Lexus USA Announces 2019 ES 350 & ES 300h Pricing

I feel like there haven't been enough good photos released of the non F-Sport car to gauge what the interior really looks like. I saw a few of the tan/brown, but what about gray, or Noble Brown? More angles, more colors and more details, please.

I do not care for the swoosh that runs across the center stack and don't quite understand why it's there. Also, the door panels seem really flat and rather shapeless.

I feel like there haven't been enough good photos released of the non F-Sport car to gauge what the interior really looks like. I saw a few of the tan/brown, but what about gray, or Noble Brown? More angles, more colors and more details, please.

I do not care for the swoosh that runs across the center stack and don't quite understand why it's there. Also, the door panels seem really flat and rather shapeless.

I feel like there haven't been enough good photos released of the non F-Sport car to gauge what the interior really looks like. I saw a few of the tan/brown, but what about gray, or Noble Brown? More angles, more colors and more details, please.

I do not care for the swoosh that runs across the center stack and don't quite understand why it's there. Also, the door panels seem really flat and rather shapeless.

RichieRich

Well it kinda, sorta, is an entry level Luxury Car (if you will). They have to keep the cost down also, It should start at around $39,000.

That's where the IS comes in. The IS is an entry level luxury car. If the ES is supposed to now compete with the E class, 5 series, etc, the interior needs a major overhaul. It's just cheap looking.

RichieRich

Well it kinda, sorta, is an entry level Luxury Car (if you will). They have to keep the cost down also, It should start at around $39,000.

That's where the IS comes in. The IS is an entry level luxury car. If the ES is supposed to now compete with the E class, 5 series, etc, the interior needs a major overhaul. It's just cheap looking.

RichieRich

Well it kinda, sorta, is an entry level Luxury Car (if you will). They have to keep the cost down also, It should start at around $39,000.

That's where the IS comes in. The IS is an entry level luxury car. If the ES is supposed to now compete with the E class, 5 series, etc, the interior needs a major overhaul. It's just cheap looking.

RichieRich

Well it kinda, sorta, is an entry level Luxury Car (if you will). They have to keep the cost down also, It should start at around $39,000.

That's where the IS comes in. The IS is an entry level luxury car. If the ES is supposed to now compete with the E class, 5 series, etc, the interior needs a major overhaul. It's just cheap looking.

spwolf

Did you really think they will make a wagon ES? To sell like 500 of them?

Lexus EU sells only hybrids, it is 98% of their sales... thats how good IS 2.0t and NX 2.0t are selling, they are in 2%.

Well, to be honest, I'll give you that. I truly wasn't expecting a wagon, but I was expecting two hybrid powertrains, one around 210 HP and another around 310 HP and also two petrol engines. The 2.0 litre turbo with around 230 HP and a turbocharged engine developing around 330 HP and AWD offering, but no.

I wouldn't necessarily compare the NX to a large business sedan, but from what I see on the roads here, the NX200t is quite popular.

With the engine options I've mentioned above the ES would at LEAST be somewhat competitive against the germans, as from what I see, in Europe, people who buy premium cars, also expect premium performance and yes I know the bulk of the cars sold in this segment are indeed 2.0 turbocharged diesels, but even those are handily outclass -in acceleration- this 300h hybrid, especially on highway, where large business sedans are used the most.
(I mean have you seen the new A6? I practically hate every Audi, but even I wouldn't consider this ES over an A6 with, say a 2.0 tfsi)

All in all, I like the exterior, they've nailed it, but aside from aggressive pricing, I can't see how Lexus can make this model successful in Europe.

spwolf

Did you really think they will make a wagon ES? To sell like 500 of them?

Lexus EU sells only hybrids, it is 98% of their sales... thats how good IS 2.0t and NX 2.0t are selling, they are in 2%.

Well, to be honest, I'll give you that. I truly wasn't expecting a wagon, but I was expecting two hybrid powertrains, one around 210 HP and another around 310 HP and also two petrol engines. The 2.0 litre turbo with around 230 HP and a turbocharged engine developing around 330 HP and AWD offering, but no.

I wouldn't necessarily compare the NX to a large business sedan, but from what I see on the roads here, the NX200t is quite popular.

With the engine options I've mentioned above the ES would at LEAST be somewhat competitive against the germans, as from what I see, in Europe, people who buy premium cars, also expect premium performance and yes I know the bulk of the cars sold in this segment are indeed 2.0 turbocharged diesels, but even those are handily outclass -in acceleration- this 300h hybrid, especially on highway, where large business sedans are used the most.
(I mean have you seen the new A6? I practically hate every Audi, but even I wouldn't consider this ES over an A6 with, say a 2.0 tfsi)

All in all, I like the exterior, they've nailed it, but aside from aggressive pricing, I can't see how Lexus can make this model successful in Europe.

spwolf

Did you really think they will make a wagon ES? To sell like 500 of them?

Lexus EU sells only hybrids, it is 98% of their sales... thats how good IS 2.0t and NX 2.0t are selling, they are in 2%.

Well, to be honest, I'll give you that. I truly wasn't expecting a wagon, but I was expecting two hybrid powertrains, one around 210 HP and another around 310 HP and also two petrol engines. The 2.0 litre turbo with around 230 HP and a turbocharged engine developing around 330 HP and AWD offering, but no.

I wouldn't necessarily compare the NX to a large business sedan, but from what I see on the roads here, the NX200t is quite popular.

With the engine options I've mentioned above the ES would at LEAST be somewhat competitive against the germans, as from what I see, in Europe, people who buy premium cars, also expect premium performance and yes I know the bulk of the cars sold in this segment are indeed 2.0 turbocharged diesels, but even those are handily outclass -in acceleration- this 300h hybrid, especially on highway, where large business sedans are used the most.
(I mean have you seen the new A6? I practically hate every Audi, but even I wouldn't consider this ES over an A6 with, say a 2.0 tfsi)

All in all, I like the exterior, they've nailed it, but aside from aggressive pricing, I can't see how Lexus can make this model successful in Europe.

spwolf

Did you really think they will make a wagon ES? To sell like 500 of them?

Lexus EU sells only hybrids, it is 98% of their sales... thats how good IS 2.0t and NX 2.0t are selling, they are in 2%.

Well, to be honest, I'll give you that. I truly wasn't expecting a wagon, but I was expecting two hybrid powertrains, one around 210 HP and another around 310 HP and also two petrol engines. The 2.0 litre turbo with around 230 HP and a turbocharged engine developing around 330 HP and AWD offering, but no.

I wouldn't necessarily compare the NX to a large business sedan, but from what I see on the roads here, the NX200t is quite popular.

With the engine options I've mentioned above the ES would at LEAST be somewhat competitive against the germans, as from what I see, in Europe, people who buy premium cars, also expect premium performance and yes I know the bulk of the cars sold in this segment are indeed 2.0 turbocharged diesels, but even those are handily outclass -in acceleration- this 300h hybrid, especially on highway, where large business sedans are used the most.
(I mean have you seen the new A6? I practically hate every Audi, but even I wouldn't consider this ES over an A6 with, say a 2.0 tfsi)

All in all, I like the exterior, they've nailed it, but aside from aggressive pricing, I can't see how Lexus can make this model successful in Europe.

Now may some folks will stop the GS discontinuation non-sense after realizing that - as I said before -
- No AWD ES
- New GS is on development
:):)

Now may some folks will stop the GS discontinuation non-sense after realizing that - as I said before -
- No AWD ES
- New GS is on development
:):)

Now may some folks will stop the GS discontinuation non-sense after realizing that - as I said before -
- No AWD ES
- New GS is on development
:):)

Now may some folks will stop the GS discontinuation non-sense after realizing that - as I said before -
- No AWD ES
- New GS is on development
:):)

Gecko

I am well aware of the business case for replacing the GS with the ES - we have beaten that horse to death.

Watch/read reviews of Camry V6 or Avalon. Lots of complaints of torque steer and sensitive throttle that sends the front wheels spinning. American media will jump on this fact and complain that it is FWD.

Regardless of age, every engine in this ES comes from Toyota's mainstream products. It seems odd that they bothered to make a point in the teasers about next gen hybrid powertrains when we already had all the details and info from the Camry and Avalon. Toyota leading here, and Lexus following. 2.0T would have been a great engine for Europe but it is nowhere to be seen. So, Lexus is just going to offer 215hp hybrid in Europe? Aren't most of the other german hybrids based on 2.0L I4s for tax reasons? Seems like Lexus is straddling a weird line here.

"Good base version with good base engines and good interior/exterior." Are we talking about Toyota or Lexus here...?

- I have seen every Avalon review there is, almost every single one says it is class leading vehicle. So it has some torque steer with 300hp engine, so what? So do NX and RX and rest of the best selling Toyota/Lexus lineup - obviously customers dont think it is a big deal, and Avalon/ES are supposedly much better than those vehicles dynamically.

- 2.0t does not sell in Europe at all. 98% of Lexus EU sales is hybrid. 2% is all these 2.0t and V8, F engines together in IS, GS, RC, RX, NX, LC, LS. There is no displacement tax, just fuel consumption tax. Obviously for us the customers it is much better for Lexus using 300h and not 250h, that would be a downer.

So engine introduced few days earlier in Avalon than in ES means that Toyota is leading and Lexus is following? Cmn, be realistic. Porsche uses VW engines. Audi uses VW engines that cheap Skoda uses. 3 and 5 and 7 series share engines. Mercedes uses Renault engines that Renault puts in $10k Clio.

That 2.5l is state of the art engine, it does not matter if it got shown 2 days before in Avalon. Heck I am surprised that they made it different from engine in Camry but I guess that does not matter anymore? It has to be all new engine? I mean thats funny.

Gecko

I am well aware of the business case for replacing the GS with the ES - we have beaten that horse to death.

Watch/read reviews of Camry V6 or Avalon. Lots of complaints of torque steer and sensitive throttle that sends the front wheels spinning. American media will jump on this fact and complain that it is FWD.

Regardless of age, every engine in this ES comes from Toyota's mainstream products. It seems odd that they bothered to make a point in the teasers about next gen hybrid powertrains when we already had all the details and info from the Camry and Avalon. Toyota leading here, and Lexus following. 2.0T would have been a great engine for Europe but it is nowhere to be seen. So, Lexus is just going to offer 215hp hybrid in Europe? Aren't most of the other german hybrids based on 2.0L I4s for tax reasons? Seems like Lexus is straddling a weird line here.

"Good base version with good base engines and good interior/exterior." Are we talking about Toyota or Lexus here...?

- I have seen every Avalon review there is, almost every single one says it is class leading vehicle. So it has some torque steer with 300hp engine, so what? So do NX and RX and rest of the best selling Toyota/Lexus lineup - obviously customers dont think it is a big deal, and Avalon/ES are supposedly much better than those vehicles dynamically.

- 2.0t does not sell in Europe at all. 98% of Lexus EU sales is hybrid. 2% is all these 2.0t and V8, F engines together in IS, GS, RC, RX, NX, LC, LS. There is no displacement tax, just fuel consumption tax. Obviously for us the customers it is much better for Lexus using 300h and not 250h, that would be a downer.

So engine introduced few days earlier in Avalon than in ES means that Toyota is leading and Lexus is following? Cmn, be realistic. Porsche uses VW engines. Audi uses VW engines that cheap Skoda uses. 3 and 5 and 7 series share engines. Mercedes uses Renault engines that Renault puts in $10k Clio.

That 2.5l is state of the art engine, it does not matter if it got shown 2 days before in Avalon. Heck I am surprised that they made it different from engine in Camry but I guess that does not matter anymore? It has to be all new engine? I mean thats funny.

Gecko

I am well aware of the business case for replacing the GS with the ES - we have beaten that horse to death.

Watch/read reviews of Camry V6 or Avalon. Lots of complaints of torque steer and sensitive throttle that sends the front wheels spinning. American media will jump on this fact and complain that it is FWD.

Regardless of age, every engine in this ES comes from Toyota's mainstream products. It seems odd that they bothered to make a point in the teasers about next gen hybrid powertrains when we already had all the details and info from the Camry and Avalon. Toyota leading here, and Lexus following. 2.0T would have been a great engine for Europe but it is nowhere to be seen. So, Lexus is just going to offer 215hp hybrid in Europe? Aren't most of the other german hybrids based on 2.0L I4s for tax reasons? Seems like Lexus is straddling a weird line here.

"Good base version with good base engines and good interior/exterior." Are we talking about Toyota or Lexus here...?

- I have seen every Avalon review there is, almost every single one says it is class leading vehicle. So it has some torque steer with 300hp engine, so what? So do NX and RX and rest of the best selling Toyota/Lexus lineup - obviously customers dont think it is a big deal, and Avalon/ES are supposedly much better than those vehicles dynamically.

- 2.0t does not sell in Europe at all. 98% of Lexus EU sales is hybrid. 2% is all these 2.0t and V8, F engines together in IS, GS, RC, RX, NX, LC, LS. There is no displacement tax, just fuel consumption tax. Obviously for us the customers it is much better for Lexus using 300h and not 250h, that would be a downer.

So engine introduced few days earlier in Avalon than in ES means that Toyota is leading and Lexus is following? Cmn, be realistic. Porsche uses VW engines. Audi uses VW engines that cheap Skoda uses. 3 and 5 and 7 series share engines. Mercedes uses Renault engines that Renault puts in $10k Clio.

That 2.5l is state of the art engine, it does not matter if it got shown 2 days before in Avalon. Heck I am surprised that they made it different from engine in Camry but I guess that does not matter anymore? It has to be all new engine? I mean thats funny.

Gecko

I am well aware of the business case for replacing the GS with the ES - we have beaten that horse to death.

Watch/read reviews of Camry V6 or Avalon. Lots of complaints of torque steer and sensitive throttle that sends the front wheels spinning. American media will jump on this fact and complain that it is FWD.

Regardless of age, every engine in this ES comes from Toyota's mainstream products. It seems odd that they bothered to make a point in the teasers about next gen hybrid powertrains when we already had all the details and info from the Camry and Avalon. Toyota leading here, and Lexus following. 2.0T would have been a great engine for Europe but it is nowhere to be seen. So, Lexus is just going to offer 215hp hybrid in Europe? Aren't most of the other german hybrids based on 2.0L I4s for tax reasons? Seems like Lexus is straddling a weird line here.

"Good base version with good base engines and good interior/exterior." Are we talking about Toyota or Lexus here...?

- I have seen every Avalon review there is, almost every single one says it is class leading vehicle. So it has some torque steer with 300hp engine, so what? So do NX and RX and rest of the best selling Toyota/Lexus lineup - obviously customers dont think it is a big deal, and Avalon/ES are supposedly much better than those vehicles dynamically.

- 2.0t does not sell in Europe at all. 98% of Lexus EU sales is hybrid. 2% is all these 2.0t and V8, F engines together in IS, GS, RC, RX, NX, LC, LS. There is no displacement tax, just fuel consumption tax. Obviously for us the customers it is much better for Lexus using 300h and not 250h, that would be a downer.

So engine introduced few days earlier in Avalon than in ES means that Toyota is leading and Lexus is following? Cmn, be realistic. Porsche uses VW engines. Audi uses VW engines that cheap Skoda uses. 3 and 5 and 7 series share engines. Mercedes uses Renault engines that Renault puts in $10k Clio.

That 2.5l is state of the art engine, it does not matter if it got shown 2 days before in Avalon. Heck I am surprised that they made it different from engine in Camry but I guess that does not matter anymore? It has to be all new engine? I mean thats funny.

Gecko

I feel like there haven't been enough good photos released of the non F-Sport car to gauge what the interior really looks like. I saw a few of the tan/brown, but what about gray, or Noble Brown? More angles, more colors and more details, please.

I do not care for the swoosh that runs across the center stack and don't quite understand why it's there. Also, the door panels seem really flat and rather shapeless.

Indeed... I dont like that swoosh either. I think they wanted to make it different from usual center stack for HVAC. It might actually look good in real life if quality of plastic is good, but I wish they stiched it with leather there :).

Something that I noticed in great video that krew has added from lexus... it seems they use different panels for seat heater controls, so if you have a model that does not have steering heater or rear shades or whatnot, you wont get blank buttons there... also that video shows seats, steering and rest of the interior as high quality really:

Gecko

I feel like there haven't been enough good photos released of the non F-Sport car to gauge what the interior really looks like. I saw a few of the tan/brown, but what about gray, or Noble Brown? More angles, more colors and more details, please.

I do not care for the swoosh that runs across the center stack and don't quite understand why it's there. Also, the door panels seem really flat and rather shapeless.

Indeed... I dont like that swoosh either. I think they wanted to make it different from usual center stack for HVAC. It might actually look good in real life if quality of plastic is good, but I wish they stiched it with leather there :).

Something that I noticed in great video that krew has added from lexus... it seems they use different panels for seat heater controls, so if you have a model that does not have steering heater or rear shades or whatnot, you wont get blank buttons there... also that video shows seats, steering and rest of the interior as high quality really:

Gecko

I feel like there haven't been enough good photos released of the non F-Sport car to gauge what the interior really looks like. I saw a few of the tan/brown, but what about gray, or Noble Brown? More angles, more colors and more details, please.

I do not care for the swoosh that runs across the center stack and don't quite understand why it's there. Also, the door panels seem really flat and rather shapeless.

Indeed... I dont like that swoosh either. I think they wanted to make it different from usual center stack for HVAC. It might actually look good in real life if quality of plastic is good, but I wish they stiched it with leather there :).

Something that I noticed in great video that krew has added from lexus... it seems they use different panels for seat heater controls, so if you have a model that does not have steering heater or rear shades or whatnot, you wont get blank buttons there... also that video shows seats, steering and rest of the interior as high quality really:

Gecko

I feel like there haven't been enough good photos released of the non F-Sport car to gauge what the interior really looks like. I saw a few of the tan/brown, but what about gray, or Noble Brown? More angles, more colors and more details, please.

I do not care for the swoosh that runs across the center stack and don't quite understand why it's there. Also, the door panels seem really flat and rather shapeless.

Indeed... I dont like that swoosh either. I think they wanted to make it different from usual center stack for HVAC. It might actually look good in real life if quality of plastic is good, but I wish they stiched it with leather there :).

Something that I noticed in great video that krew has added from lexus... it seems they use different panels for seat heater controls, so if you have a model that does not have steering heater or rear shades or whatnot, you wont get blank buttons there... also that video shows seats, steering and rest of the interior as high quality really:

C-pillar is very RC like, I will give 'em that.

C-pillar is very RC like, I will give 'em that.

C-pillar is very RC like, I will give 'em that.

C-pillar is very RC like, I will give 'em that.

Madi

Now may some folks will stop the GS discontinuation non-sense after realizing that - as I said before -
- No AWD ES
- New GS is on development
:):)

You see, I doubt that. If a new GS is in development, then why release the ES in Europe? Only to have the IS, the ES and the new GS in a few years time, on a shrinking, extremely competitive market.

Unless Lexus wants to establish a brand new segment between the GS and the IS but this, I think is even less likely. (perhaps they'll price it just slightly above the IS but that would cannibalize IS' sales)

If they want to succeed in this segment (success meaning sales at least in ballpark with the other manufacturer's) they need to have another, more powerfull híbrid.

Madi

Now may some folks will stop the GS discontinuation non-sense after realizing that - as I said before -
- No AWD ES
- New GS is on development
:):)

You see, I doubt that. If a new GS is in development, then why release the ES in Europe? Only to have the IS, the ES and the new GS in a few years time, on a shrinking, extremely competitive market.

Unless Lexus wants to establish a brand new segment between the GS and the IS but this, I think is even less likely. (perhaps they'll price it just slightly above the IS but that would cannibalize IS' sales)

If they want to succeed in this segment (success meaning sales at least in ballpark with the other manufacturer's) they need to have another, more powerfull híbrid.

Madi

Now may some folks will stop the GS discontinuation non-sense after realizing that - as I said before -
- No AWD ES
- New GS is on development
:):)

You see, I doubt that. If a new GS is in development, then why release the ES in Europe? Only to have the IS, the ES and the new GS in a few years time, on a shrinking, extremely competitive market.

Unless Lexus wants to establish a brand new segment between the GS and the IS but this, I think is even less likely. (perhaps they'll price it just slightly above the IS but that would cannibalize IS' sales)

If they want to succeed in this segment (success meaning sales at least in ballpark with the other manufacturer's) they need to have another, more powerfull híbrid.