Loaner Car: 2013 ES 350
01-08-13, 09:47 PM
#1
Driver
Thread Starter
Loaner Car: 2013 ES 350
Had a new 2013 ES 350 loaner while my LS was in for warranty work. I was able to put 1000 miles on it over the past week.
The ES 350 is much loader and not nearly as refined as I had expected a new $45K 2013 Lexus to be. I figured the ride would be more refined and luxury car oriented. I assumed wrong. I drove some older ES’s and the 2013 is not even close to the same car in terms of quietness or ride quality. The 2013’s ride was no different than any Chevy Impala I rent at an out of town airport. The 2013 ES 350’s dash layout is nice looking, but I am sorry, I have to be able to touch the radio and air conditioning buttons to change them. That mouse thing is frustrating to use. I now know I don’t want my next car to have that type of layout. Yes, I know the new LS has the same layout.
The acceleration was decent and the new exterior on the ES 350 was not too bad. I liked it. But after real world driving for a week, I would not buy a 2013 ES. No way.
The ES 350 is much loader and not nearly as refined as I had expected a new $45K 2013 Lexus to be. I figured the ride would be more refined and luxury car oriented. I assumed wrong. I drove some older ES’s and the 2013 is not even close to the same car in terms of quietness or ride quality. The 2013’s ride was no different than any Chevy Impala I rent at an out of town airport. The 2013 ES 350’s dash layout is nice looking, but I am sorry, I have to be able to touch the radio and air conditioning buttons to change them. That mouse thing is frustrating to use. I now know I don’t want my next car to have that type of layout. Yes, I know the new LS has the same layout.
The acceleration was decent and the new exterior on the ES 350 was not too bad. I liked it. But after real world driving for a week, I would not buy a 2013 ES. No way.
01-08-13, 10:49 PM
#2
The really fustrating thing is that all carmakers have cheapened their $35-$45K price range "luxury" cars. I mean what alternatives are there to the ES that ride real smooth and quiet like one should expect of a luxury car and have well padded / upolstered interior surfaces like $35-$45K cars did in the past? Not Buick, Not Lincoln, Not Infiniti.
01-09-13, 06:17 AM
#3
Considering the ES has Camry roots, I'm not surprised. I had a CT200h loaner last time, and I was wondering how they can justify 39K for a car that has Lexus Styling, is built on a Corolla platform, and has a Prius drivetrain.
01-09-13, 07:51 AM
#4
Driver School Candidate
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Maryland
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Traded an LS400 for an ES350, thinking I'd get the same quality with better handling. Well, yeah; I was totally wrong. Traded the ES for a 2012 LS460. Things are better now! (What was I thinking!?!?)
01-09-13, 07:56 AM
#5
01-09-13, 08:03 AM
#6
Driver School Candidate
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Maryland
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
That was something about the ES that appealed to me. I had to get towed twice in my LS400, once in a muddy grass field used for wedding reception parking, once on a sloped gravel parking lot. Made sure to get an AWD LS460! There's a mileage hit, but.... Well, I hope I don't get overconfident and get into something I can't get out of :-).
01-09-13, 09:04 AM
#7
Trending Topics
01-09-13, 09:17 AM
#8
01-09-13, 01:34 PM
#9
Lexus Fanatic
I had one for about 6 days and I loved mine. It had more leg room than my LS. It was a huge improvement over the last generation, BUT its no LS. Thats kind of the point. Lexus has to keep the LS a notch or two ahead of the rest . Its the flagship. I still think they did an amazing job and I commend them for their designs and attention to detail
01-10-13, 07:29 AM
#12
Lexus Fanatic
LOL, you guys are so funny. Why would you expect to be impressed by a $43,000 ES when getting out of a $75,000 LS? To go to a car half as expensive and FWD vs RWD and expect that you're going to get "the same quality with better handling"?!? Did you drive the car first? You basically expected the car half as expensive to be better?!?
Wouldn't you as the owner of a $75,000 LS be affronted if a car $35,000 cheaper had "the same quality with better handling"?!?!
I obviously decided not to go with the 2013 ES to replace my 2010 ES for reasons I've been vocal about, but the ES is a great car when compared fairly, to other cars costing between $35k-$45k. When you aren't directly comparing it to the LS, it rides very well, is very quiet, and is very well built. Obviously...the LS is moreso on all fronts...but you also could buy a loaded ES and a fairly loaded IS for what an LS costs.
Wouldn't you as the owner of a $75,000 LS be affronted if a car $35,000 cheaper had "the same quality with better handling"?!?!
I obviously decided not to go with the 2013 ES to replace my 2010 ES for reasons I've been vocal about, but the ES is a great car when compared fairly, to other cars costing between $35k-$45k. When you aren't directly comparing it to the LS, it rides very well, is very quiet, and is very well built. Obviously...the LS is moreso on all fronts...but you also could buy a loaded ES and a fairly loaded IS for what an LS costs.
01-10-13, 12:35 PM
#15
Lexus Fanatic
You still loose a lot of refinement and solidity in the ES that you have in the GS and especially the LS. You really don't realize it until you spend some time in the higher model cars.
But, like I said when you drive an ES every day (I did for almost 10 years) and you aren't constantly comparing it to the LS you don't miss that and its a wonderful car to drive.
But, like I said when you drive an ES every day (I did for almost 10 years) and you aren't constantly comparing it to the LS you don't miss that and its a wonderful car to drive.