ES350 Loaner
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,419
Likes: 52
From: AZ
ES350 Loaner
I had my LS460 in for service yesterday and got a new ES350 for a loaner. As a previous ES owner (2008 UL) I was curious about the new model. There were some things I liked about the new version and some disappointments.
LIKES:
1. Size. The car strikes me as near the perfect size. It is small enough to be comfortable driving and yet has good room inside and in the trunk.
2. Performance. Still as lively as I remember my 08 in spite of the larger size and engine retuned to run on regular.
3. Dash. I really liked the new dash with the sweep across the top and the stitching.
DISAPPOINTMENTS:
1. Ride. The low speed ride is stiffer than before and there is more road noise. At highway speeds, the ride smooths out but there is still a bit of road noise. The loaner had the 17" wheels and MXV4 tires, so it is the smoothest and quietest version.
2. Interior. Hard plastic everywhere. The wood trim looked like it was added as an afterthought. The nuluxe seats got very hot. They looked OK, but were not comfortable in hot temperatures.
3. Front End Styling. I'm getting used to the spindle grill and now think it looks OK but the piece between the grill and the hood looks awful.
Overall, it is still a nice car. I could certainly live with it, but it is not a car I really want to buy. I plan to drive a Lincoln MKZ in the next couple of days to see how it compares.
Steve
LIKES:
1. Size. The car strikes me as near the perfect size. It is small enough to be comfortable driving and yet has good room inside and in the trunk.
2. Performance. Still as lively as I remember my 08 in spite of the larger size and engine retuned to run on regular.
3. Dash. I really liked the new dash with the sweep across the top and the stitching.
DISAPPOINTMENTS:
1. Ride. The low speed ride is stiffer than before and there is more road noise. At highway speeds, the ride smooths out but there is still a bit of road noise. The loaner had the 17" wheels and MXV4 tires, so it is the smoothest and quietest version.
2. Interior. Hard plastic everywhere. The wood trim looked like it was added as an afterthought. The nuluxe seats got very hot. They looked OK, but were not comfortable in hot temperatures.
3. Front End Styling. I'm getting used to the spindle grill and now think it looks OK but the piece between the grill and the hood looks awful.
Overall, it is still a nice car. I could certainly live with it, but it is not a car I really want to buy. I plan to drive a Lincoln MKZ in the next couple of days to see how it compares.
Steve
Racer
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,797
Likes: 227
From: GA
I had my LS460 in for service yesterday and got a new ES350 for a loaner. As a previous ES owner (2008 UL) I was curious about the new model. There were some things I liked about the new version and some disappointments.
LIKES:
1. Size. The car strikes me as near the perfect size. It is small enough to be comfortable driving and yet has good room inside and in the trunk.
2. Performance. Still as lively as I remember my 08 in spite of the larger size and engine retuned to run on regular.
3. Dash. I really liked the new dash with the sweep across the top and the stitching.
DISAPPOINTMENTS:
1. Ride. The low speed ride is stiffer than before and there is more road noise. At highway speeds, the ride smooths out but there is still a bit of road noise. The loaner had the 17" wheels and MXV4 tires, so it is the smoothest and quietest version.
2. Interior. Hard plastic everywhere. The wood trim looked like it was added as an afterthought. The nuluxe seats got very hot. They looked OK, but were not comfortable in hot temperatures.
3. Front End Styling. I'm getting used to the spindle grill and now think it looks OK but the piece between the grill and the hood looks awful.
Overall, it is still a nice car. I could certainly live with it, but it is not a car I really want to buy. I plan to drive a Lincoln MKZ in the next couple of days to see how it compares.
Steve
LIKES:
1. Size. The car strikes me as near the perfect size. It is small enough to be comfortable driving and yet has good room inside and in the trunk.
2. Performance. Still as lively as I remember my 08 in spite of the larger size and engine retuned to run on regular.
3. Dash. I really liked the new dash with the sweep across the top and the stitching.
DISAPPOINTMENTS:
1. Ride. The low speed ride is stiffer than before and there is more road noise. At highway speeds, the ride smooths out but there is still a bit of road noise. The loaner had the 17" wheels and MXV4 tires, so it is the smoothest and quietest version.
2. Interior. Hard plastic everywhere. The wood trim looked like it was added as an afterthought. The nuluxe seats got very hot. They looked OK, but were not comfortable in hot temperatures.
3. Front End Styling. I'm getting used to the spindle grill and now think it looks OK but the piece between the grill and the hood looks awful.
Overall, it is still a nice car. I could certainly live with it, but it is not a car I really want to buy. I plan to drive a Lincoln MKZ in the next couple of days to see how it compares.
Steve
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 68,095
Likes: 3,870
From: Maryland
Your opinions pretty much mirror mine. Its funny though, I hear a LOT about the poor ride from owners of previous ES's, when I test drove them back before I got the GS I thought they rode about like my 2010 did...I'll have to drive another one and see. Maybe I'll get one during my 10k service this summer...
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