ES300H vs GS300H

[jevestobs]

I was driving the new ES300h recently. Nice looking car, very spacious. Seats are extremely comfortable and it's a nice quiet, comfortable ride. Performance is better than the figures suggest too. I like it.

But compared to my GS, it's nowhere near as luxurious. The quality of materials has really gone down - too much hard plastic, cheap fittings and thin carpeting. Such a shame that Lexus are falling into the trap that seems to be afflicting all manufacturers - that of saving money on materials and build to pay for gimmicky technology that offers little real benefit and which most people probably don't care about beyond the first couple of weeks of ownership.

I wouldn't change my GS for one at the price they are new. But it's a nice car.

[scudney]

Also bear in mind that the car manufacturers hands are sometimes tied by rules and regulations and have to try as much as possible to reduce weight,emissions etc etc resulting in cheaper looking/inferior materials etc

[jevestobs]

All the more reason to stick with older models if you ask me!

[rich1068]

The new ES is front wheel drive too isn't it? That would put me off.

[Lwerewolf]

The ES has always shared underpinnings with the camry/avalon (K-platform - mostly FWD), nothing new here. It also sells very, very well... unlike the GS, which is rare even in the US, where they have certain very attractive engine options (cough is/gs350 cough).

Not a GS replacement, they used to coexist... we'll see how the GS will go from here. I still have hopes.

[rich1068]

Well over here the GS is clearly going nowhere because it's been pulled. In the UK the ES is seen by Lexus at least, as a GS replacement.