I know what you’re all thinking, but this is a compliment; a good thing, as Martha Stewart would say. This is, in fact, a perfect car for the 71-year-old business magnate-cum-cook. Her demanding personality demands perfection, excellence and, I can imagine, perfect silence when she’s thinking/planning/doing illegal trades. Lexus embodies the same pursuit of flawlessness.
The Lexus ES has been Toyota’s luxury brand bread-and-butter car since its 2nd generation which started up in 1992. From the onset, it was never a secret that the Lexus ES was a gussied-up Toyota Camry¸ so it was a surprise to note the absence of an ES hybrid when the Toyota Camry hybrid was introduced in 2007.
New face
For the 2013 model year, Lexus revamped their FWD big seller with the brand’s new face, first introduced on the very sleek and dynamic 2013 GS350. To some, the new grille looks as though it was inspired by the Predator and this is certainly another good thing; this new-found “attitude” does wonders for Lexus’ appeal, which has long been far too conservative -- bland even.
The 2013 Lexus ES300h on its own is a very typical-looking, Japanese sedan with little fuss and no muss in most of its physical aspects. Elegant though it is, it has no “wow” factor nor does it have the necessary appeal to make neighbours jealous. As superficial as this may sound, the luxury car market is all about showing off, at least for those who are into that type of thing.
Odds are, if a high-end car buyer finds him or herself in a Lexus showroom, they are looking for substance more than “check-me-out” styling. Lexus has substance.
Regal comfort
The cabin, and not the sheetmetal, got the most attention as far as I’m concerned. The dashboard is simple enough, functional and easy to read. The most difficult accessory to grasp is Lexus’ Remote Touch user-interface system (available with the navigation system). This is my third or fourth encounter with the device that “functions similarly to a mouse,” according to Lexus, but I still have a difficult time taming the remote that activates the on-screen cursor.
Perhaps it can be disciplined through more interaction, but I fail to see how Remote Touch is better than anything else similar on the market today. Thankfully, the seats, materials, gauges, and everything else that interacts with passengers are all superb.
The sense of well-being, comfort and luxury permeate through and through while on a drive. It’s difficult to put into words; but rarely do cars under the $100k feel as downy and salubrious as the 2013 Lexus ES300h.
Hybrid power à la Lexus
What also amazes is how well this 2013 Lexus ES300h drives. The Atkinson-cycle 2.5L 4-cylinder and electric motor make up what is Lexus’ Hybrid Drive system. With it is a CVT transmission and altogether combines into what may be the smoothest 4-cylinder powertrain on the planet.
The 2013 Lexus ES300h has 200 hp and 156 lb-ft of torque. As you may know, electric motors generate all their torque from the onset; so again, don’t be thinking that 156 is a lowly number. Seriously, this car boogies.
ES300h-R
Because of this, I must confess I spent 50% of my time at the wheel in Sport mode. The Drive Mode Select allows three ways of exploiting the Lexus Hybrid Drive system. The ECO mode maximizes every function and accessory and is presented by a blue hew in the cluster. Normal is a mixture of ECO and the final mode, Sport. Here, the hew switches to red, the Power-ECO-Charge gauges becomes a tachometer and be prepared to not believe.
The 2013 Lexus ES300h shoots forward in a linear and sustained manner that is both surprising and smile-inducing. This explains why I averaged 7.0L/100 km over the week. Realistically, a normal driver should average between 5.5L and 6L. Equally strong are the 300’s brakes which, regenerating or not, are powerful and easy to modulate.
What Lexus’ are clearly about is comfort, and on the road the ES300h delivers like few cars. The uber-tight chassis, along with a fully independent suspension hell-bent on isolating the road for occupants, translate into a cosseting ride that everyone -- and I do mean everyone -- will appreciate.
For the old at heart
As a daily driver, the 2013 Lexus ES300h is possibly the most refined ride out there. And, at $43,900, it’s quite nearly affordable. As tested, my car only included the optional Navigation Package which brought the price up to $45,700.
At $34,990, the Acura ILX hybrid is the only current challenger in the luxury segment, but it’s closer to the CT200h. The only other consideration will be the 2013 Lincoln MKZ hybrid, however, as I write these lines, pricing has yet to be announced.
The 2013 Lexus ES300h is good, but because it is so velvety and underwhelming aesthetically, I would feel “old” purchasing one. For the time being, I want to show off and have my senses tingled on occasion. When I get old, I know I’m gonna end up in one of these.
The Lexus ES has been Toyota’s luxury brand bread-and-butter car since its 2nd generation which started up in 1992. From the onset, it was never a secret that the Lexus ES was a gussied-up Toyota Camry¸ so it was a surprise to note the absence of an ES hybrid when the Toyota Camry hybrid was introduced in 2007.
New face
For the 2013 model year, Lexus revamped their FWD big seller with the brand’s new face, first introduced on the very sleek and dynamic 2013 GS350. To some, the new grille looks as though it was inspired by the Predator and this is certainly another good thing; this new-found “attitude” does wonders for Lexus’ appeal, which has long been far too conservative -- bland even.
The 2013 Lexus ES300h on its own is a very typical-looking, Japanese sedan with little fuss and no muss in most of its physical aspects. Elegant though it is, it has no “wow” factor nor does it have the necessary appeal to make neighbours jealous. As superficial as this may sound, the luxury car market is all about showing off, at least for those who are into that type of thing.
Odds are, if a high-end car buyer finds him or herself in a Lexus showroom, they are looking for substance more than “check-me-out” styling. Lexus has substance.
Regal comfort
The cabin, and not the sheetmetal, got the most attention as far as I’m concerned. The dashboard is simple enough, functional and easy to read. The most difficult accessory to grasp is Lexus’ Remote Touch user-interface system (available with the navigation system). This is my third or fourth encounter with the device that “functions similarly to a mouse,” according to Lexus, but I still have a difficult time taming the remote that activates the on-screen cursor.
Perhaps it can be disciplined through more interaction, but I fail to see how Remote Touch is better than anything else similar on the market today. Thankfully, the seats, materials, gauges, and everything else that interacts with passengers are all superb.
The sense of well-being, comfort and luxury permeate through and through while on a drive. It’s difficult to put into words; but rarely do cars under the $100k feel as downy and salubrious as the 2013 Lexus ES300h.
Hybrid power à la Lexus
What also amazes is how well this 2013 Lexus ES300h drives. The Atkinson-cycle 2.5L 4-cylinder and electric motor make up what is Lexus’ Hybrid Drive system. With it is a CVT transmission and altogether combines into what may be the smoothest 4-cylinder powertrain on the planet.
The 2013 Lexus ES300h has 200 hp and 156 lb-ft of torque. As you may know, electric motors generate all their torque from the onset; so again, don’t be thinking that 156 is a lowly number. Seriously, this car boogies.
ES300h-R
Because of this, I must confess I spent 50% of my time at the wheel in Sport mode. The Drive Mode Select allows three ways of exploiting the Lexus Hybrid Drive system. The ECO mode maximizes every function and accessory and is presented by a blue hew in the cluster. Normal is a mixture of ECO and the final mode, Sport. Here, the hew switches to red, the Power-ECO-Charge gauges becomes a tachometer and be prepared to not believe.
The 2013 Lexus ES300h shoots forward in a linear and sustained manner that is both surprising and smile-inducing. This explains why I averaged 7.0L/100 km over the week. Realistically, a normal driver should average between 5.5L and 6L. Equally strong are the 300’s brakes which, regenerating or not, are powerful and easy to modulate.
What Lexus’ are clearly about is comfort, and on the road the ES300h delivers like few cars. The uber-tight chassis, along with a fully independent suspension hell-bent on isolating the road for occupants, translate into a cosseting ride that everyone -- and I do mean everyone -- will appreciate.
For the old at heart
As a daily driver, the 2013 Lexus ES300h is possibly the most refined ride out there. And, at $43,900, it’s quite nearly affordable. As tested, my car only included the optional Navigation Package which brought the price up to $45,700.
At $34,990, the Acura ILX hybrid is the only current challenger in the luxury segment, but it’s closer to the CT200h. The only other consideration will be the 2013 Lincoln MKZ hybrid, however, as I write these lines, pricing has yet to be announced.
The 2013 Lexus ES300h is good, but because it is so velvety and underwhelming aesthetically, I would feel “old” purchasing one. For the time being, I want to show off and have my senses tingled on occasion. When I get old, I know I’m gonna end up in one of these.
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