Video: Matt Farah Reviews the 2019 Lexus ES 350 F SPORT

Posted by Kevin on September 21st, 2018

Matt Farah from The Smoking Tire has fallen hard for the 2019 Lexus ES 350 F SPORT, calling it “the most comfortable, refined modern car I’ve driven”:

Lexus ES: Sixth Generation
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Comments
J
2019 ES Brochure

https://www.lexus.com/documents/brochures/2019/MY19-Lexus-ES-and-ES-Hybrid-Brochure.pdf
N
JJohn341
2019 ES Configurator is Live:
https://www.lexus.com/models/ES

You beat me to it haha! Thanks for sharing!
N
JJohn341
2019 ES Configurator is Live:
https://www.lexus.com/models/ES

You beat me to it haha! Thanks for sharing!
N
JJohn341
2019 ES Configurator is Live:
https://www.lexus.com/models/ES

You beat me to it haha! Thanks for sharing!
N
JJohn341
2019 ES Configurator is Live:
https://www.lexus.com/models/ES

You beat me to it haha! Thanks for sharing!
N
All,

My fully loaded (Every single option) 300h has arrived at my dealer....AND:

My dealer has been authorized by Lexus corporate to sell me the vehicle before the official SEP 3 release date!!! I'm driving it off the lot tomorrow!
N
All,

My fully loaded (Every single option) 300h has arrived at my dealer....AND:

My dealer has been authorized by Lexus corporate to sell me the vehicle before the official SEP 3 release date!!! I'm driving it off the lot tomorrow!
N
All,

My fully loaded (Every single option) 300h has arrived at my dealer....AND:

My dealer has been authorized by Lexus corporate to sell me the vehicle before the official SEP 3 release date!!! I'm driving it off the lot tomorrow!
N
All,

My fully loaded (Every single option) 300h has arrived at my dealer....AND:

My dealer has been authorized by Lexus corporate to sell me the vehicle before the official SEP 3 release date!!! I'm driving it off the lot tomorrow!
Gecko
I have a real love affair going on with the ES F Sport in white :heart_eyes:

Gecko
I have a real love affair going on with the ES F Sport in white :heart_eyes:

Gecko
I have a real love affair going on with the ES F Sport in white :heart_eyes:

Gecko
I have a real love affair going on with the ES F Sport in white :heart_eyes:

S
Neezy216
All,

My fully loaded (Every single option) 300h has arrived at my dealer....AND:

My dealer has been authorized by Lexus corporate to sell me the vehicle before the official SEP 3 release date!!! I'm driving it off the lot tomorrow!
did you drive it before, or did you order before checking it out live? If you checked it out live first, what did you think? and what vehicle did you drive before?
S
Neezy216
All,

My fully loaded (Every single option) 300h has arrived at my dealer....AND:

My dealer has been authorized by Lexus corporate to sell me the vehicle before the official SEP 3 release date!!! I'm driving it off the lot tomorrow!
did you drive it before, or did you order before checking it out live? If you checked it out live first, what did you think? and what vehicle did you drive before?
S
Neezy216
All,

My fully loaded (Every single option) 300h has arrived at my dealer....AND:

My dealer has been authorized by Lexus corporate to sell me the vehicle before the official SEP 3 release date!!! I'm driving it off the lot tomorrow!
did you drive it before, or did you order before checking it out live? If you checked it out live first, what did you think? and what vehicle did you drive before?
S
Neezy216
All,

My fully loaded (Every single option) 300h has arrived at my dealer....AND:

My dealer has been authorized by Lexus corporate to sell me the vehicle before the official SEP 3 release date!!! I'm driving it off the lot tomorrow!
did you drive it before, or did you order before checking it out live? If you checked it out live first, what did you think? and what vehicle did you drive before?
N
spwolf
did you drive it before, or did you order before checking it out live? If you checked it out live first, what did you think? and what vehicle did you drive before?

Yes, I test drove a caviar/chateau linear dark mocha luxury build (without performance dampers) three days ago. Mine will be the ultra luxury, fully loaded build.

Here's a snippet of what I shared in clublexus:

Quick verdict:

- Extremely comfortable and smooth
- I did not hear as much whirring (only a little) compared to the 2018 300h
- Can't really notice any difference in acceleration between 2018 300h and 2019 300h (15hp difference)
- My tester did not have the Mark Levinson package, BUT the regular 10 speaker Premier audio sounded very good (albeit at low-mid volume).
- You can definitely tell they worked on the steering and handling! Very impressed
- Engine is VERY loud when demanding more power for getting on the interstate etc. It is noticeably louder compared to my current 2007 ES ONLY when demanding a lot of power out of the engine.
- Noticeable improvement with suspension setup (my tester did not have performance dampers). Definitely not floaty like my current one is!
- VERY good with absorbing bumps/cracks/road imperfections in road - this includes when I purposely and continuously ran over those yellow or white lane reflectors in the road! I thought my current 2007 ES was smooth, but this blows it away.


This was a quick 5 mile test drive in southern california. Heads were definitely turning!
N
spwolf
did you drive it before, or did you order before checking it out live? If you checked it out live first, what did you think? and what vehicle did you drive before?

Yes, I test drove a caviar/chateau linear dark mocha luxury build (without performance dampers) three days ago. Mine will be the ultra luxury, fully loaded build.

Here's a snippet of what I shared in clublexus:

Quick verdict:

- Extremely comfortable and smooth
- I did not hear as much whirring (only a little) compared to the 2018 300h
- Can't really notice any difference in acceleration between 2018 300h and 2019 300h (15hp difference)
- My tester did not have the Mark Levinson package, BUT the regular 10 speaker Premier audio sounded very good (albeit at low-mid volume).
- You can definitely tell they worked on the steering and handling! Very impressed
- Engine is VERY loud when demanding more power for getting on the interstate etc. It is noticeably louder compared to my current 2007 ES ONLY when demanding a lot of power out of the engine.
- Noticeable improvement with suspension setup (my tester did not have performance dampers). Definitely not floaty like my current one is!
- VERY good with absorbing bumps/cracks/road imperfections in road - this includes when I purposely and continuously ran over those yellow or white lane reflectors in the road! I thought my current 2007 ES was smooth, but this blows it away.


This was a quick 5 mile test drive in southern california. Heads were definitely turning!
N
spwolf
did you drive it before, or did you order before checking it out live? If you checked it out live first, what did you think? and what vehicle did you drive before?

Yes, I test drove a caviar/chateau linear dark mocha luxury build (without performance dampers) three days ago. Mine will be the ultra luxury, fully loaded build.

Here's a snippet of what I shared in clublexus:

Quick verdict:

- Extremely comfortable and smooth
- I did not hear as much whirring (only a little) compared to the 2018 300h
- Can't really notice any difference in acceleration between 2018 300h and 2019 300h (15hp difference)
- My tester did not have the Mark Levinson package, BUT the regular 10 speaker Premier audio sounded very good (albeit at low-mid volume).
- You can definitely tell they worked on the steering and handling! Very impressed
- Engine is VERY loud when demanding more power for getting on the interstate etc. It is noticeably louder compared to my current 2007 ES ONLY when demanding a lot of power out of the engine.
- Noticeable improvement with suspension setup (my tester did not have performance dampers). Definitely not floaty like my current one is!
- VERY good with absorbing bumps/cracks/road imperfections in road - this includes when I purposely and continuously ran over those yellow or white lane reflectors in the road! I thought my current 2007 ES was smooth, but this blows it away.


This was a quick 5 mile test drive in southern california. Heads were definitely turning!
N
spwolf
did you drive it before, or did you order before checking it out live? If you checked it out live first, what did you think? and what vehicle did you drive before?

Yes, I test drove a caviar/chateau linear dark mocha luxury build (without performance dampers) three days ago. Mine will be the ultra luxury, fully loaded build.

Here's a snippet of what I shared in clublexus:

Quick verdict:

- Extremely comfortable and smooth
- I did not hear as much whirring (only a little) compared to the 2018 300h
- Can't really notice any difference in acceleration between 2018 300h and 2019 300h (15hp difference)
- My tester did not have the Mark Levinson package, BUT the regular 10 speaker Premier audio sounded very good (albeit at low-mid volume).
- You can definitely tell they worked on the steering and handling! Very impressed
- Engine is VERY loud when demanding more power for getting on the interstate etc. It is noticeably louder compared to my current 2007 ES ONLY when demanding a lot of power out of the engine.
- Noticeable improvement with suspension setup (my tester did not have performance dampers). Definitely not floaty like my current one is!
- VERY good with absorbing bumps/cracks/road imperfections in road - this includes when I purposely and continuously ran over those yellow or white lane reflectors in the road! I thought my current 2007 ES was smooth, but this blows it away.


This was a quick 5 mile test drive in southern california. Heads were definitely turning!
mikeavelli
I was at Lexus today and it is a great looking sedan and it is the first Lexus that I truly can confuse with another, being the LS, especially from the front. I'm sure they are going to continue to sell every last ES they build.
mikeavelli
I was at Lexus today and it is a great looking sedan and it is the first Lexus that I truly can confuse with another, being the LS, especially from the front. I'm sure they are going to continue to sell every last ES they build.
mikeavelli
I was at Lexus today and it is a great looking sedan and it is the first Lexus that I truly can confuse with another, being the LS, especially from the front. I'm sure they are going to continue to sell every last ES they build.
mikeavelli
I was at Lexus today and it is a great looking sedan and it is the first Lexus that I truly can confuse with another, being the LS, especially from the front. I'm sure they are going to continue to sell every last ES they build.
J
mikeavelli
I was at Lexus today and it is a great looking sedan and it is the first Lexus that I truly can confuse with another, being the LS, especially from the front. I'm sure they are going to continue to sell every last ES they build.
I agree. Through out the model years LS and ES has shared some design similarities. I have always found that 5th gen ES and and Pr-facelift 4th gen LS shared lot of exterior designs.
J
mikeavelli
I was at Lexus today and it is a great looking sedan and it is the first Lexus that I truly can confuse with another, being the LS, especially from the front. I'm sure they are going to continue to sell every last ES they build.
I agree. Through out the model years LS and ES has shared some design similarities. I have always found that 5th gen ES and and Pr-facelift 4th gen LS shared lot of exterior designs.
J
mikeavelli
I was at Lexus today and it is a great looking sedan and it is the first Lexus that I truly can confuse with another, being the LS, especially from the front. I'm sure they are going to continue to sell every last ES they build.
I agree. Through out the model years LS and ES has shared some design similarities. I have always found that 5th gen ES and and Pr-facelift 4th gen LS shared lot of exterior designs.
J
mikeavelli
I was at Lexus today and it is a great looking sedan and it is the first Lexus that I truly can confuse with another, being the LS, especially from the front. I'm sure they are going to continue to sell every last ES they build.
I agree. Through out the model years LS and ES has shared some design similarities. I have always found that 5th gen ES and and Pr-facelift 4th gen LS shared lot of exterior designs.
Joaquin Ruhi
mikeavelli
...it is the first Lexus that I truly can confuse with another...
I had a totally different experience in that regard this past Saturday.

Roughly every other Saturday, a small group of local car journalists gets together for an indoor soccer match against the folks at DriveShop (managers for some of the local press car fleets), so it's interesting to see what new press cars they sometimes bring. I went outside to the parking lot to retrieve something from my car. Next to me, I see what, from the rear left 3/4 view appeared to be a Genesis G80. As I got closer, I did a stunned double-take when I started seeing Lexus logos and an ES 300h badge. Yes, it was a 7th-gen ES. I rarely confuse cars like that, but it happened.

It did, however, give me a begrudging newfound appreciation for the spindle grille upfront. Not much chance of confusing that with anything else!

I asked the journalist (and soccer teammate) driving it on his impressions. He said it's typically smooth and quiet and high-quality Lexus, but the 8.4-second 0-60 mph time for the hybrid seemed, to him, disappointingly subpar.

J