2020 Lexus ES 350

What propels the front wheels of the sedan is a V6 3.5L engine that is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission churning out 268 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque. Kitted with a host of luxurious equipment, with superior quality cabin and a snug seating with ample space. Fitted with plenty of features and safety tech, the Lexus ES 350 goes against the likes of its German counterpart, the Audi A4, and the Acura TLX. Where does the spindle-grilled deluxe sedan stand? Let’s get on the review and find out.

The Lexus ES 350 is an entry-level luxury sedan and comes in a single trim and is offered at $38,950.You can customize your ES by adding one of four available packages, each of which builds upon the previous package. You can also pick from the list of standalone factory options. With a capacity to seat 5 passengers, the front-wheel driven sedan comes powered by a 3.5L V6 engine in conjunction with a 6-speed automatic transmission that produces 268 horses and 248 pulling forces.Equipped with plenty of safety features and opulent features, the sumptuous 4-door offers plenty of bells and whistles at this price range. There are many available packages that you can invest in however with some of them exists a pre-required certain package and depend on location for availability.

We recommend

If you want to up the opulence level, we recommend opting for the Luxury package. This swaps out the synthetic leather upholstery for genuine leather seats and adds luxurious trimmings such as wood inlays and acoustic side glass.

The 2020 Lexus ES is hardly a sport sedan, but its smooth and comfortable ride in both standard and hybrid guises hides a more athletic side.-thecarconnection

Laid behind the spindle-grille is a burly V6 with a 3.5L displacement, cranking 268 horses and 248 lb-ft. of torque. Paired to a 6-speed automatic transmission, the ES 350 bolsters a remarkably smooth performance and a responsive transmission. The sedan delivers power as you and when you jab the throttle, providing commendable and comfortable driving experience regardless of the fact you coast on the highway, or for as simple a task as getting to the nearest store.

In its competition, the most powerful sedan belongs to the Nissan Maxima which also costs lesser than the elegant ES 350 while the least powerful powertrain is fitted in the luxurious Audi A4. The Lexus fits right in the middle of the varied power class of the rivals. Performance is as smooth and refined as you would expect in a Lexus, but quicker response plus significant suspension changes give the ES a sportier attitude. 

Acceleration

The 3.5L displacing the Lexus' V6 powers the sedan from nought to 60 mph in 5.8s as it does 14.3s in the quarter-mile race. Despite being underpowered by a few ponies, the Lexus gets going with similar performance as Nissan Maxima. The new eight-speed gearbox with a wider ratio spread for both better acceleration and improved efficiency.  However, fitting a smaller engine in the hood does no good to the Lexus and its paralleling sedans.

Acceleration is powerful and smooth. The V6 is superb in its ability to unspool both low- and high-end power without calling attention to itself. It sounds pretty good when you dig into it, too. While you wouldn’t call the 2020 Lexus ES 300h a sports sedan (maybe the ES 350 F Sport qualifies), it’s a lot more dynamic than before, tuned to deliver a terrific blend of comfort and compliance while still providing a decent amount of road feel.

Ride and Handling 

A comfortable driving dynamics with plush comfort and responsive steering feedback, the luxurious and silent Lexus ES 350 combines these attributes effortlessly. Glide it over bumps and potholes, the sedan pleasantly surprises with such agility and nimble suspension; it's handling of corners, however, feels poor and lacklustre. However and if you want to escape the feeling of a mundane, rich serene ride os the ES 350's athleticism commences once you tune into Sport mode, where the drivetrain is stiffened with a sturdy wheel accompanied by a sportier ride. The 2020 ES 350 is one of those cars that manages to shrink around you as you hustle it along, feeling much smaller than its full-size sedan dimensions would indicate.

It may be based on the Avalon, but that car never felt as lithe and responsive as its Lexus cousin. The extra structural rigidity of the ES is part of the equation. Now, to be fair, the ES in question is the F Sport model fitted with the optional Adaptive Variable Suspension derived from the divine LC, which no doubt helps the dynamics compared to lesser ES trims. The appeal of the seventh-generation ES extends beyond its looks, and the luxury sedan possesses enough positive attributes to make it worth considering over competing products from the likes of Cadillac and Lincoln

Braking

Under the braking performance, the equipped 11" rotors in the front and back clasp stop the Lexus ES 350 in 175 feet from 70-0 mph. Despite a mediocre brake feel, the performance seen here is decent yet falls relatively short of the rivals in which the best performer is the Infiniti's Q60. The brake pedal's travel is long and has some initial squish and numbness, but thereafter provides full braking force.

Most of the rivals are ahead in terms of braking performance and provides a better braking distance when contrasted with the Lexus ES 350. The beforementioned Infiniti Q60 is terrific in braking performance. 

The luxurious and composed sedan spurts decent performance but also simultaneously tries to ensure it stays frugal. Deflecting just a tiny bit from that mindset, the Lexus ES 350 gulps 21 mpg in the city, 30 mpg on the highway, and a combined rating of 24 mpg. ES buyers should seriously consider the ES 300 hybrid. There’s plenty of power to make the ES 300h pleasant to drive while netting 44 mpg.  The decent levels of fuel economy it drinks is undoubtedly far from the Audi A4's incredible frugal powertrain; however, the Acura TLX is similarly efficient.

The 2020 Lexus ES has a superb interior that's quiet, spacious, comfortable and offers a refuge for adults on the road. -thecarconnection

Much of the cabin is pleasingly equipped, with top-notch materials united with care. Inside the 2020 Lexus ES 350 is a sumptuous and superlative interior quality considering the price it is offered for. Ornated with remarkable materials along with the cabin and dash, there is sufficient space for passengers where there exists capacity to seat 5. Headspace and legroom is abundant in the back for 3 passengers along with a comfortable and plush feel of the seats. Sitting inside the ES you get a sense of what people usually have in mind when they’re talking about the luxurious car their aunt just bought. It’s not over the top, but the front seats are wonderfully comfortable and supportive with 10-way power adjustment.

The finishes and upholstery over the seats are well crafted and the seating in the front provide a snug feel, deeming incredible long-drive experience. The ES 350 feels quiet and hushed inside wherein its noise cancellation is well taken care of.  The cabin bears a premium appearance, with sword-shaped slashes of wood trim and subtle topographic patterns on the seats, centre console, and dashboard. Not only is rear-seat legroom comparable to that of cars a class larger, but headroom wasn’t compromised to accommodate the raked roofline of the new Lexus ES.

Interior Features

Some of the interior features included in the ES 350 are -

• 10-way power-adjustable front seats
• Perforated NuLuxe interior trim
• Dual-zone climate control with interior air filters, smog sensor and automatic recirculation mode
• Stainless-steel front and rear door scuff plates
• Leather upholstery

Infotainment System

The standard infotainment system on the ES 350 is the Display Auto Interface with an 8" touchscreen controlled by a multipurpose controller knob. Dominating the top of the dashboard, the test car had a 12.3-in. infotainment system screen accompanied by the traditional Lexus analogue clock. It looks great but is not the easiest system to learn to use. The screen is not touch-sensitive like your smartphone. Instead, you must use the Remote Touch Interface pad on the center console to activate a mouse that moves around on the screen as your finger moves on the pad. Despite offering plenty of technology, the Lexus falls short in this department. Unfortunately, the Lexus does not come with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. Nor does it perform as great as its rivals, and generally doesn't feel user-friendly. 

Some of the infotainment system features are  :

• Bluetooth
• Scout GPS Link
• 8-speaker sound system
• Satellite Radio
• Navigation
• Sirius XM Radio
• Wireless charger
• AUX input and USB ports

Cargo Capacity

At the boot, the Lexus ES 350 holds 15.2 cubic feet of storage space which is on par with the class it sits in. Its rivals fall behind the ES 350, while the lone Lincoln MKZ sits at the pedestal alongside the Lexus. The worst of the lot is seen in the Infiniti Q60, where the sedan can accommodate a paltry 8.7 cubic feet of cargo capacity.

Once the very definition of a conservative sedan, the current-generation Lexus ES has taken on a bold new look with sleek lines and the aggressive Lexus "spindle" grille. Yet it retains an elegant look that has the 2020 ES and ES hybrid falling right in line with the sporty Lexus IS sedan and RC coupe." -kbb

Rolling over 17-inches embedded with split-10 spoke alloy wheels, the Lexus ES 350 comes with a gorgeous exterior with the riveting sleek design over the silhouette of the 193" long sedan. From the front aesthetic designed with iconic spindled-grilles, along the way with a sloping roofline that gracefully droops, embellished with L-shaped rear taillights, the contemporary and straight design is polished and refined from the previous designs of the sedan.

Falling in line with some of the cars of today, it does not shock nor mind-boggle, however, it does transcend the philosophy of no-bullshit depiction. At 6.1" clear from the ground, the ES 350 stands at 57" in height and comes with a 111-inch wheelbase at its framework.Compared with the previous ES, the 2020 version is longer by 2.6 ins. and wider by 1.8 ins. The wheels have been pushed out, too, resulting in a stouter stance than the previous version, which had a long rear overhang.

Exterior Features

 A list of few exterior features found on the Lexus ES 350 are -

• 17" alloy wheels
• LED headlamps and taillamps
• LED daytime running lights
• Power moonroof
• Brembo Callipers
• Swoosh styled Indicators

While the NHTSA is yet to rate the 2020 Lexus ES 350, the IIHS has scored the sedan with mostly positive feedback. The sedan comes with a horde of safety features that comes equipped in the sedan. While these features come standard, there are optional packages that you can invest in to further up the equipments on offer. Some of the standard safety features include -

• Vehicle Stability Control (VSC)
• Rearview Camera
• Safety Connect emergency communications
• Forward collision Warning
• Mitigation system
• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Lane departure warning
• Intervention System

Lexus ES 350 vs Audi A4

The Audi A4 and the Lexus ES 350 are luxury sedans with extensive opulency and features. Both the sedans have similar ride quality, however, the performer here is the Japanese counterpart to the smaller German 4-Rings. With incredible plush and comfort, the Audi, however, offers a relatively cramped space while the ES 350 is quite spacious. The A4 costs lower than the Japanese luxury sedan but if you want space and a similarly sumptuous 4-door, the ES 350 should be your choice.

Lexus ES 350 vs Acura TLX

There is plenty of mix-and-match going on here; the Acura TLX falls short in some places as compared to the Lexus ES 350. Triumphing in terms of performance, interior space, overall opulence, and quality, the ES 350 takes the top spot here. However the Acura is a much cheaper sedan and for the price, it offers quite a respectable list of features and quality. If the niceties of the Lexus are irresistible, make sure you have enough to shell out in your account.

ES 350 has always stood like a distinguished contender in the entry-level luxury car market. The all-new 2020 Lexus ES has an aggressive new look, improved performance and a new attitude, but the sedan continues its reputation of being quiet, comfortable and reliable. It doesn't suffer from the stiff-legged harshness of some early F Sport models like the previous-generation RX. The appeal of the seventh-generation ES extends beyond its looks, and the luxury sedan possesses enough positive attributes to make it worth considering over competing products.

FAQ 

Is the Lexus ES 350 a good car?

Yes, the redesigned Lexus ES is a very nice luxury midsize car. The cabin is roomy and comfortable, and it does a great job of keeping out wind and road noise. Additionally, its trunk is roomier than many rivals. 

Does 2020 Lexus ES have Apple CarPlay?

It's official; the 2020 Lexus ES will be the first model from Lexus to feature Apple CarPlay. Access to your phone, apps, and Siri will all now be available. 

Is Lexus reliable?

Lexus is very reliable, is the short answer. They have constantly topped the most dependable lists for quite a few years now