onthefence

Hi,

In the market for a new car and still debating over an ES 350 or an Acura TL. Since this is a forum for ES, I am sure many of you would have had this question at some point.

If you can share on what made you go for ES 350, it would be very helpful.

Thanks

slorider

ES!! Trust me, my wife recently had a TSX and it had the normal Honda unimportant but annoying problems, so she bought an IS250 with more mileage and loves it ALOT more. Acuras are great, but they just don't do the reliability R&D that Lexus does to ensure everything will work well forever. By the way, her problems involved a clock radio issue that would cose $1500 to fix and an airbag light the dealer wouldn't cover under warranty. I will ONLY buy Lexus from now on, so make the right choice and you will be VERY happy

Xpcgamer

In 2010 I tried a TL. Has no room in the back seat at all and the front seats made me feel crapped. I ended up with a 2010 Maxima SV. Last month I tried the TL again. Same thing. Very small and that dash board looks nasty. The ES has PLENTY of room in the back seat. Front seats are great and the interior is very classy. ES all the way.

LexBob2

Ask this same question on an Acura forum and then compare the pros and cons that you receive from each. You'll get both sides for making the choice they did.

uicandrew

if you have an ipad, check out the Lexus ES350 app. it has a nice interactive side-by-side comparison of the interiors of the Lexus ES350 and the Acura TL. (half the screen is the lexus, the other side is the Acura). when you move the ipad around, the view changes, as if you're turning your head in the car.

UTAS

I owned an Acura from '04 to '06. I've been with Lexus ever since '06. Both cars at this level are comparable - however, aside from the fact that all the Acura's look the same coming or going (I don't know why Acura would opt for that look), two of the main differences in going with Lexus will be 1) in the service experience (few problems, if any) and 2) being coddled at a Lexus dealership. The ES looks great, too.

Get the ES. FWIW

dspcap

I think they are both great cars, test drove them both. I think the ES feels more like a luxury car and the TL feels more like a rocket. What I mean is that the TL has tons and tons of buttons in it and for my wife, it was too confusing.

uicandrew

I think it is a Honda / Acura thing to have so many buttons. It makes the remote touch system seem so much more elegant. U don't have to look down at the middle to lower console, just look at the screen. Also, it's so nice not having to bend over to push a button. Just remain seated in the normal position.

LexBob2

Have you driven and researched both cars? If so, what is your take on them?

mikedege

Lets not forget how much more room there is in the ES. It is much roomier than a TL. Just saying.

Mike

Mike218

I own a 05 TSX and am looking at a ES or TL. Have driven both, Having been a Acura owner since 94, its hard to give up the Acura and knowing where everything is.

Wife and I have test drove both, couldn't go wrong with either one.

Acura, fast, smooth and used to it. Less room, cabin and trunk. Not as much feeling as luxury.

ES. my what can I say? I want to be pampered this time around, I want the outside world to disappear. I want to feel the luxury. To the wife, she says, Wow!

So in the spring will be looking at the UL ES and cant wait!

Zeebo1

I've been an owner of a 96 Acura Integra. Really came down to the TL and the ES 350. Originally looked and test droveTL SH-AWD with Advance package. Really liked the car. Then decided to test drive the new ES 350. The Lexus won me over:

As Mike218 said, TL is fast, powerful. More sporty, but not the feel of luxury as the ES. I'm not trying to drag race the guy next to me at a stoplight. In addition, ES felt quieter in the cabin when accelerating and on bumps in the road. The pickup and sport feel of the ES is just fine with me.

The difference for me was the interior of the ES. The TL, felt a little too plastic for me, while the ES felt more refined and stylish. I also didn't like the center console on the TL. The parking brake is right there on the console...very akward. Plus, I personally like the Nav system and mouse control of the ES vs. TL. Gotta run, but I'll post pictures and more details in the welcome thread. Both good cars...Good Luck.

jetman

Before I bought my ES, I also test drove the TL and I pretty much echo the sentiments of the other posters. The TL felt more powerful and handled better but, to me, just didn't feel like a luxury car. The interior quality seemed just a small step above a Honda, and nowhere near as nice as the ES. The navigation system looked to be a step below the Lexus. The TL was nowhere near as quiet as the ES and the jarring from pavement imperfections was much more pronounced than the Lexus. I did like the styling of the TL slightly more than the ES though. After weighing the pros and cons of each vehicle, I chose the Lexus, even though I could have gotten a better deal on the TL (this was back in August when the ES just came out).

I work hard for 11-12 hours a day. What I am looking for in an entry-level luxury car is a vehicle which bathes me in serenity. I want a nice quiet comfortable cabin to relax in after a long days work. A decent-sounding stereo. Noticeably higher-quality materials throughout. Responsive yet predictable handling. And enough high-tech to make it interesting. The Lexus ES fits the bill quite nicely for me. The TL is still a good car. It just wasn't the right car for me.

dspcap

Another thing I remember about the TL is it didn't handle well in the snow, not sure if that's an issue for you. We haven't driven the ES in the snow, so I really can't compare it yet.

Mike218

When I test drove the TL, i was told if snow was an issue to get the SH-AWD. I live in Baltimore, so even when we get snow, after a few hours the roads are clear. My job closes if there is too much snow (school system) so I don't really worry. Just getting out of the neighborhood.