Introduction

The Lexus ES 350 is a mid-size sedan that celebrates smoothness, quietude and sophistication. The Lexus ES doesn't suffer the hard ride of a German sports sedan. You can safely sip a cappuccino on the way to work. The ride is smooth, the engine is smooth, the six-speed automatic is flawless, everything is quiet. The ES 350 is quick and responsive, benefitting from a newly developed 272-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 engine. Lexus says it can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds, a solid performance. Yet the ES 350 is also certified to the Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle II (ULEV II) standard. Changes for 2009 are minor, including a new exterior color and some slight pricing alterations. The ES was redesigned for the 2007 model year. The Lexus ES series has come a long way. When Toyota launched its premium Lexus brand in late 1989, its entry-level model was the ES 250, with a thinly disguised Camry chassis and powertrain under a mildly upgraded body and interior. With each succeeding generation, the ES has better met the needs of the entry-luxury segment, with more room, more space, more power, and more standard equipment. And more safety features. Lexus presents the ES and IS as a one-two challenge to the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, BMW 3 Series, Infiniti G35 and M35, Audi A6, Saab 9-3, Volvo S60, and a host of domestics in this popular class. The ES is designed to emphasize ride quality and smoothness, while the IS is oriented around sharp handling and is designed to be a driver's car. The ES uses front-wheel drive, while the IS is rear-wheel drive. We like both, depending on the mood and the task at hand. The 2009 Lexus ES comes as one model, the ES 350.

Walkaround

The ES 350 continues the Lexus L-Finesse design theme seen previously on three concept cars and the GS and IS sedans. The entire form seems to emanate from the grille and flow back over the car in hard lines. The look brought a new level of slickness, with a wind-tunnel-proven drag coefficient of just 0.28, making the ES 350 inherently quieter and more fuel-efficient than before. The grille is subdued, the headlamp units are smaller and less obtrusive, and the accent line along the side is raised to suggest more musculature under the skin. The ES 350 looks like it belongs in a Lexus showroom. In fact, the ES 350 has been consciously upsized to roughly the same dimensions as the original 1990 LS 400. The wheelbase, at 109.2 inches, is more than two inches longer than that of the 2006 ES 330; the body is wider by 0.4 inches, the track is wider by 1.2 inches, and the body has crisper, shorter overhangs along with a new front, side and rear appearance that's much more upscale than any previous ES. The ES 350 is also about 110 pounds heavier than the ES 330 due to the addition of more safety features and standard equipment. About the only exterior customizing you can do other than paint and wheels is a choice of forward lighting, from standard projector beam to optional high-intensity discharge (HID) headlamps with an adaptive lighting function, which swings the headlamps through an arc of up to 15 degrees when turning. There are 10 exterior colors to choose from, plus the Pebble Beach Edition's exclusive Truffle Mica.

Interior Features

The ES 350 is roomy and comfortable. It has as much rear head and shoulder room, and more rear legroom, than the 1990 LS 400, and its rear floor is flat and can accommodate large American feet under the seats. The interior of the Lexus ES represents a quantum leap over pre-2007 models. The driving ambience is superb, with good sightlines, hooded instruments and crisp graphics, a 10-way power seat and standard tilt/telescope steering wheel. Fit and finish inside are exemplary. The real wood trim is from a matched set that is serial-numbered for future replacement, if necessary. The thick, fat steering wheel is a pleasure to use. There are three interior colors to choose from, in cloth or two grades of leather. The instrument panel and center stack are more driver-centered, engaging and involving than on previous generations. The instruments are deeply tunneled, using white LED lighting and the Optitron electroluminescent displays that are part of all Lexus models, with their eye-pleasing startup routine. The trip computer monitors a dozen functions. The ES features push-button engine starting and the SmartAccess key fob. With 14.7 cubic feet of cargo space, the ES nearly matches the trunk size of the original LS 400 flagship. The ES is insulated well. At cruising speeds, it's extremely quiet, in part due to its acoustic-control laminated windshield.