Driving Impressions

The overriding impression one takes from the ES 300 is that it's smooth and quiet. Noise and vibration control in the ES 300 cabin matches cars that cost $10,000 more. Its 60-degree V6 engine design is inherently smoother than a 90-degree V6. Lexus takes that a step farther with electronically controlled engine mounts that change dampening rates as engine speed changes. The 3.0-liter 24-valve V6 delivers 210 horsepower and 220 pound-feet of torque. Equipped with variable valve-timing (VVT-i), the engine provides strong low-rpm power, unlike a lot of other multi-cam, multi-valve engines. About 80 percent of the ES 300's peak torque is available from 1600 rpm all the way to the tachometer's redline. So, no matter how fast the car is going, when the driver steps on the gas, it gets going faster in short order. With variable valve timing, there's a deep well of torque at all engine speeds. Off-the-line response is excellent, and the ES 300's 0-60 mph times (in the low eight-second range) rank near the top of the class. Jab the accelerator at around 45 mph, and the four-speed electronically controlled transmission drops to a lower gear immediately. The ES 300 accelerates with a nice shove in the small of the back, and 75 mph arrives in a whoosh. Vehicle Skid Control ($550), the term Lexus applies to its optional electronic stability system, is something that until recently was reserved for much more expensive cars. The Lexus Vehicle Skid Control system relies on a computer and sensors in the wheels and steering column. When it anticipates the driver is losing control, it decreases engine power or applies the brakes on individual wheels to help keep the car pointed in the intended direction. It works in conjunction with the traction control system, which reduces front wheel spin when accelerating on slippery surfaces. Vehicle Skid Control comes with Brake Assist, which interprets a quick, hard application of the brake pedal as emergency braking. If the driver is not pressing on the brake pedal hard enough to activate the anti-lock brakes (a common occurrence in accident situations), the system supplements the applied braking pressure to ensure maximum stopping performance. ES 300 comes standard with four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes. With front-wheel drive, the ES 300's basic handling trait is understeer, a condition that intuitively signals the driver to back off the throttle if he or she is going too fast in a corner. ES 300's steering is a bit slow compared to a true sports sedan, and its all-season tires limit grip in ideal conditions. Yet given those limitations, the ES 300 is surprisingly responsive when pointed down a fast, twisting road. Tight, solid body structure is one reason. A strong unibody limits flex, and allows the ES 300's MacPherson-strut suspension to keep the tires firmly planted during aggressive cornering. The Lexus doesn't lean excessively through curves, and it remains stable and predictable when it changes direction quickly and repeatedly. ES 300 isn't as playful or responsive as a BMW 3 Series, but it's good, clean fun, and it accelerates as fast as or faster than a number of other European sports sedans. Anyone who claims the ES 300 isn't sporty is either driving too hard or not hard enough. But the real mission of the ES 300 is quiet, unruffled comfort, where occupants are never jarred by expansion joints or uneven pavement. The refinement level goes up another notch with the optional Adaptive Variable Suspension system ($620). AVS continuously changes each wheel's shock absorber damping rate in response to road conditions, vehicle speed, and driver inputs. It also allows the driver to select between Sport and Comfort modes.

Final Word

For the price of a well-optioned ES 300, you could buy a larger car, or one with a more powerful V8 engine, or one that sticks to the pavement better in a high-g turn. You could buy a sedan that appears to have as much equipment and similar specifications for several thousand dollars less. But you might not find another car with the same balance of comfort, luxury, performance, refinement and quality finish as the ES 300. It's easy to understand why this sedan is one of the best sellers in its class.