Good morning. I’ve been shopping the ES350 for a few weeks and as a tall person have found the driver seat extension capability of Lux and Ultra Lux to be fantastic. But price and availability of both new and used have me pausing. It finally occurred to me that it might be possible to find some aftermarket extender contraption and save a few grand by getting a base or premium model.

I noticed a couple of seat extenders on Amazon and am looking for others to see if there are any really effective ones out there. Does anyone have experience with such a product?

Surprisingly the new TLX seating is quite comfortable and seems to have better support for us long-legged folks. Although their overly bulky console impinges a bit on leg movement more than ES.

Thanks for any thoughts and ideas.

 

Seats are one of those things you want to buy the best you can get for the car you want. I'd highly advise wait for the Lux/UL so you can get the longer seat. Don't tack on the extenders you've found. It would quite literally be tacky.

 

If you will be driving this car for extended periods I'll recommend bite the bullet and get a Luxury trim with the extender (if budget and inventory allows). Although a few grant more the Luxury trims usually have other extra features that offset the extra extender price like: semi-aniline leather, wood trim, ambient lighting, moonroof or panorama and maybe 12" screen.

 

Check out a recent post (today) in this forum regarding 2023 ES seats being the best ever... GOOD LUCK in your search...

 

In fairness to OP, it's worth noting that the seats referenced in that article are the F Sport seats, which lack the extender he likes.

 

Can someone explain how you position the seat extender to fit you and not interfere with driving? I find that anything that actually contacts my thighs seems to also prevent me from moving my feet back from the pedals when in cruise control.

 

The seat extender should be deployed if you are at least 6 feet tall.

 

It's easy, actually. Most car seat extenders are a horizonal extension of the seat bottom that moves directly fore and aft, parallel to the seat bottom. This one is different. It's hinged at its back end and more or less swings out at an angle, sorta like a La-Z-Boy footrest without the gap. The button for it is on the left side of the seat, and you just adjust it to the position that supports your thighs without getting in the way of movement below the knees.

 

I agree. I found the "seat extender" very comfortable. It does not slide out horizontally from the seat like many do, but the front of the seat edge itself rotates at the seat and lifts up gently under your knees. When fully extended, it does lengthen the seat, but intermediate positions are very comfortable. Also, when fully retracted, it is invisible because it becomes the front edge of the seat.
It's a very nice feature.

 

ES350 Lux and Ultra Lux trims should be easier to find than and "deal" with than 300H, I recommend you spend more time to find and negotiate (6%-10% off MSRP is not too much to ask) to save $ and get the right trim (2024 just came out to dealer lot few weeks ago, but 2023 is the exact same as 2024 so dealers may have some left over with more discount for 2023), than buy a base (premium is base with premium package) and spend the same $ that you suppose to save (and time + frustration) to add in a seat extender, not even guarantee that it works.

 

I have the seat extender, I just don't understand how to use it. When I extend it, it doesnt feel like it's supporting anything.... is there a recipe for how to find the proper degree of extension?

 

There is no recipe. It's like a lot of things in life: you just keep pressing the button until it feels good.

 

I'm 5'10" and I love the extender, I had a 2022 IS 300 as a loaner, I love the IS but miss the features of my ES Ultra.

 

I am even shorter than 5'10" and I find the "seat extender" in my swell new ES350 UL to be extremely comfortable and very well executed. Also, I note that ESh does not indicate that the seat extender is not helpful to those under 6 feet, but rather he suggests mandatory use for those over 6 feet.

 

It seems like the extender is a popular feature and makes me wish it was an option on all trims. It's one of those things where if it didn't exist you might never think about it. But after experiencing it's pluses, you really want it! It's somewhat challenging to find a used Lux, but I'll see what pops up. I keep going back in my mind to the TLX seat comfort, but still think Lexus has an edge in quality and a classic 6-cylinder ICE.