From gs350 to es350
11-21-14, 05:46 AM
#2
I have 2013 GS350 AWD which the lease is up that I will be switching to 2015 ES350 Ultra Lux. The deal is done but haven't yet picked up the car. I get it tomorrow. The main reason I did the switch was because I didn't want to lease the same car again as 2015 GS really didn't change. Things I know i am going to really miss is the AWD and fine materials used in the GS. Don't get me wrong the ES has great materials but there is some differences coming from GS. Another issue is with lease rates being so good on GS it wouldn't have been much more for 56k GS but really didn't want same car for another 27 months.
My main draw to the ES was Ultra pkg with ML /Pano roof/18 inch wheels. I gave up getting 300H because of the pano roof and 17 inch wheels. Otherwise it would have been the 300H without a doubt.
I will keep everyone posted on my thoughts and comparisons to GS when I get the car and drive it.
My main draw to the ES was Ultra pkg with ML /Pano roof/18 inch wheels. I gave up getting 300H because of the pano roof and 17 inch wheels. Otherwise it would have been the 300H without a doubt.
I will keep everyone posted on my thoughts and comparisons to GS when I get the car and drive it.
11-24-14, 06:23 AM
#3
Well I picked up the car Saturday and was a bit sad to drop off the GS as it was a very good car to me for the last 27 months 50K miles. When I just sat down in the ES I knew I had made the right choice with the soft seats and all wood trim I really felt like I was in what Lexus was based on Luxury. I know the ES is cheaper then the GS but really the ES gives off a more expensive look with Ultra Luxury Package then a regular GS. Going from GS to ES it is a nice change to have something different, when a redesigned GS comes out I am sure I will go to that if its out after this lease. They are very hard to compare as they are 2 different types of cars. If I was leasing now and didn't have a GS prior I would definitely try for the GS as the leases on GS are so good you will come close to an ES payment. Example my Ultra is $499 month 15k 27 months only $900 at signing (bank,Doc dmv) where the 15 GS which was almost 9K more the lease would have been $530 and that was without haggling on GS.
As for GS VS ES they are just 2 different cars, both great depends what you are looking for in a car.
Based on my first 200 miles.
Good:
Ulta LuxuryPKG makes the whole car-Pano Roof/ML/18inch- based on the deals out there I would make sure to get it as it really only added very little to lease.
Seats- very soft for long drives vs GS hard sporty seats
Transmission- it feels like a CVT that's how smooth it is compared to GS, I understand the GS was tuned to be a sports sedan, but it so nice not feel the hard down shifts.
Engine- is whisper quiet while driving and at idle, GS was loud because of direct injection and speaker added to make the engine sound loud during acceleration.
Nav Version 8- Free weather / Traffic
Ride- It is a car you can drive for hours without getting tired, there is no effort needed to steer. GS is tight steering so at times it takes effort to move the wheel.
Over steer - I feel it really doesn't exist compared to the prior models, I had 2010 which I felt it at times. Between 2010 ES and 2015 it is night and day.
Power- Doesn't feel much slower then the GS at all. may be because of front wheel drive.
Backseat- very roomy compared to GS
Power Trunk- Not sure if this is on GS yet but it great
Fuel Type- Regular allowed and already AVG 22.4 so far after 200 miles of mixed driving.
Bad:
Nav version 8 - seems to be a bit slow, I know this version is also in 15 GS so I am sure it is slow in the GS as well compared to 2013 version
Screen Size- I really miss that 12inch screen that made it so easy to see everything, in the ES you have to scroll between screens which can be distracting when driving,
Brakes- Brakes are good in ES, but they don't compare to the brakes in regular GS non Fsport. I felt a lot more confident in braking in GS. Understand GS is a performance car that needs those brakes.
Bumpy- Don't know how to describe it and I understand I have 18inch wheels however I feel when I hit bumps it doesn't sound as solid as GS. It seems a bit flimsy which could be weight related vs GS.
AWD- ES doesn't have AWD and even in the rain today I would have felt a lot safer with GS AWD
Cornering- ES doesn't compare to GS on taking exit ramps as I feel if I went fast enough I would go off the ramp. Understand the ES isn't a sports sedan.
As for GS VS ES they are just 2 different cars, both great depends what you are looking for in a car.
Based on my first 200 miles.
Good:
Ulta LuxuryPKG makes the whole car-Pano Roof/ML/18inch- based on the deals out there I would make sure to get it as it really only added very little to lease.
Seats- very soft for long drives vs GS hard sporty seats
Transmission- it feels like a CVT that's how smooth it is compared to GS, I understand the GS was tuned to be a sports sedan, but it so nice not feel the hard down shifts.
Engine- is whisper quiet while driving and at idle, GS was loud because of direct injection and speaker added to make the engine sound loud during acceleration.
Nav Version 8- Free weather / Traffic
Ride- It is a car you can drive for hours without getting tired, there is no effort needed to steer. GS is tight steering so at times it takes effort to move the wheel.
Over steer - I feel it really doesn't exist compared to the prior models, I had 2010 which I felt it at times. Between 2010 ES and 2015 it is night and day.
Power- Doesn't feel much slower then the GS at all. may be because of front wheel drive.
Backseat- very roomy compared to GS
Power Trunk- Not sure if this is on GS yet but it great
Fuel Type- Regular allowed and already AVG 22.4 so far after 200 miles of mixed driving.
Bad:
Nav version 8 - seems to be a bit slow, I know this version is also in 15 GS so I am sure it is slow in the GS as well compared to 2013 version
Screen Size- I really miss that 12inch screen that made it so easy to see everything, in the ES you have to scroll between screens which can be distracting when driving,
Brakes- Brakes are good in ES, but they don't compare to the brakes in regular GS non Fsport. I felt a lot more confident in braking in GS. Understand GS is a performance car that needs those brakes.
Bumpy- Don't know how to describe it and I understand I have 18inch wheels however I feel when I hit bumps it doesn't sound as solid as GS. It seems a bit flimsy which could be weight related vs GS.
AWD- ES doesn't have AWD and even in the rain today I would have felt a lot safer with GS AWD
Cornering- ES doesn't compare to GS on taking exit ramps as I feel if I went fast enough I would go off the ramp. Understand the ES isn't a sports sedan.
11-24-14, 06:38 AM
#4
Lexus Test Driver
The GS interior looks roughly similar to the ES but the materials quality is a lot higher. The switchgear feels properly luxurious, like out of an older E-class Benz, instead of the ES' fancy Toyota feel. I still went for an ES300h for the huge back seat and fuel economy but I would've gone for a a GS300h if it didn't cost so much more. It's weird that the NX also feels a lot more upmarket than an RX even though they cost roughly the same.
11-24-14, 08:12 AM
#5
Lexus Test Driver
Well I picked up the car Saturday and was a bit sad to drop off the GS as it was a very good car to me for the last 27 months 50K miles. When I just sat down in the ES I knew I had made the right choice with the soft seats and all wood trim I really felt like I was in what Lexus was based on Luxury. I know the ES is cheaper then the GS but really the ES gives off a more expensive look with Ultra Luxury Package then a regular GS. Going from GS to ES it is a nice change to have something different, when a redesigned GS comes out I am sure I will go to that if its out after this lease. They are very hard to compare as they are 2 different types of cars. If I was leasing now and didn't have a GS prior I would definitely try for the GS as the leases on GS are so good you will come close to an ES payment. Example my Ultra is $499 month 15k 27 months only $900 at signing (bank,Doc dmv) where the 15 GS which was almost 9K more the lease would have been $530 and that was without haggling on GS.
As for GS VS ES they are just 2 different cars, both great depends what you are looking for in a car.
Based on my first 200 miles.
Good:
Ulta LuxuryPKG makes the whole car-Pano Roof/ML/18inch- based on the deals out there I would make sure to get it as it really only added very little to lease.
Seats- very soft for long drives vs GS hard sporty seats
Transmission- it feels like a CVT that's how smooth it is compared to GS, I understand the GS was tuned to be a sports sedan, but it so nice not feel the hard down shifts.
Engine- is whisper quiet while driving and at idle, GS was loud because of direct injection and speaker added to make the engine sound loud during acceleration.
Nav Version 8- Free weather / Traffic
Ride- It is a car you can drive for hours without getting tired, there is no effort needed to steer. GS is tight steering so at times it takes effort to move the wheel.
Over steer - I feel it really doesn't exist compared to the prior models, I had 2010 which I felt it at times. Between 2010 ES and 2015 it is night and day.
Power- Doesn't feel much slower then the GS at all. may be because of front wheel drive.
Backseat- very roomy compared to GS
Power Trunk- Not sure if this is on GS yet but it great
Fuel Type- Regular allowed and already AVG 22.4 so far after 200 miles of mixed driving.
Bad:
Nav version 8 - seems to be a bit slow, I know this version is also in 15 GS so I am sure it is slow in the GS as well compared to 2013 version
Screen Size- I really miss that 12inch screen that made it so easy to see everything, in the ES you have to scroll between screens which can be distracting when driving,
Brakes- Brakes are good in ES, but they don't compare to the brakes in regular GS non Fsport. I felt a lot more confident in braking in GS. Understand GS is a performance car that needs those brakes.
Bumpy- Don't know how to describe it and I understand I have 18inch wheels however I feel when I hit bumps it doesn't sound as solid as GS. It seems a bit flimsy which could be weight related vs GS.
AWD- ES doesn't have AWD and even in the rain today I would have felt a lot safer with GS AWD
Cornering- ES doesn't compare to GS on taking exit ramps as I feel if I went fast enough I would go off the ramp. Understand the ES isn't a sports sedan.
As for GS VS ES they are just 2 different cars, both great depends what you are looking for in a car.
Based on my first 200 miles.
Good:
Ulta LuxuryPKG makes the whole car-Pano Roof/ML/18inch- based on the deals out there I would make sure to get it as it really only added very little to lease.
Seats- very soft for long drives vs GS hard sporty seats
Transmission- it feels like a CVT that's how smooth it is compared to GS, I understand the GS was tuned to be a sports sedan, but it so nice not feel the hard down shifts.
Engine- is whisper quiet while driving and at idle, GS was loud because of direct injection and speaker added to make the engine sound loud during acceleration.
Nav Version 8- Free weather / Traffic
Ride- It is a car you can drive for hours without getting tired, there is no effort needed to steer. GS is tight steering so at times it takes effort to move the wheel.
Over steer - I feel it really doesn't exist compared to the prior models, I had 2010 which I felt it at times. Between 2010 ES and 2015 it is night and day.
Power- Doesn't feel much slower then the GS at all. may be because of front wheel drive.
Backseat- very roomy compared to GS
Power Trunk- Not sure if this is on GS yet but it great
Fuel Type- Regular allowed and already AVG 22.4 so far after 200 miles of mixed driving.
Bad:
Nav version 8 - seems to be a bit slow, I know this version is also in 15 GS so I am sure it is slow in the GS as well compared to 2013 version
Screen Size- I really miss that 12inch screen that made it so easy to see everything, in the ES you have to scroll between screens which can be distracting when driving,
Brakes- Brakes are good in ES, but they don't compare to the brakes in regular GS non Fsport. I felt a lot more confident in braking in GS. Understand GS is a performance car that needs those brakes.
Bumpy- Don't know how to describe it and I understand I have 18inch wheels however I feel when I hit bumps it doesn't sound as solid as GS. It seems a bit flimsy which could be weight related vs GS.
AWD- ES doesn't have AWD and even in the rain today I would have felt a lot safer with GS AWD
Cornering- ES doesn't compare to GS on taking exit ramps as I feel if I went fast enough I would go off the ramp. Understand the ES isn't a sports sedan.
11-25-14, 05:26 PM
#6
Thank you!
New item noticed the gas door has an internal button unlike GS which has no internal button for gas door.
Also you can split nav screen in 3 portions of your choice for your home screen.
ie.map/radio/gas avg
New Item Miss the big gas pedal from GS
New item noticed the gas door has an internal button unlike GS which has no internal button for gas door.
Also you can split nav screen in 3 portions of your choice for your home screen.
ie.map/radio/gas avg
New Item Miss the big gas pedal from GS
Last edited by Lexus1998; 11-26-14 at 05:58 AM.
11-26-14, 01:53 PM
#7
Nice write up 1998. I went the other way ES to GS last spring. No major disagreements with your observations. I came from owing 3 ES's, the last one an 07, and enjoyed years of trouble-free driving with all of them. The ES is Lexus bread and butter money maker since its introduction, and for a reason. It does almost everything thing 100% right, and the few areas it doesn't it does them 95% right. For me this time around I went for the GS for the larger NAV screen and over all step up in interior luxury.
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11-28-14, 09:34 PM
#8
Lexus Fanatic
Like I said a few weeks ago when I had an ES loaner, it's still a great car and I could go back to an ES after becoming accustomed to the GS. Especially if I was buying. Like I said, the GS is really not much more to lease, but it is ~ $15-20k more and that's a lot of money. Especially comparing a premium GS which it sounds like yours was. The luxury model gets you the wood interior, the 18 way seats and all which makes it more luxurious and less sporty inside. But...it's a $63k car...
As for the bumpy ride, that's one of the big surprises for me. The GS is solid and more refined, and while the ES rides softer, it doesn't ride as solidly and at speed and on the highway I think the GS is a better ride, especially with the ES on 18s.
Enjoy the new ES and post some pictures!
As for the bumpy ride, that's one of the big surprises for me. The GS is solid and more refined, and while the ES rides softer, it doesn't ride as solidly and at speed and on the highway I think the GS is a better ride, especially with the ES on 18s.
Enjoy the new ES and post some pictures!
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