Now when Lexus launched in 1989 it only had two models in this lineup and one ofthem was the ES, so the ES has a long history with this company and thebrand-new redesigned 2019 ES is actually the seventh generation of the car and ithas been changed inside and out with a new platform new powertrains and updatedstyling. Now the ES shares the most in common with the Toyota Avalon which wasalso redesigned for 2019 and the two share more than a passing resemblance. They have the same wheelbase, the same overall length and mechanicallyidentical power trains just with some slight tuning differences from the side. Even the two models look fairly identical but the ES does have a fewstyling cues that let you know that it’s a Lexus starting with the grille. Nowmost versions of the ES will come with this spindle grille with verticallyoriented slats. If you opt for an F Sport model you will get a more aggressiveoverall look but also this 3D kind of chainmail mesh grille that looks muchmore aggressive. Now the ES will be offered in gas and hybrid versions andthe gas version of the car will get a 3. 5 liter V6 that makes just over 300horsepower. Now the car that we’re here with is the hybrid and that featureswhat Lexus is calling a fourth generation hybrid system. It has a totalsystem output of 215 horsepower and it’s fuel economy matches the Avalon’s at 44mpg combined. Now acceleration from the gas engine is adequate, I wouldn’t saythat is mind blowing and that actually makes me prefer the hybrid versionbecause you get that big advantage in fuel economy. Now there is one catch toogoing for the ES and that is it’s gonna be front-wheel drive only. Pretty muchall the other competitors offer some sort of all-wheel drive so it’s weirdthat Lexus wouldn’t choose to put some kind of system in the ES and it makes itstick out for the wrong reasons. Now the Lexus ES also benefits from the moveto Toyota’s global architecture, much like the Camry and the Avalon did overthe last couple years. The new platform means that the ES rides better, is lesssloppy in turns and is just overall a better driving experience. Lexus has alsoincreased stability by adding a v-shaped brace right behind the rear seat and itdoes help calm down the rear a little bit especially under braking but whatthat does mean is that you can’t fold down the back seat. There is a smallpass-through for longer cargo but it’s not very big, I wouldn’t be able to fit asnowboard through there so for those of you who like winter sportsyou might have to get a roof rack or something like that for a longer cargo. Like I mentioned before, power from the two powertrains is what I would calladequate. I’m driving the hybrid right now and while it’s not fast, it’s enoughpower for passing and it’s a smooth powertrain that transitions veryseamlessly between gas and electric modes. Now the Lexus ES also benefitsfrom a very quiet cabin and you can make it even quieter still by opting for anultra luxurious package which comes with 19-inch wheels that are designed to bequieter than other wheels. They’ve cut a channel out of the wheel and they saythat helps to mitigate some of the road vibrations and noise and when I drove avehicle with those wheels equipped it was noticeably quieter than the car thatwe drove this morning. Now the 2019 ES also introduces the F Sport version ofthe car and what that has is more aggressive styling stiffer anti-roll barin the front and its own Sport Plus drive mode it also comes with anadaptive variable suspension that Lexus says can firm up the ride to make itmore dynamic in turns. I didn’t necessarily find this to be true I thought thatthe F Sport actually drove pretty similar to the non F Sport models whichmeans that what you’re getting with the F Sport is mostly an appearance packagealong with some sports seats that do have nice bolstering but don’t expectthe F Sport to suddenly become a sports sedan. The ES is pretty quiet andcomfortable most of the time but there is one situation in which that getsbroken up and that’s when you really lean into the throttle on the hybridversion. Now the hybrid models actually come with some specialized sounddeadening which are meant to filter out the higher pitched noises that you getfrom the electric drivetrain however that sound deadening doesn’t do much forthe four-cylinder drone that you get when you really lean into the car likethis. Another thing that’s much improved onthe ES is this new interior and that’s both from materials and a stylingperspective. Now the cabin materials are taking a big leap forward. I would saythis actually feels like a bonafide luxury interior now whereas the previousES felt upmarket but not quite luxurious. The model that we’re sitting in alsocomes with be available twelve point three inch screen which is highresolution and high up on the dash so it’s easy for you to see while driving. Now all of these things on the ES are big improvements over the old model butthere is one key way in which the new ES hasn’t taken a step forward and thatwould be the multimedia system. Now our biggest gripe with the multimedia systemis not actually the screen itself it comes with how you interact with it andthat is through what Lexus calls a remote touch interface and thatbasically means you use a glorified touchpad here in the center console tonavigate the menus and submenus found on the screen. Now using a touchpad and acursor is fine if you’re on your laptop in a coffee shop but not so much ifyou’re driving and you have kids in the back and you have traffic and carsmoving around you, it’s just a lot to take in if you’re driving and it’spretty much impossible to use without looking down at the screen. Lexus did addApple CarPlay on Amazon Alexa integration to the ES however there arecaches to both of those at launch. The car is gonna come out in September butit looks like Apple CarPlay won’t be standard on the car until after October. You can get it on ES models with navigation but if you don’t wantnavigation you won’t be able to get Apple CarPlay until you buy a car thatwas built after October 1st. On the Alexa side, the Amazon app that’srequired by Lexus to use the full Alexa functionality in the car won’t becertified on the App Store until November. However it will be availablefor those who have Android phones so while you might not have Android Autoyou will get to enjoy full Amazon Alexa integration before you’re friends withiPhones. Now this pre-production model that we’re in actually does come withApple CarPlay and we had a chance to play with the system and we think thatit works quite well here. The screen is very wide and Apple CarPlay is actuallyable to fill the whole thing so you get more icons than you do normally on thehome page and we think that it’s actually a good direction for Lexus totake in the future with this system if they want to stick with a touchpadbecause Apple CarPlay uses large icons that are easy to see while the Lexusmenus are smaller and you have to go through more steps to find what you want. Now there’s no question that the 2019 Lexus ES is a massive improvement overthe 2018 version of the car. I think that it’s more stylish, I think that it drivesbetter and I think that the interior is more luxurious. It also has a massivebackseat that can fit two adults comfortably over long voyages and thismakes the ES a great road trip car, much like the 2019 Avalon. Now thecaveat is you’re stuck with that multimedia system. And this is somethingthat we could say about most Lexus products is that without that multimediasystem they would actually be a more compelling buy. For me is it adeal-breaker? It just might be in this car because everything else seems sogood that that sticks out like a sore thumb. Now we’re still waiting onofficial pricing figures for the 2019 ES. All that we can tell you is that itwill start at around $39,000 with hybrid modelscommanding a $3,000 premium on top of the gas versions. Official pricing should come closer the cars on sale date in fall of 2018.
source https://cardetailingphoenix.com/index.php/2018/08/05/2019-lexus-es-first-drive-cars-com/
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