- Doors and Seats
4 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
3.5i, 6 cyl.
- Engine Power
204kW, 346Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (95) 9.5L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
4 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
2016 Lexus ES350 Luxury: owner review
This car was intended for my spouse, but ended up being driven mostly by me and is now my 'officially' mine. I was involved in the buying process and as a first time luxury car purchase, the difference was simply that the sales people were not pushy and seemed to appreciate that buying car is not something to rush through in a couple of hours as if buying a TV.
- Styling, Ride comfort, Quality, Roominess, Great dealers & after-sales care
- Emphasis on smoothness over power, Narrow tyres impede inherent grip and confidence, Maybe it's just too quiet, but the occasional interior rattle, Not fuel efficient by 2021 standards, Looks like a 2016 Camry from the rear
I liked that the car was somewhat of a bargain at $68k on the road with an extended warranty and tint. That kind of money would've barely bought a C200 or 320i at the time. The second thing I like is that the car probably won't date too badly. The design is sleek and coupe-like and the interior reminds me of the cocoon interiors of Jaguar saloons from the 1970's and 1980's.
That brings me onto the negatives; it's got a steeply raked windscreen, small side windows, and a low roofline - so it's a bit tight (although leg room and width-wise it is fine). Once settled inside it is a high quality personal space which is isolated, quiet, and makes driving the car generally feel special. It absolutely is no sports car - the tyres are (too) skinny, the gearbox is unobtrusive but leisurely, and the whole vibe of the car is that it does not want to be pushed. Forget about driving at ten-tenths, this thing prefers being driven at five-tenths... on a Sunday morning.
But is that a bad thing? When crawling home in peak hour traffic, this car is all I need, and it's personally what I want.
The engine is fine, but I wish its power was more accessible. The technology is fine, but obviously now about half a decade out of date. I suppose the point of this car isn't the latest technology, but rather its unique features like double-glazed side windows and lush super-thick interior carpet and mats. I have the base 'Luxury' version with the Mark Levinson stereo, but mine also has surround sound and is very, very good.
I would like a hard button to turn the air conditioner on and off, as opposed to that function being in a sub-menu operational via electronic controls.
This car is an unashamed luxo-barge, and I dig the honesty and ironic cool nature of the thing.