I'm the same way, always been a fan of big sedans.

Funny, as that seems to be the reaction my friends give me when I tell them I bought an LS..lol

Last year I went Avalon shopping with a friend of mine and we were joking with a sales rep asking if we needed to show ID that we were old enough to qualify for one. I think we thought it was funnier than he did.

He bought one. It was his retirement car to replace his company car.

I can just see you guys laughing and the sales rep just standing there looking at you lol.

The Avalon is a nice car, my aunt and uncle have one (their second). They buy them used a few years old. Material quality lags some behind the ES, as does the feel of some switchgear, finishings, etc, and the ES obviously gets you Lexus service and warranty. Avalon is bigger, and more "Buick-like".

I agree with the Avalon observations. A nice car, but personally I prefer the ES for a variety of reasons.

After seeing some pictures, the next gen ES and Avalon both look VERY nice.

Yep, I agree...

I digress I did not think the ES was 1/10 the car, just not a fan of FWD and it just felt too mundane. Ya want torque steer drive the TL, Regal too choppy, A4 lil small as is the G37 and 328. The G is a bargain in this class 328 nicer by a pinch but costlier TL is about the same size as ES but tons of torque steer they have tried to manage. TL with All Wheel Steering and Drive is nice though but not as smooth as the ES but sporty. there is a new Azera out, otherwise Taurus SHO with the Ecosboost six is nice? Lacrosse comes AWD and gets good reviews.

I personally don't really feel any torque steer in my ES, and I'm a pretty aggressive driver. The 328, C, CTS & G are automatically out for me because they're so small. They compete more with the IS. I like a true midsized to fullsize car. The TL has the size, but its too sporty, not what I'm looking for.

Really the only competition is the Taurus, Azera, Genesis, Avalon & Lacrosse. None of which s a luxury brand, has the panache or dealer/corporate support of the ES. I think the best car at this price point is probably the Genesis, but you pay a HUGE depreciation penalty, and theres the fact that its a Hyundai...not a Lexus. The Lacrosse is heavy looking and really ugly inside IMHO. The Taurus is sharp, but again...its a Ford. To move up to the Lincoln MKS its going to be $50k+ The MKZ is smaller and crummy inside, although its being redesigned.

If you want a luxurious, prestigious midsize to full size luxury sedan its hard to ignore the ES' value.

Look at the M37? Its RWD and looked nice inside the showroom. The base ES is 392,000?

For 10 of em?

The M37 is nice, but significantly more expensive, and its not as smooth or quiet as the ES, its a sportier car. The M competes with the GS, 5 & E. Optioned like a $41K ES the M37 is $52k.

Afraid you lost me on that one.