Car & Driver took the Lexus ES 350, Hyundai Genesis, Buick LaCrosse & Ford Taurus Limited out on a golfing trip — here’s what they had to say about the ES 350:
[…]the ES350 is also the lightest car in this group, and good things always happen when you’re slim. For starters, the Lexus, while requiring premium fuel, easily attained the best observed fuel economy. And even though it offers just average horsepower, it was the second-quickest to 60 mph, tied the Genesis for best rolling start to 60 mph, achieved 100 mph the soonest, carried the greatest speed through the quarter-mile, and was the winner in 50-to-70-mph passing potential.
Throttle tip-in is perfect, sightlines are unobstructed (aided by thin A-pillars and a low beltline), and there’s an uncanny rightness about the interface among pedals, steering wheel, shifter, and center stack. Around town, especially, the ES350 felt light, airy, and more agile than its competitors.
Really, this comparison is a hodgepodge and the results are fairly predictable. In the end, the ES 350 placed second behind the Hyundai Genesis — hardly surprising given that the Genesis was released last year to compete against the Lexus GS & BMW 5-series, and car magazines will always prefer the sportier drive.
On the other hand, here’s a comparison that puts the four-year-old ES 350 ahead of two brand-new vehicles — including the LaCrosse which is pointed directly at the ES’ marketshare. In that regard, I’d say the ES 350 put on a good round.
[Source: Car & Driver]
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