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Originally, I didn't even waste my time test driving the 6ES; it just looked so bland, I never even drove it.
With the 2016 6.5ES, things certainly looking brighter.
I still don't like the styling of the trailing apex of the rear window, but the nose, tail and wheels certainly look nicer.
You really can't go wrong with either car. With the upgrades to the ES in 2016 I'm confident my purchase decision would have been harder than when I upgraded to the GS in 2013. The 2016 ES is a very nice car, the GS is a very nice car too but its smaller, sportier. What sort of experience do you want? You don't sacrifice much luxury or too much ride going to the GS, but you really sacrifice all sportiness going with the ES. Thats not really important to me, I bought the GS despite its sportiness not because of it, but is that important to you?
The GS is much more agile and fun to drive, more youthful. The ES is bigger, IMHO with these refreshes better looking, not quite as nice inside and better riding.
Correct, they can't negotiate a deal until the customer has decided which car they want.
I have both cars negotiated already. We have a final price on each car. I just can't decided which one. I do want the GS but the ride on the Es is so nice. I also found out on the GS f sport the instrument panel does not slide across and move like like LFA instrument panel. Yet they made the is 350 rc f instrument panel like the LFA. With a push of a button the panel slides to
The left and displays more info. Very sleek design but not on the GS f sport. That was what made me also want to save some money and go with the ES because I was so disappointed not having that feature in a 58,000 car
I have both cars negotiated already. We have a final price on each car. I just can't decided which one. I do want the GS but the ride on the Es is so nice. I also found out on the GS f sport the instrument panel does not slide across and move like like LFA instrument panel. Yet they made the is 350 rc f instrument panel like the LFA. With a push of a button the panel slides to
The left and displays more info. Very sleek design but not on the GS f sport. That was what made me also want to save some money and go with the ES because I was so disappointed not having that feature in a 58,000 car
If the main issue for you with the GS vs the ES is a motorized RPM gauge you should get the ES. Comparing a GS F Sport to an ES means that the benefits of having the GS, and specifically the F Sport package aren't of value to you...so get the ES.
That sort of thing is just a gimmick. You'd loose interest in it the second week you had the car. The real benefit of the GS is the more robust platform, the RWD layout, the better handling and more sophisticated suspension, the better finishes inside and out. Whether those things are of value to you is a decision each buyer has to make for themselves.
The 6.5ES's interior is nice, but the split cup holders is silly; I can no longer put my cell phone there.
Unlike the 4GS which has two cup holders in front of the auto tranny, and the sat nav joystick beside the auto tranny and drive mode jog dial, the 6ES has one cup holder and the drive mode jog dial at the front, while the sat nav joystick and palm rest is beside the auto tranny with the second cup holder is behind the auto tranny.
However, both 4GS and 6ES ergonomics abit wonky.
The front cup holder/s actually pushes the auto tranny lever too close to the driver.
In truth, the dual cup holders should be placed to the side of the auto tranny lever like in the 3GS so that the auto tranny lever can be positioned more forwards with the touch screen that needed no sat nav joystick at all.
For what ever reason, I'm not into the GS model. I've driven a '15 GSF for a few days as a loaner. Checked them out in the showroom, and park next to a '16 GS at work from time to time. Sure the interior is a little nicer than ES but less space than ES.
And of course it's a RWD but I can't see myself purchasing one. That's why I'm seriously thinking about buying the next Gen LS. I been looking for more info on the LS forum but haven't heard a whole lot of chatter on the next Gen LS.
I think Lexus is pushing the GSF model for people looking for performance (I've got a modified 370Z to fill that need). The ES is for people looking for entry level luxury and they have nailed it. Aside for some hard plastics, there's nothing I don't like about my ES.
The ES dash is much more up to date (table-top design) while the GS is an olde-school center stack. I much prefer the "flat" design of the ES.
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My karma just ran over your dogma
Current Hers: '13 Lexus ES350
Current Mine: '08 Jaguar S-Type
The ES dash is much more up to date (table-top design) while the GS is an olde-school center stack. I much prefer the "flat" design of the ES.
The layout of the 6ES dash and the 4GS dash are basically identical. The picture peteharvey posted above is of the last generation 3GS. All modern Lexus sedans have a horizontal layout and not a center stack.
This is a 4GS dash:
Originally Posted by peteharvey
The front cup holder/s actually pushes the auto tranny lever too close to the driver.
I actually find the gearshift position in all of these cars pretty perfect...
Some say that now that the Toyoda grandson has taken over, he wants more dynamics in Toyotas and Lexiis.
Hence some testers say that the current 6ES is a lot noisier and firmer than previous generations of ES's?
So the 6.5ES may not be much softer than the 4.5GS after all???
I tested my staff's 2016 Camry V6 yesterday, and it was a lot louder and firmer than previous iterations.
Have they changed the sound deadening material?
I drove them back to back extensively when I was shopping in 2012 and ultimately chose the GS. I came from a previous gen ES and I never felt that the 6ES was appreciably firmer or louder than my 5ES. I think a lot of people who felt that way were looking at ES' with 18s.
The 2016 refresh ES is definitely slightly quieter than the 2013-2015 models, and I think the ride is about the same. I've driven a couple as loaners. Big improvement IMHO is in styling and interior.
The big difference in ride between the GS and ES is spring rates and impact harshness at low speeds. The GS is more firmly sprung for sure, and you feel that when going over speed bumps, driveway aprons, low speed impacts, etc. IMHO the GS rides better and more solidly at speed. Powertrain is quieter in the ES by design. GS is a little quieter in terms of road and wind noise IMO.
How about getting an ES for the daily driver and a souped-up cheap Miata for the hooning? If you want a big, quiet, comfy and cheap luxury car, you can't go wrong with the ES. It'll never handle as well as the GS but most drivers can't approach the GS' limits on the road anyway.
07-14-16, 12:19 PM
