ES 350 Reviews Official Thread
02-15-07, 04:00 AM
#63
My GX is in the shop. I am currently driving the ES350. It seems to corner very well (Parkway to Expressway entrance ramp 60MPH). It was very quiet at 95-100MPH on the Parkway this morning. I enjoy the push button start. It has been windy the past couple of days, and the car seems to drift during gusts. The steering seems loose with some play. Overall I like driving it.
02-24-07, 05:49 AM
#64
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Bad report card at "Lexuw or Rockville Center"
Upon picking my car up for last minute detailing, my son discovered that the door had been slightly damaged. The service manager was happy to fix the problem the following week. This meant that I would have to spend yet another hour going there and back to fix a problem which I was not responsible for. The loaner car I received on both occasions were in the condition of having been occupied by a homeless person for a week. (no disrespect to homeless persons) I had also noticed a squeaking problem behind the dash board and brought this to the attention of the service manager. This problem has been often mentioned by other new Lexus ES 350 owners. The service manager seemed to be unfamiliar with the resolution of this problem but said he would check the internet for a resolution. After having the car for an entire day I picked the car up and the next morning noticed the squeaking even louder than before. This time the service manager said he would pick my car up while I was away on vacation and have it repaired by time I returned. Upon my arrival home I was disappointed to discover that the car was not in my driveway. I contacted the service manager and was informed the I could pick the car up at the dealer after 8am. I expressed my displeasure and was told that he never said he would return the car to my home. I will never use this dealership again and I wanted to warn others that this conduct is not at all what I would have expected from any dealer ship with a Lexus association. I will be in contact with Lexus USA asap.
09-23-07, 10:25 PM
#66
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I've had my 2007 ES 350 for about three months, 3500 miles. My previous car was a 1998 Toyota Avalon, which I liked very much.
Overall, the ES 350 is a great car. It is *quiet*. Even the windshield wipers are almost spookily quiet. It has enough instant acceleration "oomph" to maneuver through traffic if you suddenly need a burst to hit a spot for a lane change, etc. Best mileage I've gotten on a couple of trips from San Diego to Santa Monica is 32.0 miles per gallon though I think I'm getting 20.4 or so overall with a lot of city driving. I love the Aquamarine Pearl color and I've gotten a lot of nice unprompted compliments.
The negatives are pretty minor:
I *hate* the clamshell center console. It is awkwardly sized & shaped to store CD cases, my main use for such a thing. The release to open it is positioned such that it's possible to accidentally open it when you don't want to.
The map lights are pathetically dim.
The controls for moonroof, etc., are not illuminated.
The door pocket storage is smaller than that of my Avalon and is irksome. I could keep a Thomas Guide in the door pocket of my Avalon...really annoying that I can't do the same for the ES 350. (Don't have Nav and for my purposes I need to use the Thomas Guide with real estate clients in non-Nav circumstances, so having a place to put it is nice).
Vision through the rear view mirror & rear window is not so great due to the uptilting rear shelf.
For reasons that I haven't really gone back and forth between the two cars to figure out, the vision from the driver's seat through the right-hand windows seems to be more obstructed by the outside mirror and columns supporting the roof than in the Avalon. Several times I've looked to the right before crossing an intersection and then checked again and seen another car coming...never had that problem with the Avalon.
But overall it's a very comfortable car to drive and gives enough performance to make it fun to drive as well. The Avalon would be more comfortable with four passengers or for three passengers on a long trip. (Well, so would an LS 450 but I'm not in that $$$ range.)
Overall, the ES 350 is a great car. It is *quiet*. Even the windshield wipers are almost spookily quiet. It has enough instant acceleration "oomph" to maneuver through traffic if you suddenly need a burst to hit a spot for a lane change, etc. Best mileage I've gotten on a couple of trips from San Diego to Santa Monica is 32.0 miles per gallon though I think I'm getting 20.4 or so overall with a lot of city driving. I love the Aquamarine Pearl color and I've gotten a lot of nice unprompted compliments.
The negatives are pretty minor:
I *hate* the clamshell center console. It is awkwardly sized & shaped to store CD cases, my main use for such a thing. The release to open it is positioned such that it's possible to accidentally open it when you don't want to.
The map lights are pathetically dim.
The controls for moonroof, etc., are not illuminated.
The door pocket storage is smaller than that of my Avalon and is irksome. I could keep a Thomas Guide in the door pocket of my Avalon...really annoying that I can't do the same for the ES 350. (Don't have Nav and for my purposes I need to use the Thomas Guide with real estate clients in non-Nav circumstances, so having a place to put it is nice).
Vision through the rear view mirror & rear window is not so great due to the uptilting rear shelf.
For reasons that I haven't really gone back and forth between the two cars to figure out, the vision from the driver's seat through the right-hand windows seems to be more obstructed by the outside mirror and columns supporting the roof than in the Avalon. Several times I've looked to the right before crossing an intersection and then checked again and seen another car coming...never had that problem with the Avalon.
But overall it's a very comfortable car to drive and gives enough performance to make it fun to drive as well. The Avalon would be more comfortable with four passengers or for three passengers on a long trip. (Well, so would an LS 450 but I'm not in that $$$ range.)
10-03-07, 11:37 AM
#67
Test Drive: 2007 Lexus ES 350
Toronto, Ontario - It's curious, given how successful Infiniti's been with streamlining its entry-level line-up to just one car (the G35), that Lexus continues to offer two very different models at the bottom of its price range. The IS series, starting at just under $37,000, is a compact, rear-wheel drive sedan with sporting pretensions, entertaining handling and razor-sharp styling. It couldn't be more different from the subject of this review, the ES series, which is front-wheel-drive, large to the point of almost being full-sized and whose focus is on supreme smoothness and isolation rather than driving pleasure. If the IS is designed for younger, edgier, more aggressive customers - the ES is for a more mature, relaxed buyer - one who's not in as much of a rush to get ahead, because they're already there.
Full Article Here
Full Article Here
01-24-08, 08:33 PM
#68
Well got an ES350 on loaner for a couple days till my IS350 gets some maintenance and I must say it is such a pleasurable ride. 
I mean so smooth and bouncy smooth on choppy road and surprising sport mode for a little fun. I actually got it over 100MPH so easy and quickly. Although, compared to my IS it feels like a boat. And cornering, acceleration, body sway all was, let just say non-IS. But that was expected.
The thing that was so lovely was the calm comfort of driving it. After flying around all the time in the IS the ES was just nice and easy and turns alot of heads too. Although, with no tint it could have been me
And the room inside compared to my IS was awesome. It would be a perfect second vehicle for me. 
I mean so smooth and bouncy smooth on choppy road and surprising sport mode for a little fun. I actually got it over 100MPH so easy and quickly. Although, compared to my IS it feels like a boat. And cornering, acceleration, body sway all was, let just say non-IS. But that was expected.
The thing that was so lovely was the calm comfort of driving it. After flying around all the time in the IS the ES was just nice and easy and turns alot of heads too. Although, with no tint it could have been me
And the room inside compared to my IS was awesome. It would be a perfect second vehicle for me.
01-25-08, 08:22 AM
#69
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Well got an ES350 on loaner for a couple days till my IS350 gets some maintenance and I must say it is such a pleasurable ride.
I mean so smooth and bouncy smooth on choppy road and surprising sport mode for a little fun. I actually got it over 100MPH so easy and quickly. Although, compared to my IS it feels like a boat. And cornering, acceleration, body sway all was, let just say non-IS. But that was expected.
The thing that was so lovely was the calm comfort of driving it. After flying around all the time in the IS the ES was just nice and easy and turns alot of heads too. Although, with no tint it could have been me And the room inside compared to my IS was awesome. It would be a perfect second vehicle for me.
I mean so smooth and bouncy smooth on choppy road and surprising sport mode for a little fun. I actually got it over 100MPH so easy and quickly. Although, compared to my IS it feels like a boat. And cornering, acceleration, body sway all was, let just say non-IS. But that was expected.
The thing that was so lovely was the calm comfort of driving it. After flying around all the time in the IS the ES was just nice and easy and turns alot of heads too. Although, with no tint it could have been me
And the room inside compared to my IS was awesome. It would be a perfect second vehicle for me. What sport mode???
01-25-08, 09:41 AM
#70
Well you know, the "S" mode where you can shift gears yourself. I am still grinding this loaner. Hopefully get my IS back today. Took the team out for lunch today, They loved it...it is sooo smoooth.
Last edited by sirCharles; 01-25-08 at 09:54 AM.
02-25-08, 06:00 PM
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Took delivery in early February--right around the Lunar Year for the East Asians among us. Just for bragging rights, the car had 8 miles, meaning no other customer tested this car. 
I've had the car for two weeks so this shall be a list of preliminary impressions. This car is a Premium Plus/Navigation with the implied accessories such as Bluetooth, wood wheel/shifter, power sunshade, etc. Ultra Luxury would have been nice but I didn't see the value for my dollar.
Positive: Practically the whole car is a positive.
-Exterior styling: Conservative never looked this pretty. I don't see how a car like this can go unnoticed. The theme is very cohesive and admittedly a little feminine--but men nowadays are heading down that direction so I'm OK.
-Interior: Nothing jaw-dropping but very curvy and well-executed with its own personality. Rear-seat knee room is plentiful, even with my tall frame pushing the driver seat all the way back, but stay away from the middle rear seat. Perforated leather feels only slightly inferior to UL package semi-aniline.
-Powertrain: The engine is a load of fun. I can rocket away in five-star tranquility. Transmission shifts very smoothly and I have not noticed any flaring.....yet. I have noticed a little low-speed gear-hunting though. The engine revs well and harshness never enters the cabin.
-Ride & Handling: This is no BMW 3-series but the ES feels well-damped and well-controlled. Steering is Lexus-light but I do appreciate that during a commute. The ride is very quiet and smooth, as expected.
-Keyless entry: Takes time to get accustomed to, but becomes useful.
-Navigation system: Decently simple to operate, but no street names in the announcements. Would like the option of a male voice, though, to cater to my daily mood, LOL. Backup camera is a lifesaver because of the high tail.
-Mirrors: Auto-dimming gets rid of headlight glare from those behind you (which is just about everyone), but now I need to re-train my eyes to spot the headlight style of a Ford Crown Victoria. Especially with that engine...
-CD changer: Lexus has cleverly hidden its CD changer behind pretty wooden panels. Having it in the dash is quite convenient, and nobody notices it.
Negative: A few small ****** in the ES's armor of perfection.
-Roofline is low. I'm 6'1" tall and an explosively spiky hairstyle (in an ES--I love contradictions!) will have me sweeping the headliner like a broom. This is probably my biggest gripe about the car. I'm surprised at how little coverage this gets! Notice, however, that this didn't stop me from choosing the ES.
-Rear visibility: With the rear camera, this is a breeze. Without, the tall tail and high beltline can make parking a hassle.
-Glove compartment is poorly lit with a dim orange glow. This can be annoying at night. What engineer made this bizarre blunder?
-Cupholders are of a fixed size. Basically, they are bottleholders.
Don't care for: Quirks that others may praise or condemn.
LED interior lighting: Not quite the cup of tea for the upper end of the customer age spectrum, but I don't mind it. Roof console needs to be illuminated for ease of use...good thing I don't use it much yet!
Base sound system: Probably vastly inferior to the Mark Levinson system, but not awful enough for me to complain. After some adjustment, it's decently crisp with passable bass and mids. I'm not one to blast ear-piercing symphony orchestra because the car has so much quietness for the occupants to enjoy.
Heated/cooled seats: A great gadget to show off, but I never use it (check my Location to see why).
Competition: Cars I considered before choosing the ES350.
-Acura TL: A more sporting alternative with similar power. Exterior styling was cool in 2004, but looks stodgy now in 2008. Both exterior and interior need to mature to recapture my eyes.
-Infiniti G35: Sporty and powerful. Exterior styling, engine noise and rear seat room lose to the ES.
-Mercedes-Benz C300 & BMW 328i: Too small. C-class interior is a bit downmarket. Aside from handling, both lose out in space & features at a competing price range so the ES has more value.
I've had the car for two weeks so this shall be a list of preliminary impressions. This car is a Premium Plus/Navigation with the implied accessories such as Bluetooth, wood wheel/shifter, power sunshade, etc. Ultra Luxury would have been nice but I didn't see the value for my dollar.
Positive: Practically the whole car is a positive.
-Exterior styling: Conservative never looked this pretty. I don't see how a car like this can go unnoticed. The theme is very cohesive and admittedly a little feminine--but men nowadays are heading down that direction so I'm OK.
-Interior: Nothing jaw-dropping but very curvy and well-executed with its own personality. Rear-seat knee room is plentiful, even with my tall frame pushing the driver seat all the way back, but stay away from the middle rear seat. Perforated leather feels only slightly inferior to UL package semi-aniline.
-Powertrain: The engine is a load of fun. I can rocket away in five-star tranquility. Transmission shifts very smoothly and I have not noticed any flaring.....yet. I have noticed a little low-speed gear-hunting though. The engine revs well and harshness never enters the cabin.
-Ride & Handling: This is no BMW 3-series but the ES feels well-damped and well-controlled. Steering is Lexus-light but I do appreciate that during a commute. The ride is very quiet and smooth, as expected.
-Keyless entry: Takes time to get accustomed to, but becomes useful.
-Navigation system: Decently simple to operate, but no street names in the announcements. Would like the option of a male voice, though, to cater to my daily mood, LOL. Backup camera is a lifesaver because of the high tail.
-Mirrors: Auto-dimming gets rid of headlight glare from those behind you (which is just about everyone), but now I need to re-train my eyes to spot the headlight style of a Ford Crown Victoria. Especially with that engine...
-CD changer: Lexus has cleverly hidden its CD changer behind pretty wooden panels. Having it in the dash is quite convenient, and nobody notices it.
Negative: A few small ****** in the ES's armor of perfection.
-Roofline is low. I'm 6'1" tall and an explosively spiky hairstyle (in an ES--I love contradictions!) will have me sweeping the headliner like a broom. This is probably my biggest gripe about the car. I'm surprised at how little coverage this gets! Notice, however, that this didn't stop me from choosing the ES.
-Rear visibility: With the rear camera, this is a breeze. Without, the tall tail and high beltline can make parking a hassle.
-Glove compartment is poorly lit with a dim orange glow. This can be annoying at night. What engineer made this bizarre blunder?
-Cupholders are of a fixed size. Basically, they are bottleholders.
Don't care for: Quirks that others may praise or condemn.
LED interior lighting: Not quite the cup of tea for the upper end of the customer age spectrum, but I don't mind it. Roof console needs to be illuminated for ease of use...good thing I don't use it much yet!
Base sound system: Probably vastly inferior to the Mark Levinson system, but not awful enough for me to complain. After some adjustment, it's decently crisp with passable bass and mids. I'm not one to blast ear-piercing symphony orchestra because the car has so much quietness for the occupants to enjoy.
Heated/cooled seats: A great gadget to show off, but I never use it (check my Location to see why).
Competition: Cars I considered before choosing the ES350.
-Acura TL: A more sporting alternative with similar power. Exterior styling was cool in 2004, but looks stodgy now in 2008. Both exterior and interior need to mature to recapture my eyes.
-Infiniti G35: Sporty and powerful. Exterior styling, engine noise and rear seat room lose to the ES.
-Mercedes-Benz C300 & BMW 328i: Too small. C-class interior is a bit downmarket. Aside from handling, both lose out in space & features at a competing price range so the ES has more value.
Last edited by superchan7; 03-03-08 at 02:12 PM.
03-01-08, 04:52 PM
#73
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New 08 ES350 UL and Why. Plus, the Cars I Didn't Choose
Here is my two cents worth. I picked up my new 08 ES350 UL (black on black) in end Dec 07. After about 1800 miles, so far so good.
The positives that I see are the quiet ride, trunk and driver space, and the interior appointments (even though I agree the storage space inside is not that good with some buttons that aren't illuminated). Plus, the mpg (I have got 33 highway and about 24 city). The negatives are the transmission quirks (20 mph upshift when decellerating) and the creaking/ticking noise (which only seem to happen when the outside temp is in the 20's or below..wierd huh?). I have the backup camera so the rear visibility isn't an issue. I just love the quiet ride though (except that darn creaking/ticking when it is cold). I love the LED interior lights but the green LED clock and green button lighting needs to go. Lexus needs to consider the "optitron" lighting there and other places (where the buttons need to be illuminated at night). I have the Mark Levinson sound system which is great and the panaramic roof...which is suprisingly quiet when open!
Competition: Cars I considered before choosing the ES350.
-Acura RL: Nice car. But more money and with paying more money I felt I would rather have a Lexus.
-Infiniti M35: As mentioned above, the exterior styling, engine noise and rear seat room definitely are not to the ES standards. However, driving enthusiasts say they want to hear the engine in sporty cars....I did not. Very strong ratings in Consumer Reports though...but also way over $50K.
-BMW 528i: The handling is superb, but I don't need to go around turns at 75 mph! Plus the reliability numbers are very low with BMW. Plus, way over $50K. I looked at Mercedes Benz also, but again high money for low reliability!
-Cadillac CTS/STS. The CTS did not have bluetooth (go figure in 2008????). I wanted this feature. Overall nice car. But to get bluetooth, I would have to buy the STS. Another nice car, but more expensive than the ES. Very poor resale and reliability numbers. Again, for the money and luxury and reliability, the ES had it.
Of course, only time will tell!!!
The positives that I see are the quiet ride, trunk and driver space, and the interior appointments (even though I agree the storage space inside is not that good with some buttons that aren't illuminated). Plus, the mpg (I have got 33 highway and about 24 city). The negatives are the transmission quirks (20 mph upshift when decellerating) and the creaking/ticking noise (which only seem to happen when the outside temp is in the 20's or below..wierd huh?). I have the backup camera so the rear visibility isn't an issue. I just love the quiet ride though (except that darn creaking/ticking when it is cold). I love the LED interior lights but the green LED clock and green button lighting needs to go. Lexus needs to consider the "optitron" lighting there and other places (where the buttons need to be illuminated at night). I have the Mark Levinson sound system which is great and the panaramic roof...which is suprisingly quiet when open!
Competition: Cars I considered before choosing the ES350.
-Acura RL: Nice car. But more money and with paying more money I felt I would rather have a Lexus.
-Infiniti M35: As mentioned above, the exterior styling, engine noise and rear seat room definitely are not to the ES standards. However, driving enthusiasts say they want to hear the engine in sporty cars....I did not. Very strong ratings in Consumer Reports though...but also way over $50K.
-BMW 528i: The handling is superb, but I don't need to go around turns at 75 mph! Plus the reliability numbers are very low with BMW. Plus, way over $50K. I looked at Mercedes Benz also, but again high money for low reliability!
-Cadillac CTS/STS. The CTS did not have bluetooth (go figure in 2008????). I wanted this feature. Overall nice car. But to get bluetooth, I would have to buy the STS. Another nice car, but more expensive than the ES. Very poor resale and reliability numbers. Again, for the money and luxury and reliability, the ES had it.
Of course, only time will tell!!!
03-14-08, 02:36 PM
#74
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one year update
Have had my ES350(no navigation)for one year now and almost 11,000 miles.
So far so good.Thought I felt the dreaded transmission "flare" a couple of months ago but it has remained smooth .
It is a very RELAXING,reliable quiet,safe and powerful vehicle.
Very good on icy roads.
The front tires slip with heavy acceleration in the rain .Perhaps that is related to the Michelins-will try a different tire at about 25,000 miles.
Some rattles form the front esp in cold weather.
Gabe
So far so good.Thought I felt the dreaded transmission "flare" a couple of months ago but it has remained smooth .
It is a very RELAXING,reliable quiet,safe and powerful vehicle.
Very good on icy roads.
The front tires slip with heavy acceleration in the rain .Perhaps that is related to the Michelins-will try a different tire at about 25,000 miles.
Some rattles form the front esp in cold weather.
Gabe
03-15-08, 07:24 PM
#75
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Hey deezee, I heard that the Michelin's are the tire to have on your Lexus. I heard they are extremely quiet; quieter than other tires. I have Bridgestones that seem fine but i have read and heard that Michelin's are the best...not sure. I was going to try Michelin's next time (only have about 2500 miles on my car so long way to go).
