Agree the hybrid leaps as soon as you touch the pedal which makes highway pulls feel very strong and smooth. I was going to post this yesterday but I understand us hybrid people can probably appear obnoxious so I decided to stay out of it. So I'll just join everyone else in being obnoxious.

The downside is the brakes can be jittery at times, but you get used to it. Jittery brakes or jittery shifts. take your pick? lol

 

I have taking my ES to a few dealership to address the harshness and at times confused transmission and all I could get out of it, that it comes down to the programming of the torque converter. For mpg sake the torque converter locks as soon as it can and it add and unneeded load on the engine as it tryings to maintain lock up and over comfort really. The RX apparently was more of a problem but it was only addressed with the RX. I had a conversation with the master tech believes the update just reprogram the torque converter for a smoother operation

 

I've experienced the same hesitation on my '19 ES and my wife's '17 RX. I seem to notice it more as we get closer to needing an oil change.
The same could be said for the occassional downshift lurching that happens on my ES.
These things don't seem to happen after a fresh oil change.

 

I'm no mechanic but I can assure you it has nothing to do with the need for an oil change. Also the hesitation on the RX is very different than what folks experience with the ES. The trans in the RX at least from my experience after having owned both models for several years now is far smoother than that of the ES.

 

I noticed some kind of cut-offs under acceleration (like missfire) when the engine is cold (ESh) and also vibrations when idling. Did you ever experience anything like that?

 

I haven't experienced any of the described issues. If my recollection is correct you purchased your vehicle from the U.S used and had it shipped over to your country.

 

no cut offs, but twice, failure to "cut on."

it happened to where for a brief moment, the car would not respond to pedal input. Not even the electric motor. No acceleration. No ICE activation. Pedal floored. Then after that brief second (which feels like eternity when you're trying to pull into traffic) suddenly the car "wakes up" and accelerates normally. This happened after a cold turn-on. Only twice during my ownership. I emailed my Lexus dealer about it but they ignored it. lol. It's as if the computers that monitor the gas pedal or wake up he hybrid system fell asleep

As for vibrations when idling, I chalk that up to normal 4 banger stuff. though i'd say the engine is generally smooth and i don't notice it. and the engine rarely is ON while low speed/sitting in traffic anyway, but for the mere chance ive been sitting at a drive thru long enough to deplete the traction battery.

 

So you experienced this issue on both of your ESh?

 

This may not be what you are experiencing, and I am by no means a hybrid expert, but in my limited experience, I've driven (3) 450's and, last week, an NX 300h. I can only describe the sensation as a judder when accelerating from a complete stop. Someone, please clarify or correct me, but I believe it to be the engagement of the ICE from EV mode. From what I've ascertained, it is specific to hybrids, and to be honest, I can't remember if the ES 300 has the same sensation. I do know that is not tolerable for me.

 

There's some judder when the engine kicks in, but I am talking about the vibrations while the ICE is running.

 

that's normal. people need to remember it's the Camry engine. My motto this year is going to be look beyond the badge. that'll help people understand why their ES isn't driving like a $100,000 car. lol

camrys do this at red lights. most 4 bangers do.

good thing with the hybrid is you'll rarely ever have the engine running if you aren't accelerating strongly. and by then your RPMs are up and you won't feel it. so the only condition you'd feel such a thing is in the rare event you're sitting stationary a LONG time and the hybrid battery runs low.

do you sit stationary for extended periods often?

 

For example when the battery is at low.

The same four cylinder is on RAV4, no vibrations and ICE ON/OFF is very smooth.

 

There is a slight shudder but you really have to pay attention to feel it. I have noticed it on the 6th Gen ESh as well as the current Gen (and the NXh and RXh). To be honest it is so mild that I have just sort of forgotten about it and it doesn’t even enter my mind when driving. Toyota has come a long way since the Prius (I owned an 2006 and a 2010) where that transition as the ICE kicks on isn’t nearly as calm.

 

I hear what you are saying. As someone sensitive to the slightest changes in my vehicle's demeanor, it was pretty apparent to me, but I get that it's come a long way from the behavior of the original hybrids. The shudder in the NX 300 loaner was far more noticeable than the 450s I've driven. It is a personal choice, and I am sure that I would learn to ignore it if I decided that it was the right fit for me, but other factors have steered me back to the ES. I am curious how the new RXs will compare once any become available to test drive.