In August 2020, Lexus had decided to no longer sell the Lexus GS. The GS had already been anticipating its death for some time as sales never reached the desired numbers. Lexus however, still wanted to sell a full-size executive car. The Lexus ES was the answer. Although the Lexus ES has been around for more than two decades, it was never really known in Europe. Until now… LOGATO received the keys to a 2021 Lexus ES300h Executive Line and our findings can be found below.
Exterior
Lexus surely knows how to keep the appeal high as this seventh generation ES really stands out from its peers. A true luxury car from every angle. It is obvious that Lexus has really thought about every aspect of the car when designing this car; from the gracious lines to the safety features that have been beautifully integrated in the design. When seeing the car, you can be sure: this car means business. A successful, young to middle aged man that appreciates comfort and luxury, that wants to show he is all business and serious about his career, yet doesn’t want to show off. This is the kind of person that would be the perfect fit for this car.
Interior
Comfortable, luxurious, relaxing and silent. That’s the best way to describe the car’s interior. Finished in the best, most durable leathers, beautifully stitched patterns that would make fashion designers jealous, high quality plastic knobs and buttons, soft metal parts, the list just goes on and on. There is no way one can not recognize the quality of the materials used, as well as the quality of the interior designers. The seats are more comfortable than most sofas, and with the 3-way heating or cooling function, one can make the seat feel exactly to one’s needs. When the highest range is selected, both the cooling and heating option give just the right amount of power, so that you don’t feel like you are a chicken being cooked or that you are a polar bear in the arctic. The interface might be seen as a bit outdated by some, but the absence of flashy touch screens actually gives the car’s interior a very sturdy and business-like feeling, exactly what you’d expect from a car like this. Thanks to the three seat memory options for both front seats, you will never have to worry about setting up your ideal driving position when someone else drove the car. If you feel like you could use some extra privacy or the sun is shining from behind, a privacy screen will cover the rear window with the touch of a button. Lastly, the steering wheel is just the right size to be able to comfortably drive this car, without your hands getting tired or painful. The wooden inserts on the steering wheel feel so luxurious and perfectly in place, that it always is a pleasure when your hands go over the lacquered wooden parts. This beautiful wood luckily isn't just used for the steering wheel, but is beautifully integrated throughout the interior, such as the dashboard and doors.
Comfort
As can be expected from a Lexus, the car drives as smooth as it should. The springs are comfortably set, there is plenty of noise cancelling foam and the windows are all very well sealed. The leather seats have the right balance of foam, which makes them almost more comfortable than most sofas. The sitting part of the seat could for some people be a bit on the tight side though, but I personally did not feel like this was an issue. The seats are well formed to support your back and sides and even when taking corners in a rather speedy way, you are not moving sideways, ensuring full control over the car can be maintained. Comfort is not only to be found in the front, but also the passengers in the back have more than enough comfort. Large space for their feet and legs, as the feet can also be placed under the front seats, ensures a more ergonomic sitting position for the passengers. Once again, the seats are perfectly balanced and the arm support in the middle is great for longer car rides. There is the opportunity to store two bottles of water and quite a lot of smaller things which you could need during the ride, such as wallets, phones, tissues and more. Even though the arm support is really nice, if you don’t have a need to use it, then you can just pull it up and have an extra fifth seat.
Engine
The ES300h has a hybrid drivetrain, consisting of a four cylinder engine coupled to an electric motor. With a combined power of 218 horses, this means that the car can overtake other cars with ease, but you shouldn’t expect blistering fast accelerations. What you can expect though is a very safe and comfortable drive which makes you feel like you are a prince driving one of the most comfortable cars around. The engine is also very smooth, enabling the driver to enjoy his drive and commuting will no longer feel like pure hell. With an acceleration time of 8.9 seconds to reach 100 km/h, this Lexus definitely isn’t the fastest, but fast enough to drive comfortable. Do most people really need hundreds of horses under the hood though? No. And especially with this car, adding more power would take away the smooth, relaxing ride and it would turn the car into a rubber burning sports sedan, which this car isn’t born to do. This car is born to impress you with luxury, comfort, reliability and smoothness.
This brings us to a characteristic of Lexus, namely the reliability. While most cars today are usually somewhat reliable, Lexus cars are just from another breed. What they claim, they do even better. The engine’s reliability is very good, even with the hybrid technology. This can be explained by the fact that Lexus’ mother company, Toyota, has been working on hybrid cars for more than 20 years. They know what’s up and they know how to make every part as good as possible. Driving more than 250.000 kilometers with a Lexus is no problem whatsoever. And this car just follows the same recipe.
Thanks to its WTLP CO2-emmision of 125 g/km, the ES 300h gets a green A energy label. The power of the car is transmitted into motion through a brand new transaxle E-CVT automatic transmission, inciting the front wheels.
Cargo Space
While the car offers plenty of space for the passengers, it also offers a surprisingly big cargo space. The trunk offers up to 454 liters, which means you can take quite a lot of suitcases with you. The trunk is both wide and somewhat high, making it easy to fill the car.
Positive Points
Very Reliable
Impressive Comfort
Great Price-to-Quality ratio
Negative Points
Outdated and somewhat difficult to use infotainment system.
Loud and Annoying sounds when seat cooling is used at max capacity.
When trying to call someone from Lexus' system, it doesn't always work, so you have to call them using your phone.
Conclusion
This 2021 Lexus ES 300h Executive Line is a great alternative for a BMW 5-series, Audi A6 or Mercedes E-Class. Extremely comfortable, great car for its price and a totally overlooked car by many. This isn't your typical BMW or Mercedes that you see on every street corner. No, this is a sophisticated luxury car, ready to take its driver to whatever place in uttermost comfort and silence. This Lexus is a car for people that can appreciate the many good parts of the car. It is not a car to show off with, although many people will turn their head when you are driving by. The elegance and great luxury is admired, and people are impressed by the design and size of this car. It is the underdog of its segment, but don't they say that when two dogs are fighting over a bone, that it is the third dog that gets the bone? Well, if I were the bone, I'd wish the third dog is the Lexus, and not the Audi, BMW or Mercedes...
Specifications
Price As Tested | € 57,619.99 |
Base Price of a Lexus ES 300h (In Belgium) | € 49,150.00 |
Color Of Car Tested | Sonic Titanium |
Segment | E (Full-Size Executive Car) |
Drivetrain | Hybrid |
Total Horsepower | 218 hp |
Total Torque | 221 Nm |
Fuel Tank | 50 liters |
Acceleration (0-100 kph) | 8.9 s |
Average Fuel Consumption During Test | 7.5 L/ 100 km |
CO2-Emissions | 125 g/km |
Vehicle's Curb Weight | 1,655 kg |
Cargo Space | 454 L |
Car's Length | 4,975 mm |
Car's Width | 1,865 mm |
Car's Height | 1,445 mm |
Car's Turning Radius | 11.8 m |
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