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On the web site thecarconnection.com there is a short review of the 2018 Lexus ES cars. Some of the major changes are that there will be a "Premier Package" which will combine the former Premier and Luxury editions. Another is that the one year free trial safety connect and service connect will now be free for 10 years. Here are a few paragraphs of what they highlight:

For 2018, the only major change is that a single mid-range trim level, called the Premier Package, replaces the pair of trims previously known as the Premium and Luxury Packages. It adds heating and ventilation to the seats, memory for the driver-seat and steering position, power adjustment and leather covering for the steering wheel, wood trim for the doors, and new 17-inch 10-spoke dark grey alloy wheels. A new Noble Brown interior with Dark Mocha wood trim can be specified, and park assist and blind-spot monitors with rear cross-traffic alert are required.

　

The Ultra Luxury Package layers on a much larger panoramic moonroof, semi-aniline leather, and ambient lighting. The panoramic moonroof is an option on lower trims as well, along with a navigation system, LED headlights, and a Mark Levinson audio system. This year, Lexus has given up on its one-year trial for the Safety Connect and Service Connect systems, and simply made them free for 10 years.

Note that Lexus packages various features into specific option combinations, and those vary by region (to accommodate local weather, for instance). This reduces the complexity of buying an ES, but if you want to buy one exactly to your specifications, it’ll have to be a factory order, and it’ll take longer.

lesz

There are also a product information sheets for the 2018 ES.

The download for the 2018 ES350 is here.

http://pressroom.lexus.com/lexus/rel...info+sheet.htm

The download for the 2018 ES300h is here.

http://pressroom.lexus.com/lexus/rel...info+sheet.htm

I note that, while the Premiere package is new, it doesn't replace the Luxury package, which will still be available. Instead, it appears to be a replacement for the Premium package.

While the Safety Connect and Service Connect systems will now be free for 10 years, it looks like that the Enform Remote will still require a paid subscription. For the 2015-2017 ES, the Service Connect and Safety Connect subscription is $165 annually, and the Service Connect, Safety Connect, and Enform Remote subscription is $250. So, it will be interesting to see if the Enform Remote subscription will be the additional $85 that it currently costs to add the Enform Remote to the Safety Connect and Service Connect subscription or if it will be some other amount.

I'm not sure how to interpret "a much larger panoramic moonroof" for the UL ES. I'm not sure whether they are saying that it is bigger than the standard sun roof on the Base, Premiere, and Luxury packages or whether they are saying that it will be bigger than the panoramic roof previously on UL package cars. As I look at the panoramic roof on my 2017 UL ES, I'm not sure much bigger Lexus could make it. The front glass is about as far forward as it could be. The rear fixed glass also extends about as far back as it could go without having to push the back seat reading light too far back to be of any use. And the space between the two glass panels can't be reduced because that space is needed inside the car for retracting the shades for both panels.

Mike728

Their wording is kind of misleading, but I'll bet the house they're just comparing it to the standard roof. Especially, since they say it's also available on lower models, like it is now.

lesz

That would be my guess, too.

BradTank

Any sort of large panoramic glass roof is basically a deal breaker where I live in the hot Southwest, so i hope it doesn't come standard with some large sunroof.

Mike728

UL's come standard with the pano. If you don't like it, just close the shade!

BradTank

It's just not as good an insulator as a traditional roof.

A friend of mine got a new Volvo SUV and I think the panaromic roof is standard. She says it's a big issue with the heat gain.

Glass is just not a good insulator.

You have a room with a lot of glass, it gets hot, and the automotive glass is worse as it usually isn't double paned.

Mike728

Actually, metal is a conductor and glass is an insulator.

I don't live in Phoenix, but on the hottest/sunniest days in Chicago, the shade works very well.

lesz

I'm not a big fan of sunroofs. Not only do the sunroofs on my vehicles stay closed most of the time, but the shades are also closed most of the time. My 2013 ES had the standard sunroof. My 2017 UL ES has the panoramic roof. If I didn't occasionally look up and notice that the 2017 has 2 shades, I don't think that I'd even notice the difference between the two sunroofs. With the roofs closed and with the shades closed, I notice absolutely no difference between the two with regard to heat on the hottest summer days, cold on the coldest winter days, road or wind noise, or anything else.

BradTank

I guess you're being facetious but did you never learn about the greenhouse effect?

I can definitely feel a difference when I put my hand under the sunroof versus under the part where there is no glass. Big temperature difference.

Kijug

I live in Dallas area and have a 2014 ES 350/UL. I usually close the sunroof shades (and rear power shade and rear manual shades) during the summer and with MANY days of 100 degrees, I come out from work and the car is hot--like it or not. I use a front window sunshield which DEFINITELY helps. However, the ambient air inside is not scorching, so I don't think the pano roof is an issue--I like it overall (also easier to wash!) During the fall I put down the rear/side shades and open the sunroof shades. If the temperature is right, I'll open all the windows and sunroof. I'm really amazed how quiet the sunroof is when open and going 70 MPH. Good job to Lexus on that. I the winter the windows are closed but all the shades are open. I have enjoyed the pano roof and other shades....FWIW.