Can someone compare for me the ride quality of an SC 430 equipped with 18 in. wheels and radial tires with that of my 08 ES350. I don't care about zero to sixty or time thru a slalom. I'm interested in ride over typical city streets.

 

The ride in my ES350 is minutely more comfortable to that of my SC430 even with the Michelin Pilot Sports mounted.

Nevertheless, there is no comparison between the two except for interior space. The ES is a sedan seating four comfortably. The SC is a convertible seating two comfortably.

In my estimation, the SC is superior to the ES in every way excluding that minute difference in riding comfort.

 

I drive an ES350 and my wife drives an SC430. There is more than a minute difference in ride quality, in my opinion. The ES is very smooth, quiet, and somewhat isolated. On a straight road at highway speed or city traffic, it is very comfortable. The SC is stiffer and not nearly as smooth and quiet. Our SC does not have runflat tires. The drive without the runflats is much better than with them. On a straight road that is smooth (not too many of those in So. Cal) it is quite comfortable. But over rougher roads it is significantly less smooth and quiet than my ES. The SC's ride is hot harsh, by any standard. But it is clearly not the same as the ES.

 

I keep hearing this "not too many smooth roads in So. Cal" All I see here are smoooooth roads. I guess all but the last 3 years of my life I lived in NY or NJ and those roads are BAD!