotes a standard 0-60 time of 6.8 seconds...not bad. This is not only comparable to some of the 60's muscle cars that I grew up with but roughly equals the Turbo GS-T 1995-1999 Mitsubishi Eclipses and Eagle Talons that were so popular with tuners and the caps-on-backwards crowd. The new six-speed automatic, with a manual shift-gate, likewise, was a gem of a unit......smooth, seamless, quiet, with no quirky-shift characteristics that I could note......that was a major area of owner complaints in the 2001-2003 models.
The new car also retains the former excellent sound isolation from wind noise and road rumble that the previous car offered, and over smooth surfaces, the new car, like the old one, is as quiet as a tomb........but the switch to the lower-profile ( and slightly more aggressive ) 55-series tires, an obvious sop to the " sport " crowd, took a little out of the former silky-smoothness.. The car is still relatvely softly-sprung compared to the IS and GS, and of course is no Miata or S2000, but the new tires transmit noticeabley more impact noise and harshness over bumps and road irregularities. As I mentioned before, when even the ES and Cadillac DeVille / DTS start to get tires like these, I'm afraid we're at the end of an era in ride comfort. But, conversely, ( and not surprisingly ) there is a little less understeer, plowing, and body roll with this car. Obviously, it is still not designed to tame the Nurburgring, but it is a little more forgiving in a sharp corner than the old car was. I, however, preferred the ride comfort of the old one......race-car handling is not particularly important to me.
Brakes...no problem, even though the FWD layout gives puts more stress and braking action on the front wheels than in the more evenly-balanced RWD and AWD IS and GS models. The pedal has a nice combination of a firm feel, smooth response, and evenness of proportion. Just don't expect Porsche 911 stopping distances, that's all.
So...the verdict? Those who like the new IS and GS will probably like this car as well....although the new ES's interior does not seem to be quite as well-done as on those other two cars. The new ES comes a little closer to the IS and GS standard of handling, while still offering FWD foul-weather traction without the complexities of AWD. If you regularly carry tall people in back, though, check the back seat carefully...the sweep-down roof takes its toll.
Those of you, though, like me, who like a plusher and easier-natured car, will probably prefer the old one.....so my recommendation for you is to get a leftover 2006 while they are still on the lot.....soon they will be gone.
Next planned review: 2007 Hyundai Entourage
Last edited by mmarshall; 05-25-06 at 05:04 PM.
05-25-06, 06:23 AM
#3
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Thread Starter
Originally Posted by 4TehNguyen
interior too much like the LS/GS and thats a minus 
05-25-06, 06:40 AM
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Originally Posted by mmarshall
The third-generation car, the ES300 / 330, while again keeping the basic Camry platform and really coming into its own as a super-plush entry-level luxury car, incorporated a new 3.3L V6 midway through its model cycle, radical up-sweep headlights, stunning wood trim throughout the cabin and doors, a super-smooth, quiet ride, and flawless workmanship throughout.
1990-91 - 1st gen
1992-96 - 2nd gen
1997-01 - 3rd gen
2002-06 - 4th gen (changed from 3.0L to 3.3L in 2004)
2007+ - 5th gen
05-25-06, 06:55 AM
#5
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by Lenscap
The article has the generations wrong. It was the 4th generation, not the 3rd, that got the 3.3L midway through its cycle.
1990-91 - 1st gen
1992-96 - 2nd gen
1997-01 - 3rd gen
2002-06 - 4th gen (changed from 3.0L to 3.3L in 2004)
2007+ - 5th gen
1990-91 - 1st gen
1992-96 - 2nd gen
1997-01 - 3rd gen
2002-06 - 4th gen (changed from 3.0L to 3.3L in 2004)
2007+ - 5th gen
This new 3.5 L engine, though, is a real gem....easily the best ES engine yet.
05-25-06, 07:20 AM
#6
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Originally Posted by mmarshall
There were some assembly problems, too, inside.......unusual for a Lexus....which did NOT show up on the new IS or GS. My particular test car ( brand-new ) not only had minor dash creaks and rattles but a loose radio-tuning **** as well that fell off and had to be stuck back on. And the rear-seat center pull-down center-armest that also housed the cupholders looked and felt like the ones that GM sticks into a lot of their vehicles.
I sincerely hope these defects, and others, are initial-production hiccups that we can count on to disappear very soon.
M.
05-25-06, 07:29 AM
#7
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by videcormeum
This is not only totally unacceptable but contemptous. If Toyota/Lexus doesn't straighten up w/ their bread & butter vehicles, they're going to shed their customer base faster than Enron.
I sincerely hope these defects, and others, are initial-production hiccups that we can count on to disappear very soon.
M.
I sincerely hope these defects, and others, are initial-production hiccups that we can count on to disappear very soon.
M.
Outside, however, the same superb trim and paint quality that Lexus has always had still remains.
Last edited by mmarshall; 05-25-06 at 08:21 AM.
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05-25-06, 08:04 AM
#8
I agree with mmarshalls view on the interior. I like the previous model's interior much more. The new ES is more like the other models and imo is a negative. The 3GS interior is not as nice as the 2GS. The 2IS interior is better than the 1IS but still not up to Lexus standards. In other words, looks like Lexus is starting to cut corners on interior quality. A trend started by the G35. Manufactureres watch and copy successful formulas. The G35 interior has been ragged on from here to eternity but the cars sell in spite of it. It was only a matter of time before others duplicated this. I like the new ES overall but the interior is not as nice as the last one.
I still feel Lexus interiors are nice just a little less so.
I still feel Lexus interiors are nice just a little less so.
05-25-06, 08:31 AM
#9
Super Moderator
Thanks for another well written review
I sat in the new ES the other day, I actually think it's a nicer interior than the new IS, particularly the panel in the the middle of the dash, which I think is the weakest part of the 2IS.
The ES350 has the same kind of plastic panels in the car as the new IS, which is of slightly lower grade than those on the 3GS. So I think 3GS's interior still has an edge over the new ES & IS. I also think the interior of the 3GS is WAY better than that of the 2GS btw.
As for the exterior appearance, although there are a lot of similarities between the new Lexus models. I have no problem distinguishing them even from a distance. The IS is more wedged shape, looks more agressive, & the lines are not as soft as the new ES, it's not easy to confuse between the two.
I sat in the new ES the other day, I actually think it's a nicer interior than the new IS, particularly the panel in the the middle of the dash, which I think is the weakest part of the 2IS.
The ES350 has the same kind of plastic panels in the car as the new IS, which is of slightly lower grade than those on the 3GS. So I think 3GS's interior still has an edge over the new ES & IS. I also think the interior of the 3GS is WAY better than that of the 2GS btw.
As for the exterior appearance, although there are a lot of similarities between the new Lexus models. I have no problem distinguishing them even from a distance. The IS is more wedged shape, looks more agressive, & the lines are not as soft as the new ES, it's not easy to confuse between the two.
05-25-06, 08:52 AM
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Originally Posted by reggiek
The 3GS interior is not as nice as the 2GS.
I'm not sure what exactly is missing w/ the 3GS - but there's a noticeable drop in luxury from the 2GS IMO.
M.
05-25-06, 09:21 AM
#11
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by LexArazzo
Thanks for another well written review
I sat in the new ES the other day, I actually think it's a nicer interior than the new IS, particularly the panel in the the middle of the dash, which I think is the weakest part of the 2IS.
The ES350 has the same kind of plastic panels in the car as the new IS, which is of slightly lower grade than those on the 3GS. So I think 3GS's interior still has an edge over the new ES & IS. I also think the interior of the 3GS is WAY better than that of the 2GS btw.
As for the exterior appearance, although there are a lot of similarities between the new Lexus models. I have no problem distinguishing them even from a distance. The IS is more wedged shape, looks more agressive, & the lines are not as soft as the new ES, it's not easy to confuse between the two.
I sat in the new ES the other day, I actually think it's a nicer interior than the new IS, particularly the panel in the the middle of the dash, which I think is the weakest part of the 2IS.
The ES350 has the same kind of plastic panels in the car as the new IS, which is of slightly lower grade than those on the 3GS. So I think 3GS's interior still has an edge over the new ES & IS. I also think the interior of the 3GS is WAY better than that of the 2GS btw.
As for the exterior appearance, although there are a lot of similarities between the new Lexus models. I have no problem distinguishing them even from a distance. The IS is more wedged shape, looks more agressive, & the lines are not as soft as the new ES, it's not easy to confuse between the two.
05-25-06, 09:34 AM
#12
Originally Posted by LexArazzo
Thanks for another well written review
I also think the interior of the 3GS is WAY better than that of the 2GS btw.
I also think the interior of the 3GS is WAY better than that of the 2GS btw.
About the interior, I used to have a 2GS and at first I did not want to buy
the 3GS because I thought the 2GS had a nicer interior. I've changed my
mind since, as I find the 3GS interior more modern. It may look cheaper
than before to some, but I think that is a matter of personal taste.
05-25-06, 09:53 AM
#13
Lexus Champion
Originally Posted by marshmallo
About the interior, I used to have a 2GS and at first I did not want to buy
the 3GS because I thought the 2GS had a nicer interior. I've changed my
mind since, as I find the 3GS interior more modern. It may look cheaper
than before to some, but I think that is a matter of personal taste.
the 3GS because I thought the 2GS had a nicer interior. I've changed my
mind since, as I find the 3GS interior more modern. It may look cheaper
than before to some, but I think that is a matter of personal taste.
The only complaint I have is the sea of plastic on the dash. I'm not huge fan of wood trim, but there needs to be something on the dash...maybe by the glove compartment area. I've noticed the new GS, IS and ES are all following this heavy on the plastic theme. My salesperson tried telling me it was b/c Lexus was trying to reduce the possibilities of rattles.
05-25-06, 01:24 PM
#14
Originally Posted by INHOCJP
As a former long-time 2nd gen GS owner, I prefer the 3rd gen interior. From the seats, machine polished guages, center colsole layout and led lighting, the 2nd gen interior is dated compared to the 3rd gen.
The only complaint I have is the sea of plastic on the dash. I'm not huge fan of wood trim, but there needs to be something on the dash...maybe by the glove compartment area. I've noticed the new GS, IS and ES are all following this heavy on the plastic theme. My salesperson tried telling me it was b/c Lexus was trying to reduce the possibilities of rattles.
The only complaint I have is the sea of plastic on the dash. I'm not huge fan of wood trim, but there needs to be something on the dash...maybe by the glove compartment area. I've noticed the new GS, IS and ES are all following this heavy on the plastic theme. My salesperson tried telling me it was b/c Lexus was trying to reduce the possibilities of rattles.
3GS doesnt have these leather inserts on the doors like the 2GS does... which makes the doors look awfuly cheap.
05-25-06, 01:41 PM
#15
Lexus Fanatic
Originally Posted by Och
3GS doesnt have these leather inserts on the doors like the 2GS does... which makes the doors look awfuly cheap.
Last edited by XeroK00L; 05-25-06 at 02:10 PM.