Moving from GS to ES
 

I currently have a 2018 GS F Sport and previously had a 2015. I really like the GS, but its basically the same car I had with the first lease. I am not overly interested in lengthy car shopping so I want to consider staying with Lexus first. I've had no issues with either GS and appreciate the great service I get when I bring the car in for routine maintenance. If I ultimately decide I don't want another GS, the only option at Lexus I would consider is the ES. The newer models certainly seem more in line with the GS but this is really based on articles, videos, etc. I will of course test drive one, but was hoping to get some feedback from others who went from a GS to an ES.

Thanks.

I've never owned a GS but do own another brands rear wheel drive. IMHO that's one of the big things you need to consider is if you will be happy with a Front Wheel drive. It certainly wasn't a deal breaker for me.

I think ultimately you will be dissapointed in the downgrade. The ES is a fine car, but its going to be less solid than the GS in a multitude of ways, then you have FWD vs RWD powertrain.

If I were you I would look at a Genesis G80.

The new Genesis G80 is a very nice car. I considered it and hung out in the Genesis forums for a few months before making my choice. You will be let down with the Genesis Dealership network especially when compared to Lexus. If considering this car you should join those forums and do much research first.

That new G80 fully loaded is outrageously priced near $70k. Nice car but make sure you're going to keep it several years as the depreciation on Hyundai products is a nightmare. And yes you will most likely have it serviced at a Hyundai dealer.

I was considering a used 2017/2018 GS F Sport or a 2016 LS460 and drove several of each. Very different cars of course but I really liked them. Toward the end of my search I was leaning more toward the GS based on budget and what I could get used.

I ultimately leased a 2020 ES350 F Sport because I got a relatively good deal that I didn’t feel I could pass up. I test drove the GS and ES back to back and the ES is definitely a less expensive feel. The ES doesn’t feel as solid or substantial to me. I felt that the GS F sport handled better while riding smoother. It also had much more lively acceleration despite being AWD, having a 6 speed transmission, and barely more HP.

I’m lukewarm on my ES. The tech was better than the GS, it is roomier, and I like the interior and exterior styling quite a bit. I don’t love some of the dynamics though of the ES. The ride is good, handling is just OK, transmission can be great some days and seem wonky and confused others, my butt and the seat bottom don’t agree, and there is too much wind noise on the highway (quiet around town, but noisy over 60mph).

In the end, despite the deal I got on my ES I am 8 months into my lease and I regret my decision.

Simple solution, head to your local Volkswagen dealership, and test drive a Golf. You will find a new sense of appreciation for your ES, satisfaction guaranteed, problem solved... :D

No doubt you get a better dealer experience with Lexus, but Genesis will come get it for service (so will most Lexus dealers) and you never have to set foot in the dealer again.

Its actually a good value at near $70k, you have to look at what a comparable 5 Series or E Class or A6 sells for. Remember the G80 is a class above the ES, its just that you can get one that isn't as highly optioned for in the neighborhood of what an ES costs.

It is a shame they discontinued the GS--it is a more substantial car than the new ES. Lexus is going to lose a lot of current GS owners and they will switch to another brand.

There aren't that many GS owners to begin with and that's why the model was discontinued.

I second the comments by SW17LS. If your budget allows, I would stick with the same class of vehicle such as an A6, E-class, 5 series etc.

My long story short of my post above is that I tried to convince myself that the newest generation ES would be about on par with the older GS platform. The ES is a great car, but it doesn’t punch above it’s class even if the GS is an entire generation older.

Many of the Genesis dealers service departments don't even know they are obligated to pick up the vehicles. Read some of the horror stories in their forums. Just because it says it in writing doesn't mean anything. Like I said before the Genesis service departments leave lots to be desired. I'm assuming this will improve over time. I hung out in the Genesis forums for almost a year trying to decide to purchase the G80 or a Lexus. What swayed my decision to go Lexus was this problematic Genesis dealership network and possible parts supply problems. In some cases certain parts were delayed for two weeks or more while they ordered from South Korea. Additionally I don't believe the reliability of the Genesis cars are up to the Lexus brand. While Genesis did win awards for quality from defects, I believe the Lexus brand still rules for reliability. This doesn't mean I will forever rule out a future Genesis car, however they still have some work to do with the brand. That new G80 sure is beautiful and Genesis has come a long way in the past few years.

The issue is its hard to go down in class. When you have the ES and you've not had anything higher up the model ladder its great, but when you get used to the more sophisticated car its very hard to go back.

I went to the ES being accustomed to the LS, and while I enjoyed my ES sedans I always wanted to get back into the LS and I missed a lot of the little refinements and solidity of the LS the whole time. But, the ES is what I could comfortably afford at the time and it was great for that use.

It goes back to whats more important to you, the car or the dealer? I have been around Lexus dealers so long, they no longer impress me and I don't use them except for warranty work. I have an independent mechanic that does better work for less money. With the Genesis the service is incliuded. so I would take advantage of that and nobody I know with a Genesis has an issue getting the pick up service.

The G80 is a lot more car than the ES, and for me the better car outweighs the dealer because that just doesn't really hold any value for me anymore.

Then buy the Genesis if that's what makes you happy! You are correct in that its completely dependent on what you are willing to put up with on your car and what's important to YOU. Like I said it wasn't just the service departments that swayed my decision. I suggest much research including Genesis owners comments. I also visited at least 3 different Genesis dealerships local to me and talk about a complete disappointment!

Which is why I offered my viewpoint to the OP. You can also offer yours.

I also have lurked on the Genesis forum, you are overstating it. Sure Genesis dealers aren't impressive....they are just Hyundai dealers. If you aren't accustomed to luxury cars, I get the whole dealer thing. The dealers are nice, they make you feel special and good but having had Lexus vehicles for 22 years, the dealers are just like any other car dealer with nicer finishes, and I no longer have interest in paying a premium to use them. So Genesis having crummy dealers really doesnt bother me, especially since they will come pick up the car....and its all free for 3 years.

I would still rather have a Lexus than a Genesis, which is why I chose a $90k LS460L vs a $70k G90, but if I could only pay say $50k, I would rather have a G80 than an ES just because its a much more sophisticated car. The issue is in the Lexus lineup, without a GS there is no Lexus I can spend more for to get something comparable to the G80 without having to go all the way up to an LS.

Genesis as a brand is ranked higher than Lexus in initial quality, so I would have no concerns there.