The 2018 ES 350 is Quite the Car
Daily Slideshow: Let's look at everything that goes into the ES that makes it so special.
2018 Lexus ES 350
The ES 350 is one of the better-selling cars in the Lexus lineup. However, there are some individuals who think this model is nothing but a Toyota that has been fluffed up with a bunch of bling and saddled with an unjustified price tag. This isn't true. Yes, the ES is based on a platform that can be traced to the Toyota Avalon and Camry. On the other hand, there are many differences in the end product, as we shall demonstrate here.
Lexington, KY Manufacturing Plant
Some ES cars are shipped from Japan while others are assembled at an American plant located in Lexington Kentucky. Over 7,000 workers produce about 500K vehicles out of this 8 million square feet facility every year. Of these, about 750 employees crank out 50,000 ES models. More attention is required on the Lexus line than other Toyota vehicles, being subject to three times more inspections during the assembly process. The majority of parts are shipped over from Japan to the manufacturing process. The unibody, motor, interior, seats, and small exterior items are all made in-house. Outside body panels are inspected by hand, and fit-gap has to be within .3mm, which is the width of a human hair, in order to pass.
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Lexus Assembly Line
Each worker has just 5 minutes to complete 80 tasks. If any problems are spotted during the process, anyone can stop the line to make corrections. Overall, it can take as little as 5 minutes to build a car from parts to running off the assembly line as a finished product. To do so while maintaining strict quality control is certainly impressive.
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Our Test Vehicle Price Sticker
The base price is reasonable enough starting at about $39K. On the other hand, there is a long list of optional equipment that can jack the price up in a hurry if you're not careful. We ordered a test car to drive for a week, and the $46,470 total tab got our attention. Options included blind spot monitor, larger wheels, power sunshade, leather trim, navigation, power trunk, park assist, heated steering wheel, and $975 for a shipping fee. In spite of the price tag, this is still a good value for a luxury car.
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3.5 Liter V6
The engine is a proven 3.5 liter V-6 rated at 268 horsepower and hooked to a 6-speed automatic gearbox. Fuel economy is rated at 21 city, 30 highway, and 24 mpg overall. In real-world driving conditions, these are the numbers we got. Since the ES is about 300 pounds heavier than the Toyota Camry, our 0-60 mph time was a bit slower at 6.5 seconds. A lot of this extra mass is due to sound insulation, which explains why this car is so quiet while daily driving. The ride is very comfortable with a high level of ergonomics that make this car quite the place to be while on long road trips.
>>Join the conversation about the 2018 ES 350 right here in ClubLexus forum.
Luxurious Cabin
The interior is a nice place to be, but since this car has the optional embossed-stitch perforated leather trim and upgraded luxury toys, we were probably cheating a bit. The glove box has room, but only if you take out the huge owner's books that Lexus is famous for. The gauge cluster has plenty of useful information and is easy to read. The steering wheel controls are large and can even be operated while wearing gloves. A console-mounted knob allows ECO, NORMAL, or SPORT mode of operation. Overall, this is a very nice place to get lost in while enduring a commute.
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New 2019 Lexus ES
When you consider quality, value, performance, and comfort, these are four reasons to have this be Lexus on your shopping list. The ES is due for a facelift with the 2019 model year, with more power, an improved transmission, and other upgrades. It should be available in quantity around Christmas at your local Lexus dealer. So, should you wait for the newer model, or buy this one? Lexus doesn't discount much as a rule, but if the dealer offers the 2018 cars at a year-end discount, it might be worth a look.
>>Join the conversation about the 2018 ES 350 right here in ClubLexus forum.
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