lxsrltr

Of course, I know many here may not think the awd is actually coming....

Seems that couple sales guys I've talked to aren't dismissing it. So, who knows?

Inquiring minds would like to know what you're going to do...buy? or wait?

Gekko

2019 will have the new body design so my plan is to wait until i see that before making any purchases. i have no interest or need in AWD. and i doubt it's coming for the ES.

pab12

No, I really doubt the ES will be AWD.
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My karma just ran over your dogma
Current Hers: '13 Lexus ES350
Current Mine: '08 Jaguar S-Type 4.2

Mike728

I wouldn't be so sure that it won't be available in AWD, soon. Some of us were involved with surveys regarding the issue, from Lexus. At the very least, they're looking into the possibility. There are rumors of the GS going away, so that would leave the door opened.

LexBob2

I've heard and read about the rumors of the (slow selling) GS going away, and agree if that's the case the door for an AWD ES might be open. Some of its competition already offer it.

lesz

At first, I would have doubted the rumors about the GS going away because I would have thought that Lexus would not have wanted to leave itself without a model that competes with cars like the BMW 5-series, but, as I look at the facts, I don't think that it is out of question that Lexus would drop the GS.

Sales numbers for the GS are very low, and they have been getting worse over time. The last time I checked year-to-year sales numbers, Lexus had sold only about half as many GS in 2016 as they did in 2015. Demand for the GS is so low that, if you wanted to buy a new GS, discounting from MSRP is significantly greater than it is, say, for the ES. And used values for the GS seem to drop much faster than they do for other Lexus models. I checked the used car inventories at a few of dealers in the area, and I found two dealers that had had both a 2014 GS CPO and a 2014 ES CPO in their inventories. The 2014 CPO GS, in both cases, was fully loaded, and the 2014 ES was nicely-equipped but not fully loaded, but at the two dealerships, the CPO ES had an asking price that was, in one case, higher than that of the CPO GS and, in the other case, about the same as the CPO ES even though the two GS vehicles would have had an initial MSRP that was $10,000 or more higher than the initial MSRP of the ES. That represents a huge difference in the depreciation of the GS compared to that of the ES. If you look at the 4th Generation GS board here, you will regularly find threads with people talking about how steep the depreciation is on the GS because there just isn't much demand for them, new or used.

I wonder if the introduction of the RC coupe might have taken potential buyers away from the GS, but, in any case, considering the low demand for the GS, it would not shock me if Lexus decided to discontinue the GS, and, yes, that would open the door for an AWD ES.

That said, if there is an AWD version of the ES in the future, I would not expect that to happen until there is 7th Generation ES, which most likely would be in 2019, but it could be as early as 2018 or as late as 2020. To give the current 6th Generation ES an AWD option, it would take too many design changes to make sense on both the interior and exterior of the vehicle to get power to the rear wheels.

In answer to the question posed in the OP, while I think that it would be nice for Lexus to add an AWD version of the ES, such a car would not be one that I'd have any interest in. Since I will always have a different AWD SUV to drive on slick roads, I have no need for a more sure-footed AWD ES, and, for my driving style at this point in my life, a FWD ES fits my needs perfectly. Further, I'm not interested in paying the premium for an AWD ES or in accepting the penalty of lower mpg that would come with an AWD ES.

dchar

Another thing to consider...if they add AWD to the ES, that might make it difficult for people to find cars that are FWD in certain regions. Just look at how cars are allocated to regions; when a model has an AWD option, almost all of the cars in dealer inventory are AWD. So be prepared to be forced to pay more for AWD even though you don't want it, custom order your car, or buy from a dealer far away.

jollick

Does anyone think that the change from their former products to new sportier looking vehicles is hurting sales to their older established base of customers?

azipod

Initially I did not think it would be likely. But now there are rumors about a 2018 Camry AWD so I suppose it may be possible.

JDR76

It wouldn't surprise me at all if the next ES offers AWD, but I don't believe it'll be offered on the current generation. It would be for the next gen. I wouldn't expect that before MY19.

roninlexus

I love my Lexus ES 350 experience so far. 1 minor issue but that got resolved quickly. I would put my car as a DD at 9.0. Any higher would require AWD and my next car will be AWD. I live in Colorado and it comes in handy. Also, I had a AWD GS for a day and found a good patch of ice and snow and hit it and it flew out of the muck. I want that level of traction for the weather we get here and it actually does not hurt on dry roads either. I would imagine (as mentioned above) an AWD version would flood markets like Colorado where Subaru seems to be very popular and you only see X Drive Beemers and a ton of cross over SUVs etc.

JDR76

Very possibly. Lexus has stated that their desire is to shift to a younger base, which would mean moving away from that older group and picking up new, younger buyers.

Gekko

IMO Lexus did a terrible job at designing the new GS body design. it's really bland, unimpressive, and uninspiring all over. i shake my head in disbelief any time i see one. no wonder they don't sell well. they blew it.

JDR76

^. I respectfully but fully disagree.

lxsrltr

Thanks for your replies. Seems that this is more a conversation about IF they're going to build an awd and when...lol

Not if you're going to wait to buy one..although a few have clearly expressed no need for awd. Will be interesting to see come oct...nov...

In the mean time, please share more opionions.

Also, anyone have any experience with hond...ah, acura's awds?