I am still driving 2007 ES350 UL. We bough 4 Lexus cars and SUVs since then but that old ES is still my favorite ride. Hybrids and fully electric cars cause me motion sickness hence my next car will be v6.

I test drove new ES 350 and feel that they made it more sporty and smaller but I am probably biased and could not do direct comparison. I want that boaty feel and willing to buy a used ES when this one finally dies.

What is the last ES350 year model that drove like my 2007?

 

2013-2018

 

I agree with you on the floaty ES. that was my dream ES. The 7th Gen rides too firm.

i want that old man float and sag. i want white walls. i want sparks to fly when i hit a mild bump.

i miss those ESes.

for a little bit i was even looking at lincoln town cars or mercury grand marquis (i refuse a crown vic). points for a broken sagging rear suspension. just kidding on that.. mostly.

 

My 2021 ES 350 came with 17” wheels/tires. I’m told they provide a smoother ride than the 18” wheels that now come on many late model ES 350’s. I believe the 17” are still available on many late model ES 350 units.

 

What is a 3ES/3GS/4GS owner doing in a 7ES forum?
Akio sprung the 4GS in Luxury Trim so firmly that I strongly considered trading-in for 6.5ES/7ES.

The 7ES uses the same tire sizes as the discontinued 4GS.
To my amazement, the 7ES is surprizingly firm too!

Look at how I downsized from OEM 235/40 R19, to 235/45 R18, to 235/50 R17.
Medium springing on tall side walled tires.
Now it has a magnificent ride, while the handling is still very decent.

 

17 inch wheels are only available (and is a standard feature) on the ES 250 AWD, ES 350, and ES 300h base model types. The base with Premium package version of those model types have the option of 18 inch wheels so even some base models may not be equipped with 17 inch wheels.

 

Smaller? Really? I own a 2007 GS350, which is bigger than the 2007 ES350, and my 2024 ES300h is definitely bigger/longer than my GS. I can't park my ES in my garage where my GS normally parks.

Bias...I believe so.

 

These were the OEM 17”s. Never had an issue with how they gripped.

 

The 7ES uses essentially the same wheel & tire sizes as discontinued 4GS!

It's very tricky.
My GS350 OEM's were 235/40 R19.
One size down is 235/45 R18.
Two sizes down is 235/50 R17.

However, for some strange reason, the OEM 17" are actually fitted with one size shorter sidewalls, and one size smaller rolling diameter - not with 225/55 R17, but with 225/50 R17 in 4GS and 215/55 R17 in 7ES!
Both 225/50 R17 & 215/55 R17 actually have similar sidewall height to 235/45 R18's - hence rides and handles similar to midrange 235/45 R18!
Confusing?
Ready to give your mathematical prowess a workout?

While the 4GS entry level used one size smaller rolling diameter & sidewall at 225/50 R17, the 7ES entry level used a similar but fractionally narrower one size smaller rolling diameter and sidewalls at 215/55 R17!

However, my 235/50 R17, which has the same side wall height and rolling diameter as 225/55 R17 and 215/60 R17 - has a taller sidewall, and the same rolling diameter as the OEM 19" and 18" - hence, my 225/55 R17 has a genuinely softer ride, at a small expense to handling.

The GS generally used the one size smaller rolling diameter and shorter sidewalls @ 225/50 R17 on 200/300t 2.0 Turbos, European GS250 2.5 V6's, and GS300h 2.5 4-cylinder Hybrids.
Likewise, the 7ES generally uses the one size smaller rolling diameter and shorter sidewalls @ 215/55 R17 on their 4-cylinder ES250's as well.

It is important to point out that the one size smaller rolling diameter, with the one size shorter sidewall height, will generally NOT give any benefit to ride comfort NOR noise, but also will NOT detract from handling compared to the midrange 235/45 R18's either.

Hence, if you're using 17" wheels in the form of 215/55 R17 on your 7ES, then you have NO ride NOR noise benefit, but no handling disadvantages either - over the midrange 235/45 R18.
215/55 R17 and 225/50 R17 are equivalent in sidewall height to 235/45 R17.
235/45R17 has the same sidewall as 235/45 R18!
Thus, no sidewall benefit. 😥
However, the 18" rims do have a larger rolling diameter for greater load rating and taller gearing than the 17".

You need 235/50 R17, or better still 225/55 R17, or at least 215/60 R17 on entry level discontinued 4GS or current 7ES - to maintain the overall rolling diameter as the 235/40 R19 and 235/45 R18 - to achieve taller sidewalls for greater ride comfort and lower noise, at a small detriment to handling.

I have 3.5 V6, or if one has ES350 or at least ES300h, then it is easy to downsize to 235/50 R17 or even 225/55 R17!
However, if one has ES250 4-cylinder, or GS200t/300t/250 2.5 V6 or GS300h 2.5 4-cylinder hybrid, then we have to literally stick with the OEM 215/55 R17 or 225/50 R17's, because using 235/50 R17 or 225/55 R17 or 215/60 R17 will actually increase not only the sidewall height, but it will also increase the overall rolling diameter - changing the gearing.
These entry level trims are often deliberately used with smaller rolling diameter tires to reduce the gearing to make up for their weaker engines, hence the bigger rolling diameters tires with the taller juicier sidewalls and softer rides cannot be used!

Just using 17" rims on 7ES is not necessarily going to give a softer ride.
Actual tire dimensions are critical if one is after a softer and quieter ride...

 

OK I'm trying to follow along but this confuses me.
The sidewall height for these tires are all different so what am I missing?

215/55 R17 4.7"
225/50 R17 4.4"
235/45 R17 4.2"

 

Tires are closely equivalent but never identical in overall rolling diameter.
As long as the 3% rule applies, then it is closely equivalent and legal.

Please click here: 215-55R17 vs 225-50R17 vs 235-45R17 - Tire and Wheel Plus Sizing | Tire Size Calculator

The first two tires are closely equivalent, hence denoted in green by the website.
However, the third tire is >3% in change to overall rolling diameter, hence it is not legal, and denoted red by the website.

 

What's confusing me is you are saying the sidewall heights are all equivalent in post #9 but I would have considered a 1/2" difference to be meaningful for ride comfort.
Did you mean that rolling diameter is closely equivalent?

I like that website you linked, it allows me to compare 3 tires at once which is nice.

 

215/55-17, 235/45-18, and 235/40-19 are factory tire sizes (depending on trim) for the 7th generation ES. The revolutions per mile are 791, 790, and 787 respectively. Basically identical, yet the sidewall of the 17” is almost a full inch taller than the 19”, which would make for a noticeably softer ride.

 

By equivalent, I mean close enough - though they're never exactly the same.
If you click the link below, I have deleted the original 215/55 R17; now I only have 225/50 R17 versus 235/45 R17 - now the latter 235/45 R17 is legal and green in color.
Hence, when tires are two sizes different, it starts to heavily impact the overall rolling diameter to make it illegal.
However, one size difference is often fine with regards to the overall rolling diameter.

225-50R17 vs 235-45R17 - Tire and Wheel Plus Sizing | Tire Size Calculator

 

What you say above makes sense and you made some excellent points.
Not to belabor my point, but I think in your POST #9 below you meant rolling diameter rather than sidewall height.