The Lexus ES sedan has had quite a history, starting with the 2.5 litre, Camry-based ES250 to the 3.0 litre, V6 ES300 that went through many redesigns and changes. This is probably a good thread to discuss some of the high and low points regarding the various ES we drive or have driven.

I'll start off by mentioning briefly about the 1996 ES300 (owned for 7 years) and 2001 ES300 (current car)...

Pros of 1996 ES: the "classic" luxury styling on the exterior, extra soft suspension, the quiet and elegant interior, and the awesome fuel economy (20 city/29 highway)

Cons of 1996 ES: the rather hard-surfaced vinyl(?) dashboard, reduction of electrical power with age (for the gauges, window controls), and location of CD player in trunk.

Pros of 2001 ES: refreshening of exterior "look" and interior "feel", smarter engine (VVT-i), MORE driver features and controls (auto-dim mirror, extra storage in the armrest), retains the "classic" resemblance of the ES w/ a modernized and sporty-like attraction

Cons of 2001 ES: none at the moment, I'm loving this vehicle!

 

For my old '93 ES-

Pros:

- Smooth ride
- Smooth engine
- Beautiful styling (especially in the front)
- Very reliable
- Good interior controls/ergonomics
- Comfy seats for cruising
- Quick steering turn-in response at low speeds (makes the car feel more agile)
- Nice factory stereo
- Good quality dashboard materials and carpet
- Large trunk (albeit w/ a high liftover)
- Solid body structure
- Engine warms up quickly on cold mornings


Cons:

- Those damn oil cover gaskets
- Poor quality interior leather (at least on my particular car)
- Suspension is too soft for my tastes
- Steering effort is too light
- FWD = Understeer
- Rubber seals dry out over time and allow more noise into the car thanks to the frameless side wondows
- Kinda slow
- Bad location for trunk cd changer
- Center console armrest is too low and far back
- The sunroof button needs to be pressed twice to fully close the roof (holding it down the first time will only close it halfway. Yeah, I know this is minor, but I use the sunroofs a lot on all the cars I drive)
- No warning chime when my stupid self leaves the lights on by accident (although half the time the lights will cut off automatically. Never figured that one out.)
- Rear seat is a little too small.