My experience driving my ES300h premium pack since my recent purchase early September 2022…

[Nico72]

 

 

Hi everyone, it has now been just over 3 months driving my ES (premium pack metallic grey) and thought of sharing my experience with it to date...

Exterior look

Front of the car looks sensational, elegant, beautiful and nothing aggressive at first glance. The side of the car looks well balance and it is a long vehicle reaching near 5 metre length. The door panels are quite long compare to my former GS. The rear look is still an area that I am not 100% sold - something could have been done to make it look as good as the front appearance. The elevated boot with spoiler makes it look a bit strange. But the practicality is there, the boot size is much better than my former GS450h (mk4). So overall, I must say that I am pleased.

What I noticed is that when you close the doors, they don’t close as solidly like my former GS450h - so I realise how well built the GS was, compared to the ES - when you shut the door the door panel does vibrate a bit whereas the GS does not. But it is still within quality built I have to admit nevertheless.

 

Interior

The front passenger side is good and spacious and so is for the rear passengers offering huge leg rooms. My two kids are happier inside this car than my former GS - it is now much roomier. I am 5 ft 11 1/2 and my head was just touching the roof top in the rear seat but it is not that uncomfortable to seat in the rear at all (journalists love to make such fuss but honestly it is acceptable unless you are 6ft over. So for my height, I would be quite happy to be seated in the back. The middle seat with elbow rest is well built. I love the fact that it just unfolds and touches the front part of the seat so it stays in the right position at all times without bouncing up and down.

Now the front driver seat: first glance, the seat looks superb with the premium pack having the beautiful steering leather and wood trim. The controls on the steering wheel are spot on and it feels very special seeing this steering wheel and all the controls around the cockpit. The odometer is alright too offering all the data you need. I am glad that the temperature is constantly on display too (unlike my GS, which I would have to find the option to know outdoor temperature). The centre console is well built and I like the centre compartment how you can open on either side for passenger and driver (just like on the S Class with Mercedes). Good amount of space but the padding to rest the elbow is not as good as GS. The GS had more padding under the leather and it was more comfortable to rest your arm. Having said this, it is still good to rest your arm on the padded part. The cup holders with 2 depth adjustment is a fantastic option and it is great to have 2 optional depth depending on the size of drink you wish to put in. The temperature control is brilliant. I love the fact you can see the numbers going up and down. Beautifully done.

The volume adjustment is another clever kit they made with the adjustment for channel and volume. Very clever and it brings memories how older radios were built. This feature is so pleasing to use.

The navigation system is ok but fiddly to use if you want to seek a destination. You would need to stop driving as it could be dangerous if you try it and drive at the same time. The good thing is that it displays speed limit and speed cameras locations and provides good navigation assistance (as I used it to drive to France and back in UK). But mostly, I tend to use Android Auto (apple CarPlay also fitted) and it is much easier to use on the whole so you don’t really worry about Lexus navigation system.

 

The sound system (Pioneer) is rather good as standard option for premium pack. So I am very happy with it but I do know that the Mark Levinson sound system would be even better.

The seats are awesome, the driving seat is well padded and so comfortable that I enjoy being in the car - it is so easy to get in and out thanks to the automated system with seats and steering wheel moving forward and back (just like with my former GS). Once you discover this luxury feature it is hard to go with another car that is not fitted with this. However, I noticed that there is no padded band between console and seat so if you drop your phone or keys or money it could get lost under your seat. My GS was equipped with this! So again, it shows how well built the GS was as a car… There are bits of plastic that I find slightly annoying the side of the console, the bottom inside door so when I get out, I tend to hit the side with my shoes and this means that I have left some marks that are hard to get rid off. I wish the plastic was a different quality. Again the GS was better in this respect.

But overall, I do forgive and forget they are there as the interior really looks premium and more interesting to be in than the GS for my liking. Having a sunroof is also another great feature with this car and it works great. As I have the premium pack, it is fitted with heated and cooling seats, heated steering wheel and sun protector for rear seats. The seats and steering wheel can be customised with Concierge ventilation automated system so it will come automatically depending on the outdoor temperature. A lovely option to be had in my opinion. The windows are an amazing feature to appreciate how quiet they open and close without making any sound when they close up. It is really a piece of Art to appreciate how much work has gone into this.

 

Driving experience

This is the best part and what makes this car so unique and special. To me it means every time I get to drive it, I am assured that it will be a relaxing drive. I absolutely love the fact that the car will take me smoothly on the road and it is so quiet that it feels amazing. It is very hard to explain but the more you get to drive, the more you appreciate what this car is all about. And the weird thing to say is that this car is a boring vehicle if you expect it to be sporty and engaging on the B road. This car will not offer this kind of excitement but will offer you complete relaxation driving around. So you don’t mind being overtaken by other spirited drivers. I completely understand why it was built for. The fuel economy is very impressive: I am getting on average 40 mpg in town and 49-53mpg on Motorway.

I know everyone reading this would already know what PS the car has and it is 215ps so it is not the fastest vehicle from 0 to 60mph around 8 sec. but what is interesting to know is that when you are doing 40-50mph and you press the accelerator, the electric engine will provide a good boost and the car feels like a V6 (similar to my GS) to be frank - it has good amount of power to compensate. But it simply is not designed to take off rapidly like my GS from 0 to 60mph. However, you quickly adapt and appreciate to drive it smoothly without any rush. This car has not been designed for this. And honestly I recently drove a BMW series 5 530d Year 2021 and I really dislike it as it was way too aggressive compare to my ES - the driving seats (M sport) were too uncomfortable and I hated every occasion driving this car (for 2 weeks due to a minor accident I had with my ES - an elderly driver scrapped the side of my car when it was stopped. Driver had not seen my car!). So needless to say that when my ES returned I was super happy to give back the loaned BMW car and it made me realised how much Lexus have got this spot on for every day normal driving. The fact is driving in London, we are obliged to follow frequently 20mph zones that it is impossible to truly enjoy a fast car. So the ES is actually the perfect car for this type of environment in town as well as on the motorway.

Various driving modes ECO - NORMAL - SPORT

I love the round switch next to the odometer and it looks unique and quite exciting to operate. When you change the mode, the odometer will change colour between Normal and Sport (with sport will show the RPM rather than charge - normal - power) The ECO is identical to normal but you get the ECO wording on the center of the odometer. Each are very well designed and I mainly keep it on normal as it delivers just the right amount of comfort and power delivery for every day normal driving. The sport mode changes the charasteristics of the car making the rev quicker and it also feels more responsive but overall it is not the kind of mode for me that I would want to be in all the time, as the car has been designed to drive you from A to B in complete relaxing mode. The Eco mode is slower than the normal mode but it is programmed to give you as much EV power as possible so the speed will not be its priority. It is an interesting mode if you want to know how much EV mode you can get but bearing in mind that the normal engine will still kick in if you want to speed a bit faster and when you go uphill too. The EV mode will work on the flat road and down hill better. But it is a better generation than my GS so it will engage more and still under 70pmh too, which is an improvement as my GS could only engage EV mode up to 40 mph.

Long driving experience

I had the pleasure taking my ES for the first time driving from London though Eurotunnel to Calais and all the way to Nantes and the long drive was simply outstanding. The suspension and power delivery is just what you need in my opinion and the overtaking of cars was effortless. The car is quite powerful in my view and has no issues doing any overtaking. What I did notice is that I could do 600 miles with one tank easily but it was not possible to do the whole trip (840 miles) without refuelling. And the main reason is that the tank is not a big size compare to my GS. I believe it is a third smaller than GS. However the economy was impressive. I was returning 44mpg on average doing lots of motorway driving. I was able to use the active lane assist and active cruise control. It was lovely to appreciate what this is all about but you cannot fully rely on it as sometimes, it is not always accurate when markings are not clear on either side of the road. But on the main motorway, it was helping my journey to be even more relax. Really impressed with this.

LED lights and interior lights

Front LED lights (3 dots LED) are Amazing and work superbly. They work great and there is no need to make any adjustment when driving on the French road. The car looks so beautiful when they are on and you get a lot of attention from other drivers I noticed. The exterior light when approaching the vehicle (with keyless entry) is rather too discreet. My GS was a bit more visible litting the side mirror and door handles. This ES only lits the car doors when I approach it. Maybe the premium pack is not complete - I don’t know.

Once inside, the white lights are subtle and discreet, which is lovely but I wish that there was an option to change the light colour on the doors and front dash board like some other cars do offer with multiple colours to choose from. But I am quite happy to live without them also.

One thing that I truly appreciate with Lexus is whenever you get inside any Lexus vehicle, you will instantly recognise the same features with BSM, Auto Hold, colour of R for rear (orange), N (green) D (White), press mode to mute etc. they simply remain identical in any LEXUS cars you get in. I really love the fact that Lexus has been and is continuing to stay consistent with this that you will never feel ‘lost’ with the way the car operates. Another lovely feature with Lexus saloon car is this: when you lock your car with GS and ES, and you can still open the boot without having to unlock the vehicle or lock it again. You simply open and shut the boot and the vehicles stays locked when you walk away. Keyless feature still operates identically with the GS and ES (same for NX) and it is just wonderful to know this feature is consistent regardless of the weather. It simply works all the time when you want to open the door and lock it.

 

On the whole, I am super impressed with this ES and I can say in full confidence that I do not regret the change from GS. The power train is a slightly under but it does not feel as much when you are driving it and as I mentioned the car has no power struggle overtaking, it is that good and very steady and compose on the road, also much quieter than my GS driving motorway speed at 70pmh. It is quite astonishing how quieter the car is and everything feels so relaxing and you will be appreciating this car more than a more powered vehicle (from any other makes) as you will feel just more relax after driving it.

I recently had a loaned vehicle with the 530D BMW for 2 weeks, I was feeling too much on edge, it was too fast driving and it was making me more agressive as a driver subconsciously. The ES truly has a way to find my calmer inner ‘soul’ and being with it again, I was over the moon having it back!

Every time I lock the car, I cannot help but look back and admire the lines and its angles and appreciate how they built it bit by bit. The side mirrors are very elegantly built that it stands out and really make the car very special (I think the digital side mirrors don’t look as good as the normal side mirrors for my liking and they are also far more expensive too). This car is truly a different car than my GS, which I also love very much for its comfort and power delivery but was not giving the same economy that I am getting now. The EV mode works more frequently with the ES than my GS I noticed and you hardly feel any changes from EV to normal engine but the combination with CVT works really well together and Lexus have done something very unique and to get the impressive economy for such a large car is truly impressive. Anyone hesitating because it is just a 2.5 L fuel engine should really try it on the main city roads and motorway and you will immediately understand what I have tried to describe. This car is by far the most relaxing one I have ever driven. Strange from someone who likes driving sports cars too but it could be that I am getting older now and that I want a vehicle that is going to help me be relaxed when my work is stressful at times. This is exactly what I need, a meditation Zen on the move! One you will truly appreciate if you have a stressful job or not…

[royoftherovers]

8 minutes ago, Nico72 said:

Hi everyone, it has now been just over 3 months driving my ES (premium pack metallic grey) and thought of sharing my experience with it to date...

Exterior look

Front of the car looks sensational, elegant, beautiful and nothing aggressive at first glance. The side of the car looks well balance and it is a long vehicle reaching near 5 metre length. The door panels are quite long compare to my former GS. The rear look is still an area that I am not 100% sold - something could have been done to make it look as good as the front appearance. The elevated boot with spoiler makes it look a bit strange. But the practicality is there, the boot size is much better than my former GS450h (mk4). So overall, I must say that I am pleased.

What I noticed is that when you close the doors, they don’t close as solidly like my former GS450h - so I realise how well built the GS was, compared to the ES - when you shut the door the door panel does vibrate a bit whereas the GS does not. But it is still within quality built I have to admit nevertheless.

 

Interior

The front passenger side is good and spacious and so is for the rear passengers offering huge leg rooms. My two kids are happier inside this car than my former GS - it is now much roomier. I am 5 ft 11 1/2 and my head was just touching the roof top in the rear seat but it is not that uncomfortable to seat in the rear at all (journalists love to make such fuss but honestly it is acceptable unless you are 6ft over. So for my height, I would be quite happy to be seated in the back. The middle seat with elbow rest is well built. I love the fact that it just unfolds and touches the front part of the seat so it stays in the right position at all times without bouncing up and down.

Now the front driver seat: first glance, the seat looks superb with the premium pack having the beautiful steering leather and wood trim. The controls on the steering wheel are spot on and it feels very special seeing this steering wheel and all the controls around the cockpit. The odometer is alright too offering all the data you need. I am glad that the temperature is constantly on display too (unlike my GS, which I would have to find the option to know outdoor temperature). The centre console is well built and I like the centre compartment how you can open on either side for passenger and driver (just like on the S Class with Mercedes). Good amount of space but the padding to rest the elbow is not as good as GS. The GS had more padded under the leather and it was more comfortable to rest your arm. Having said this, it is still good to rest your arm on the padded part. The cup holders with 2 depth adjustment is a fantastic option and it is great to have 2 optional depth depending on the size of drink you wish to put in. The temperature control is brilliant. I love the fact you can see the numbers going up and down. Beautifully done.

The volume adjustment is another clever kit they made with the adjustment for channel and volume. Very clever and it brings memories how older radios were built. This feature is so pleasing to use.

The navigation system is ok but fiddly to use if you want to seek a destination. You would need to stop driving as it could be dangerous if you try it and drive at the same time. The good thing is that it displays speed limit and speed cameras locations and provides good navigation assistance (as I used it to drive to France and back in UK). But mostly, I tend to use Android Auto (Apple CarPlay also fitted) and it is much easier to use on the whole so you don’t really worry about Lexus navigation system.

 

The sound system (Pioneer) is rather good as standard option for premium pack. So I am very happy with it but I do know that the Mark Levinson sound system would be even better.

The seats are awesome, the driving seat is well padded and so comfortable that I enjoy being in the car - it is so easy to get in and out thanks to the automated system with seats and steering wheel moving forward and back (just like with my former GS). Once you discover this luxury feature it is hard to go with another car that is not fitted with this. However, I noticed that there is no padded band between console and seat so if you drop your phone or keys or money it could get lost under your seat. My GS was equipped with this! So again, it shows how well built the GS was as a car… There are bits of plastic that I find slightly annoying the side of the console, the bottom inside door so when I get out, I tend to hit the side with my shoes and this means that I have left some marks that are hard to get rid off. I wish the plastic was a different quality. Again the GS was better in this respect.

But overall, I do forgive and forget they are there as the interior really looks premium and more interesting to be in than the GS for my liking. Having a sunroof is also another great feature with this car and it works great. As I have the premium pack, it is fitted with heated and cooling seats, heated steering wheel and sun protector for rear seats. The seats and steering wheel can be customised with Concierge ventilation automated system so it will come automatically depending on the outdoor temperature. A lovely option to be had in my opinion. The windows are an amazing feature to appreciate how quiet they open and close without making any sound when they close up. It is really a piece of Art to appreciate how much work has gone into this.

 

Driving experience

This is the best part and what makes this car so unique and special. To me it means every time I get to drive it, I am assured that it will be a relaxing drive. I absolutely love the fact that the car will take me smoothly on the road and it is so quiet that it feels amazing. It is very hard to explain but the more you get to drive, the more you appreciate what this car is all about. And the weird thing to say is that this car is a boring vehicle if you expect it to be sporty and engaging on the B road. This car will not offer this kind of excitement but will offer you complete relaxation driving around. So you don’t mind being overtaken by other spirited drivers. I completely understand why it was built for. The fuel economy is very impressive: I am getting on average 40 mpg in town and 49-53mpg on Motorway.

I know everyone reading this would already know what PS the car has and it is 215ps so it is not the fastest vehicle from 0 to 60mph around 8 sec. but what is interesting to know is that when you are doing 40-50mph and you press the accelerator, the electric engine will provide a good boost and the car feels like a V6 (similar to my GS) to be frank - it has good amount of power to compensate. But it simply is not designed to take off rapidly like my GS from 0 to 60mph. However, you quickly adapt and appreciate to drive it smoothly without any rush. This car has not be designed for this. And honestly I recently drove a BMW series 5 530d Year 2021 and I really dislike it as it was way too aggressive compare to my ES - the driving seats (M sport) were too uncomfortable and I hated every occasion driving this car (for 2 weeks due to a minor accident I had with my ES - an elderly driver scrapped the side of my car when it was stopped. Driver had not seen my car!). So needless to say that when my ES returned I was super happy to give back the loaned BMW car and it made me realised how much Lexus have got this spot on for every day normal driving. The fact is driving in London, we are obliged to follow frequently 20mph zones that it is impossible to truly enjoy a fast car. So the ES is actually the perfect car for this type of environment in town as well as on the motorway.

Various driving modes ECO - NORMAL - SPORT

I love the round switch next to the odometer and it looks unique and quite exciting to operate. When you change the mode, the odometer will change colour between Normal and Sport (with sport will show the RPM rather than charge - normal - power) The ECO is identical to normal but you get the ECO wording on the center of the odometer. Each are very well designed and I mainly keep it on normal as it delivers just the right amount of comfort and power delivery for every day normal driving. The sport mode changes the charasteristics of the car making the rev quicker and it also feels more responsive but overall it is not the kind of mode for me that I would want to be in all the time, as the car has been designed to drive you from A to B in complete relaxing mode. The Eco mode is slower than the normal mode but it is programmed to give you as much EV power as possible so the speed will not be its priority. It is an interesting mode if you want to know how much EV mode you can get but bearing in mind that the normal engine will still kick in if you want to speed a bit faster and when you go uphill too. The EV mode will work on the flat road and down hill better. But it is a better generation than my GS so it will engage more and still under 70pmh too, which is an improvement as my GS could only engage EV mode up to 40 mph.

Long driving experience

I had the pleasure taking my ES for the first time driving from London though Eurotunnel to Calais and all the way to Nantes and the long drive was simply outstanding. The suspension and power delivery is just what you need in my opinion and the overtaking of cars was effortless. The car is quite powerful in my view and has no issues doing any overtaking. What I did notice is that I could do 600 miles with one tank easily but it was not possible to do the whole trip (840 miles) without refuelling. And the main reason is that the tank is not a big size compare to my GS. I believe it is a third smaller than GS. However the economy was impressive. I was returning 44mpg on average doing lots of motorway driving. I was able to use the active lane assist and active cruise control. It was lovely to appreciate what this is all about but you cannot fully rely on it as sometimes, it is not always accurate when markings are not clear on either side of the road. But on the main motorway, it was helping my journey to be even more relax. Really impressed with this.

LED lights and interior lights

Front LED lights (3 dots LED) are Amazing and work superbly. They work great and there is no need to make any adjustment when driving on the French road. The car looks so beautiful when they are on and you get a lot of attention from other drivers I noticed. The exterior light when approaching the vehicle (with keyless entry) is rather too discreet. My GS was a bit more visible litting the side mirror and door handles. This ES only lits the car doors when I approach it. Maybe the premium pack is not complete - I don’t know.

Once inside, the white lights are subtle and discreet, which is lovely but I wish that there was an option to change the light colour on the doors and front dash board like some other cars do offer with multiple colours to choose from. But I am quite happy to live without them also.

One thing that I truly appreciate with Lexus is whenever you get inside any Lexus vehicle, you will instantly recognise the same features with BSM, Auto Hold, colour of R for rear (orange), D (is Green), press mode to mute etc. they simply remain identical in any LEXUS cars you get in. I really love the fact that Lexus has been and is continuing to stay consistent with this that you will never feel ‘lost’ with the way the car operates. Another lovely feature with Lexus saloon car is this: when you lock your car with GS and ES, and you can still open the boot without having to unlock the vehicle or lock it again. You simply open and shut the boot and the vehicles stays locked when you walk away. Keyless feature still operates identically with the GS and ES (same for NX) and it is just wonderful to know this feature is consistent regardless of the weather. It simply works all the time when you want to open the door and lock it.

 

On the whole, I am super impressed with this ES and I can say in full confidence that I do not regret the change from GS. The power train is a slightly under but it does not feel as much when you are driving it and as I mentioned the car has no power struggle overtaking, it is that good and very steady and compose on the road, also much quieter than my GS driving motorway speed at 70pmh. It is quite astonishing how quieter the car is and everything feels so relaxing and you will be appreciating this car more than a more powered vehicle (from any other makes) as you will feel just more relax after driving it.

I recently had a loaned vehicle with the 530D BMW for 2 weeks, I was feeling too much on edge, it was too fast driving and it was making me more agressive as a driver subconsciously. The ES truly has a way to find my calmer inner ‘soul’ and being with it again, I was over the moon having it back!

Every time I lock the car, I cannot help but look back and admire the lines and its angles and appreciate how they built it bit by bit. The side mirrors are very elegantly built that it stands out and really make the car very special (I think the digital side mirrors don’t look as good as the normal side mirrors for my liking and they are also far more expensive too). This car is truly a different car than my GS, which I also love very much for its comfort and power delivery but was not giving the same economy that I am getting now. The EV mode works more frequently with the ES than my GS I noticed and you hardly feel any changes from EV to normal engine but the combination with CVT works really well together and Lexus have done something very unique and to get the impressive economy for such a large car is truly impressive. Anyone hesitating because it is just a 2.5 L fuel engine should really try it on the main city roads and motorway and you will immediately understand what I have tried to describe. This car is by far the most relaxing one I have ever driven. Strange from someone who likes driving sports cars too but it could be that I am getting older now and that I want a vehicle that is going to help me be relaxed when my work is stressful at times. This is exactly what I need, a meditation Zen on the move! One you will truly appreciate if you have a stressful job or not…

Thanks Nick for another thoughtful and sincere review.

[Nico72]

Thanks! I have now added photos of the car and the loaned BMW vehicle...

15 minutes ago, royoftherovers said:

Thanks Nick for another thoughtful and sincere review.

 

[Initial P]

I'm not sure if a FWD 4 pot vs a RWD V6 is a "upgrade" but I'd still take this over a floppy SUV's any day, maybe I'm not pan-sexual enough 😆

Great write up covering probably everything, there was a blue F Sport ES parked in the next to where I work & it looked lovely, maybe I could leave 6 cylinder RWD after over 12 years across 3 cars.

My GS4 has the outside temp in the dial cluster so  maybe you missed it.

[Nico72]

12 minutes ago, Initial P said:

I'm not sure if a FWD 4 pot vs a RWD V6 is a "upgrade" but I'd still take this over a floppy SUV's any day, maybe I'm not pan-sexual enough 😆

Great write up covering probably everything, there was a blue F Sport ES parked in the next to where I work & it looked lovely, maybe I could leave 6 cylinder RWD after over 12 years across 3 cars.

My GS4 has the outside temp in the dial cluster so  maybe you missed it.

Of course the RWD will always be better but you reminded to mention that although this is a FWD, you will not feel it being a FWD because it drives really smoothly and it is quite clever how they have done it. All my previous cars were RWD and I have owned and driven a few V6, one V8 (with W212 E Class Performance Pack 6.3L) and this car is so different than the rest of them. It surprised me to say that I did not enjoy the 530d 5 series with this great B57 Diesel engine. I thought I would enjoy it but it has to do with the extra bit that this ES is managing so well. The smooth delivery of power is just outstanding and very quiet. I had enough of the aggressive torque that the German cars insist in tuning lots of their cars and at one point you get bored of it (to me now) but the quietness and the smoothness is something that I find so addictive. I appreciate that it may not be for everyone but if you want something to make you relax, this car will do an outstanding job...

 

[Nico72]

22 minutes ago, Initial P said:

My GS4 has the outside temp in the dial cluster so  maybe you missed it.

Yes it is but you have to select it to check it out so not ideal as I wanted the other information to be showing at all times. With this ES the temperature will be showing at the top of the cluster so you see it permanently like the clock... Small thing but big difference.

[Initial P]

Beautiful!

 

[Initial P]

I used to own a BMW 530i E60 2004 great car to drive & very comfy on 16" rims 🤣 but leaked oil for most of my 6+ years of ownership, I had everything done & it still leaked but the M54 engine was notorious for leaks.

I traded it in for the GS3 with a part service history as I don't get the booked stamped & it turned up on eBay with a full BMW service history some months later 🤔 you should never trust those history full service claims.

 

[Initial P]

14 minutes ago, Nico72 said:

Yes it is but you have to select it to check it out so not ideal as I wanted the other information to be showing at all times. With this ES the temperature will be showing at the top of the cluster so you see it permanently like the clock... Small thing but big difference.

Of course you car can have all the gizmo's in the world but of its missing just one thing you use its very annoying, the GS3 didn't have triple turn indicators like my BMW that was 3 years older & my GS4 only has one reverse light like a budget motor.

[Nico72]

5 minutes ago, Initial P said:

I used to own a BMW 530i E60 2004 great car to drive & very comfy on 16" rims 🤣 but leaked oil for most of my 6+ years of ownership, I had everything done & it still leaked but the M54 engine was notorious for leaks.

I traded it in for the GS3 with a part service history as I don't get the booked stamped & it turned up on eBay with a full BMW service history some months later 🤔 you should never trust those history full service claims.

 

I had an F10 520d BMW and was happy with it but after nearly 3 years of ownership the car began leaking water from the grommet under the glove box which is apparently a very well known design fault but BMW would never want to admit. I was disappointed with the service as the car was still under its full warranty and BMW were dishonest and in the end they fixed the problem (tried to get me to pay £800 for them to pull all the seats and carpets and I said no because they had my car for 2 weeks and they never made any single effort to pull the water out from flooring (a gold fish would have been happy that is how much water that was left). but with persistance the manager handled the complaint and got my car fixed but I had zero confidence driving the car back knowing the water stayed inside for this long so I made a quick decision to sell the vehicle and go with Lexus as my first time and it was the GS450h... The service has been remarkable with them ever since (Lexus in Edgware Road) so it is a no brainer. I stick with this brand as I have had zero engine failure or big issues. My wife has the NX for over 2 years now and she is super happy with it (me included). So we have 2 Lexus cars in our parking drive now... Best decision ever to date...

[Initial P]

My E60 had a water in the passenger foot well problem too it was caused by a blocked drain in the engine bay.

[beyond the blue]

Great review of the ES, however I'm surprised you didn't mention the turning circle, maybe it's not much of a difference to your GS.

[LenT]

 

4 hours ago, Nico72 said:

However, I noticed that there is no padded band between console and seat so if you drop your phone or keys or money it could get lost under your seat. My GS was equipped with this

Surprising that these gap fillers - or chip catchers - don’t come with your Premium Pack.  But they are available on the After Market - either as Fillers or Storage Pockets and even Lexus branded.

There have been occasions when mine have proved their worth!

[Nico72]

10 minutes ago, LenT said:

Surprising that these gap fillers - or chip catchers - don’t come with your Premium Pack.  But they are available on the After Market - either as Fillers or Storage Pockets and even Lexus branded.

There have been occasions when mine have proved their worth!

Good to hear! Do you have any link(s) you could share?

[LenT]

 

1 hour ago, Nico72 said:

1 hour ago, Nico72 said:

Good to hear! Do you have any link(s) you could share?

This is the sort of item, Nick.  Not that I can vouch for any of them!  And there’s plenty more where they came from.

So here’s a few alternatives….

https://gbr.grandado.com/products/car-seat-gap-pad-spacer-fillers-for-lexus-es350-es300h-gs350-is200t-is350-lx570-nx200-nx300-nx300h-rc200t-rx350?variant=UHJvZHVjdFZhcmlhbnQ6ODA0NDEzMQ&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIw6iPrqfr-wIVs2LmCh0e6wBCEAQYASABEgJwWvD_BwE

 

https://www.wish.com/product/5fbdd3a297c7099deab1cbf8?from_ad=goog_shopping&_display_country_code=GB&_force_currency_code=GBP&pid=googleadwords_int&c=17739879730&ad_cid=5fbdd3a297c7099deab1cbf8&ad_cc=GB&ad_lang=EN&ad_curr=GBP&ad_price=11.00&campaign_id=17739879730&retargeting=true&exclude_install=true&gbraid=0AAAAABOL3PPy5wbNtx5ndPRsfcDupOY4G&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIw6iPrqfr-wIVs2LmCh0e6wBCEAQYAyABEgL8I_D_BwE
 

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/lexus-car-seat-gap-filler--458452437067531676/

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004352707769.html?pdp_npi=2%40dis!USD!US %2421.96!%2410.98!!!!!%40211b5dfd16705472211593787eb06f!12000028867362317!btf&_t=pvid%3Af0ae89dc-ffb7-48a8-b8a8-41e58c9b10b4&afTraceInfo=1005004352707769__msite__c_ppc_item_bridge__xxxxxx__1670547221&spm=a2g0n.ppclist.product.0&gatewayAdapt=4itemAdapt
 

Strangely, there doesn’t seem to be anything from the Lexus eBay store - but I may have missed it!

[Nico72]

11 hours ago, Initial P said:

My E60 had a water in the passenger foot well problem too it was caused by a blocked drain in the engine bay.

Not surprised to hear such horror and many BMW owners experienced the same thing... BMW always kept a blind eye when this should have been a recall in my opinion.

[Nico72]

8 hours ago, LenT said:

 

This is the sort of item, Nick.  Not that I can vouch for any of them!  And there’s plenty more where they came from.

So here’s a few alternatives….

https://gbr.grandado.com/products/car-seat-gap-pad-spacer-fillers-for-lexus-es350-es300h-gs350-is200t-is350-lx570-nx200-nx300-nx300h-rc200t-rx350?variant=UHJvZHVjdFZhcmlhbnQ6ODA0NDEzMQ&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIw6iPrqfr-wIVs2LmCh0e6wBCEAQYASABEgJwWvD_BwE

 

https://www.wish.com/product/5fbdd3a297c7099deab1cbf8?from_ad=goog_shopping&_display_country_code=GB&_force_currency_code=GBP&pid=googleadwords_int&c=17739879730&ad_cid=5fbdd3a297c7099deab1cbf8&ad_cc=GB&ad_lang=EN&ad_curr=GBP&ad_price=11.00&campaign_id=17739879730&retargeting=true&exclude_install=true&gbraid=0AAAAABOL3PPy5wbNtx5ndPRsfcDupOY4G&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIw6iPrqfr-wIVs2LmCh0e6wBCEAQYAyABEgL8I_D_BwE
 

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/lexus-car-seat-gap-filler--458452437067531676/

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004352707769.html?pdp_npi=2%40dis!USD!US %2421.96!%2410.98!!!!!%40211b5dfd16705472211593787eb06f!12000028867362317!btf&_t=pvid%3Af0ae89dc-ffb7-48a8-b8a8-41e58c9b10b4&afTraceInfo=1005004352707769__msite__c_ppc_item_bridge__xxxxxx__1670547221&spm=a2g0n.ppclist.product.0&gatewayAdapt=4itemAdapt
 

Strangely, there doesn’t seem to be anything from the Lexus eBay store - but I may have missed it!

Thank you!!

[Nico72]

11 hours ago, beyond the blue said:

Great review of the ES, however I'm surprised you didn't mention the turning circle, maybe it's not much of a difference to your GS.

It did not occur to mention this! But yes the turning with GS was a bit tighter than the ES but not to the point you feel you struggle to drive and manoeuvre the ES. The ES is a longer car than the GS but it is well equipped with its radars and rear camera so I have absolutely no complaint to make. If you have the rear sunshade on, it will bring it down when you reverse the car automatically for better viewing. This shows little attention to details is spot on...

[serbarry]

Thank you for the informative review. It is nice to see that you are in love with your ES. I too think that the ES is superb in the front but it is missing something in the rear. Maybe it could have been done better. I am not completely sure but I think in my MK3 GS the outside temperature is always shown without pressing any button. 

[Initial P]

Digital wingmirrors look odd on any car, only the lorry ones look ok.

[cdmaskell]

Thank you Nick, for such a comprehensive review. As a retired motor/ HGV engineer, Japanese vehicles, but built in Japan have always had the edge on reliability and build quality, albeit rust in early days.  German car reliability has sadly declined recently, other than badge snobbery. The 22 on ES Premier is even somewhat better. I feel that ES owners like something more unique and less common.  They can forgive the foibles. Enjoy.

[cdmaskell]

Mind you I do agree with the steering lock.  That can be bugger In supermarket car parks etc. i still can’t get my head, completely around those cameras etc. my fault. Sometimes I feel l could have parked a 40 foot artic more easily.

[Dippo]

I've only had mine a week, but one thing I have noticed is that the sun visor is a bit small!

[Nico72]

4 hours ago, serbarry said:

Thank you for the informative review. It is nice to see that you are in love with your ES. I too think that the ES is superb in the front but it is missing something in the rear. Maybe it could have been done better. I am not completely sure but I think in my MK3 GS the outside temperature is always shown without pressing any button. 

Thanks. In the Mk 4 you have to select temperature to see it in the middle cluster. Usually I used to leave the images with Battery, wheel and engine so that I know what is happening with my driving so when you have this on display the temperature is not showing. It was a bit annoying but you get used to it. The ES has got it at the top of the cluster with the clock so whatever you want to check with the system or data, the clock and temperature remain constantly visible...

[Nico72]

53 minutes ago, Dippo said:

I've only had mine a week, but one thing I have noticed is that the sun visor is a bit small!

I agree with you but, I don't really use it that much to be fair as the car has got tinted windows in the rear as part of the factory fitting.