The 2012 Lexus ES comes in a single model, the ES 350, equipped with a 3. 5-liter V6 and front-wheel drive. A near luxury sedan, the Lexus ES prioritizes ride quality and ease of use over performance.
The Lexus ES 350 is stylish, quiet, sophisticated, competent, and comfortable. It doesn’t have the company-like driving or responsiveness of a German sports sedan, so you can safely grab a cappuccino on your way to work. The engine is velvety and powerful, the 6-speed automatic transmission is impeccable, the comfort is supreme, the adventure is quiet, everything works as it should, the overall experience is excellent.
Based on the same platform as the Toyota Camry, the Lexus ES 350 is front-wheel drive and offers the qualities of a rear-wheel-drive gaming sedan, like the Cadillac CTS, Infiniti G, and BMW 3 Series.
The ES 350 is fast and responsive; however, it benefits from a silky V6 engine that develops 268 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque. Lexus claims that the ES 350 can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 7. 0 seconds, a performance forged. .
The EPA estimates fuel economy to be 19/28 mpg city/highway, or 22 mg combined, with regular gas. In a week of driving, we got 23. 4 mpg when driving over 70 on the highway and 26. 0 mpg when driving. to no more than 70. The ES 350 is rated as an Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle II.
There are no adjustments for 2012. The Lexus ES was last redesigned for the 2007 style year and updated for 2010. The existing style is starting to age and is about to be redesigned.
The 2012 Lexus ES 350 ($36,725) features leather seats and trim, forced 10-way front seats; electric telescopic and tilting wheel; dual-zone automatic climate control; forced glass sunroof; Eight AM/FM/6CD speakers, XM satellite radio and MP3/iPod input jack; SmartAccess programmable keyless entry; and all the other amenities one would expect. The tires are P215/55R17 all-season radials on 17-inch five-spoke split-spoke alloy wheels.
Option packages: Lexus Premium Audio with Navigation ($2,465) includes Bluetooth, touchscreen hard drive navigation, rearview camera, Lexus Enform with Destination Assist, eDestination and Safety Connect, Lexus Insider, voice popularity via voice command, XM NavTraffic and NavWeather and XM Sports/Actions. The Mark Levinson Navigation System/Audio Package includes the entire premium audio system with navigation and adds Mark Levinson premium surround sound with DVD audio/video, 14 speakers, and 5. 1-channel playback.
The Ultra-Luxury package includes 10-spoke alloy wheels, a black saddle-shaped interior with double-contrast stitching for seats and trim, high-intensity discharge headlights with adaptive front lighting, panoramic glass roof, forced rear sunshade, semi-aniline. Interior and steering wheel and gear knob upholstered in wood and leather.
Other features include a wood and leather shifter knob ($330), heated and ventilated front seats ($640), intuitive parking assist, high-intensity discharge headlights and the Lexus Pre-Collision system. Additional features and accessories are available.
Safety features provided as popular on the ES 350 include dual front airbags, two front knee airbags, front and rear side airbags (for torso protection), curtain airbags (for head protection), electronic stability traction and anti-lock brakes (ABS). , Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist and Tire Pressure Monitor. A two-chamber passenger airbag is designed to prevent the passenger’s upper frame and torso from deploying with minimal facial contact and cervical strain. The optional pre-collision system comes with radar-based cruise that automatically maintains a preset distance between the ES 350 and the car in front. If the formula detects a nearby collision, it retracts all external seat belts and initializes the braking formula for full emergency braking power.
The shape of the ES 350 emerges from the grille and returns to the car in uninterrupted lines. The view includes a wind tunnel-tested drag coefficient of just 0. 28, making the ES 350 inherently quiet and fuel-efficient.
It’s elegant, luxurious, and beautifully detailed. There are some steel carvings on the sides, which gives it a lot of visual interest without it looking too detailed or temperamental. It has the appearance of a high-end car.
Over time, the ES 350 has evolved into a full-fledged luxury sedan, both in terms of length and content. And its high-end look is perfectly suited to its market segment. This is partly due to its long wheelbase, which adds to its impressive stance.
The only external customization you can do besides the paint and wheels is a selection of front lighting, from the popular projector beam to optional high-intensity discharge headlights with an adaptive lighting feature, which rotates the headlights in an arc of up to 15 degrees when cornering. There are 10 exterior colours to choose from, from fairly subdued tones to a fairly bright red, which makes the ES 350 stand out.
The Lexus ES 350 is spacious and comfortable, with enough headroom and legroom for front and rear passengers. Its rear floor is flat and provides enough footroom to the front seat backrests.
The interior of the ES 350 looks great, with clever sightlines, hooded tools and crisp graphics, 10-way forced seats, and a tilt/telescoping idler. The interior design and finish are exemplary.
Genuine joinery comes from a matching set with a serial number for long-term replacement, if needed. It’s exciting to use the thick, greasy idler. The interior joinery is maple quilted with black or gray leather, brown walnut with parchment leather.
The dashboard and center console are driver-centric, attractive, and functional. The tools are deeply designed, white LED lighting and Optitron electroluminescent presentations that are components of all Lexus models, with their pleasant startup routine. The on-board computer monitors a dozen functions. The ES features a push-button engine start and a SmartAccess key fob.
There’s smart storage, guide wheel controls and using the purposes is easy.
With 14. 8 cubic feet of shipping area, enough area for a moderate amount of luggage.
The ES 350 is well insulated; At cruising speeds, it’s incredibly quiet, thanks in part to its acoustically controlled laminated windshield.
The Lexus ES 350 engine is sleek as silky and is paired with a 6-speed transmission. The 3. 5-liter V6 is an all-aluminum overhead camshaft twin engine with the newest technology.
Press the accelerator pedal and the ES 350 will respond quickly. The engine is as sleek and quiet as you’d expect, and the transmission works flawlessly, in automatic or manual mode, when downshifting or upshifting. The engine and transmission are fixed in isolation with an electro-hydraulic formula to cancel out vibrations at idle. Lexus quotes a 0-60 mph time of 7. 0 seconds, making us a fast and competitive feature in the segment.
Traction control and electronic stability control increase operator confidence. The front struts and multi-link rear suspension are nicely isolated from the rest of the car, allowing for a quiet and stylish ride, with intelligent pitch and roll control for a keen ride. We’d like to have a little more of a sense of guidance in corners and on the road, but otherwise the speed-related force guidance is smart and solid.
The brakes are medium sized for this class, but we didn’t see any signs of brake weakness after a hard workout. ABS, traction, and electronic stability are all programmed to interfere early to keep the car in the desired direction.
There is a brake override formula called Smart Stop, which automatically reduces engine force when the brake and accelerator pedal are depressed under certain driving conditions.
The Lexus ES 350 is smooth, quiet, and comfortable. It is a quiet car that comes with luxury and convenience features. We think it’s a smart pick among luxury sedans when convenience and ride quality are priorities.
Sam Moses and Jim McCraw contributed to this report.
Lexus ES 350 ($36,725).
Fukuoka, Japan.
Navigation formula ($2,465), heated and ventilated front seats ($640), full-size spare wheel with 17-inch alloy wheel ($205), wood and leather guide wheel and shifter ($330), Touring Edition leather and wood trim ($110), carpeted trunk ($105).