spacenase

Just used these guys to update mine and after getting a corrupted licence file sorted out, I can recommend them - very helpful. You do need a good broadband link to download approximately 10GB data though. I decided to get mine done now because from what I was told, the late 2017 update didn't become available until April 2018, so I didn't want to wait again.

Doesn't that make it a problem caused by the owner rather than a manufacturing fault and therefore outside the warranty?

Surely if everyone wants a PHEV, the 530e and E350e models would be the best selling models in their respective ranges? I haven't read that they are.

Linas.P I understand and share your frustration when manufacturers choose not to sell the car you'd most want to buy. I've had similar problems with other manufacturers. Watching the US road tests, it looks like the ES350 might appeal a lot more if Lexus could be persuaded to sell it over here. I think the problem is that they see the mid-luxury saloon car market in the UK (and possibly Europe) as far too small to invest in more options. I think they've just chosen the engine that they think will sell the best and has the image they want to present.

No, absolutely not. No one who test drives a car as a buyer or journalist judges it on the objective facts, they judge it on the subjective feel of the car and their own experiences and/or preferences of a brand or model or type of car. That's why people dismiss entire ranges of cars because of the badge on the front. It's also why even the boys on Top Gear or The Grand Tour don't always choose the car that objectively should be the best. Every car ever built is compromised in one way or another, it comes down to which compromises you're willing to live with. If the fact that the 0-60 time of the ES is slower than the 530e is not one you're willing to live with then that's your choice, but that choice is no more right or wrong than someone who does choose to live with it.

I'm flattered that you care enough to reply! 😀

The A6 does pretty well against the 5 series, then there's the Volvo S90, both are FWD. I agree that BMW and Merc dominate in terms of sales, but I think that has more to do with the badge and perceived quality reputation than which wheels are driven. If Lexus were first to introduce FWD to the sector I'd be tempted to agree with you but they are not, so it could be seen as more of a shift from RWD to FWD in the sector than anything else. I'd be willing to bet that if BMW and Merc are able to maintain their perceived reputation, switching their cars from RWD to FWD wouldn't lose them too many customers. In response to your last question, here are four considerations for me: looks, reliability, comfort and equipment levels and (again for me) I think the ES will win on all four. Also, I don't find my GS300h to be slow, it's always been fast enough for me in any situation I've been in, so if the ES300h matches it I'd be happy. I don't want to restart the FWD vs RWD argument again, so let's just accept that we have different priorities in our choice of car and agree to disagree.

No they haven't, it's in the news today that Mercedes are being forced to recall hundreds of thousands of cars due to emission test irregularities, hence my comment. Also, FWD is not as big an issue to everyone as it is to you.

With the diesel scandal spreading through the German manufacturers, the ES is looking more and more attractive! 😄

I have a feeling they'll improve the trim quality a bit for the European market. They are pitching it as a direct replacement for the GS in Europe (barring the switch to FWD), which is higher up the model range than the ES in the states. I can't see them wanting to sell it cheaper than the GS was over here, so it's probably cheaper and easier for them to improve the trim quality especially as it will be built in a different factory (at least one of the reviews has said the European model will be built in Japan)..

+3

Not quite so anonymous with the last facelift, but thank you. I'm looking forward to checking out the ES when it arrives.

I did (twice) and I love it!

Wow, that's pretty insulting. I'm guessing you must hate your IS with it's ABS, Traction Control and all the other electronic gizmos interfering with the driving pleasure? Personally, I can tell the difference between driving a FWD and RWD drive car, but it's not the be all and end all of whether I enjoy driving a car or not. I have both at the moment and find driving pleasure in both for different reasons. I guess 40 years of reading about, watching programmes on, and driving as many different cars as I can get my hands on isn't enough to make me an enthusiast because I don't subscribe to your point of view. Fortunately, I'm happy to continue in my ignorance and I'll continue to enjoy finding cars that surprise me with how good they are, possibly even including the new ES. I'll let you know when I've driven it...

Definitely looks more evolutionary rather than revolutionary, which is a bit disappointing with the name change. Having said that I like it because I like the current one, but I'm a bit underwhelmed. Looking forward to seeing the interior though.

Hi, My dealer is also saying that the GS will be replaced with the FWD ES and he reckons there will be about 12 months without a GS or equivalent in the range. It looks like there are some bargains to be had on the last few GS models though...

I have this problem on my GS and I've tracked it down to the seatbelt buckle (socket), the stalk seems to allow it to vibrate. It's not that loud, but it is noticeable around town when the stereo is not on. I can shut it up for a while by pushing it as far back as it will go, but it always comes back. I'll get the dealer to look at it next time it goes in for some other work. If you want to test this on your car, plug the seatbelt in with no-one in the passenger seat and see if it goes away.

Seems odd that they would stop selling the GS before they've even announced its replacement?

I like it. Looking forward to seeing it in the flesh...

I've seen quite a few reviews of cars with these fitted as standard by the manufacturer and the reviewers tend to find them unreliable. They often need a few kicks in the right way in just the right place to work and it looks like they might quickly become frustrating. Whilst car manufacturers don't always fit the best quality parts, I'd struggle to believe a cheap Chinese version is likely to be any better. It's possible that the technology is just not good enough yet. I completely agree about the amount of dirt that the rear of the car collects though. I think the key fob is the best solution at the moment.

I've got a GS300h Executive Edition and that's got 17 inch wheels as standard, so they'll definitely fit.

I've got a 2016 Executive Edition and agree with everything Ten Ninety says. It's a great car for a relaxed drive, but I find it has enough power when it's needed. The standard anti-CVT comments are true, but it really is only noticeable when you put your foot to the floor, so it promotes a calmer driving style! :) When I looked at the trim levels, I couldn't see an extra £4k in equipment for the Luxury version, so it was an easy choice for me. The only thing I would have liked to add to the car is the ML audio system. The in-car entertainment system is a let-down in the way it works, but the screen is great. The biggest problem I have with it is trying to get the internet-based traffic working reliably, it seems to come and go on most journeys and not just because of signal problems. I haven't yet found a way to tell for definite whether it is using internet traffic or RDS traffic so it can be difficult to work out how reliable the traffic information is. On the whole, it's one of the best cars I've owned and suits my and my driving style very well.

I've got these on mine too. I agree that they are not noticeably quieter, but I think the sound is not as harsh as the original tyres and they can be virtually silent on right surface. I also agree that they handle really well in all conditions, very safe. The only issue I've found is a bit more vibration through the steering wheel, presumably because they are XL tyres. I've got used to that though. I think they're very good tyres.

Mine auto locks. You can either set it to lock at a certain speed, or when you move it out of park. The settings are configurable in the head unit in Settings -> Vehicle -> Vehicle Customization.

Hi, 1. is in the Voice settings in the Setup menu. 2. TPMS is reset in the display in the instrument panel. From the manual (my PDF copy is American, hence the wrong spellings): How to initialize the tire pressure warning system 1. Park the vehicle in a safe place and turn the power switch off. Initialization cannot be performed while the vehicle is moving. 2. Adjust the tire inflation pressure to the specified cold tire inflation pressure level. Make sure to adjust the tire pressure to the specified cold tire inflation pressure level. The tire pressure warning system will operate based on this pressure level. 3. Turn the power switch to ON mode. 4. Press < or > on the meter control switch and select [COG ICON]. 5. Press [UP] or [DOWN] on the meter control switch and select “Vehicle Settings”. Then press [DOT]. 6. Press [UP] or [DOWN] on the meter control switch and select “TPMS”. Then press and hold [DOT] until a message is displayed. The message will be displayed on the multi-information display and the tire pressure warning light will blink slowly 3 times. 7. When the message disappears, initialization is complete. 3. Sorry, can't help with this, you might need to contact the dealer. I hope this helps.