2014 Lexus ES 350

2014 Lexus ES 350 Review - Pricing

The 2014 Lexus ES is an attractive package in its segment, and the hybrid model makes for a very compelling alternative to more expensive green luxury cars.

2014 Lexus ES 350 Interior/Exterior

While the current ES looks sharper in front and back–especially above the rear wheels–the design is essentially just enough to look freshened over the last model, albeit the new direction remains a little stiff and formal.
Inside, the ES follows the design path already taken by much of the Lexus lineup, with a more horizontal orientation and a shelf-like centerline that bridges the top of the front doors. Only in the ES it’s not cockpit-like at all; while there’s a wide center console separating the driver and passenger areas, the dash and door trims don’t wrap or flow into each other. Instead, they form a pushed-out corner that serves to help maximize interior space. Yet the ES gets almost all the details right; we love the curviness atop the instrument panel (and the positioning of the hooded navigation screen), as well as the fluid, slightly curved nature of the lines and contours. The only thing we could do without is the overabundance of slightly tinted, matte-metallic trim and audio faceplate material; just like the piano black surfacing, this is simply too played-out.
The corners of the vehicle both in front and in back have been tucked a little closer than before, while corners are just a bit more squared-off, giving the ES a somewhat more trim look from some angles. From the front, the ES models get the new Lexus ‘spindle grille’—we call it the hourglass grille—that tapers down to the bumper and then expands outward again below the bumper, continuing into the air dam, and more finely detailed headlamps with LED running lamps help punctuate. In back, the taillights now come to a point at a centerline that continues the beltline. All that said, the ES comes across as quite formal on the outside.

2014 Lexus ES 350 Engine Performance

The newest version of Hybrid Synergy Drive makes its way into the ES 300h, where it incorporates a 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine with an electric generator, along with a planetary power-split system and complex set of electronic controls. There’s a drive mode selector–with Sport, Eco, EV and Normal modes–much like the selectors included in the CT200h and now-discontinued HS250h. Sport mode steps up the responsiveness, Eco increases the fuel economy. EV mode allows the car to travel short distances at low speeds without the use of any gasoline–it’s good for stop-and-go traffic and creeping into the driveway.
The ES 300h shows Toyota’s experience in making a hybrid system smooth and unobtrusive, yet responsive. Provided you drive the 300h relatively softly—just with traffic, for instance—the system goes about its business in the background; and if you have the sound system on, it might as well be a V-6, or an exceptionally smooth four-cylinder under the hood. The transitions between electric and gasoline-electric operation are that seamless. However, ask for the powertrain to deliver more performance—on a curvy road, or when merging with high-speed freeway traffic, and the hybrid powertrain lets itself be known.
The ES 350 accelerates strongly with its 268-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6—essentially the same engine as in the Camry V-6, but with even more noise- and vibration-quelling measures. And it winds through the gears of the six-speed automatic transmission with such a seamless flow of power that on a straight road the speed can creep up on you, more so than in performance models. but because there’s so little engine noise the speed can creep up on you in deceptive ways. Shifts are a little lumpier on gentle takeoffs, but this is one responsive, fine, and very refined powertrain.
Engineers have firmed up the ride and handling of the ES 350 a tad—just enough to give a slightly more buttoned-down feel but not so much as to mess with this model’s already established priority: comfort. Straight-line tracking is also greatly improved compared to the outgoing version, and the steering is weighted better, with a quicker ratio. The changes together give it a surprisingly athletic, if not nimble, feel.
The only dynamic area that we had issue with in both of the ES models was the feel of the brake pedal. In ES 350 models it was just too spongy, and lacked the reassuring firmness that some other premium sedans get as calipers apply pressure. ES 300h models have regenerative braking that helps recover excess energy as you decelerate or brake, but as we’ve noticed in some hybrids there’s a dead zone where the transition between regen and brake-pad application isn’t as smooth as it could be.

See more 2014 Lexus ES 350 photos

The ES isn’t riding on the same wheelbase as the Camry; its wheelbase is now a couple of inches longer—think Avalon, lengthwise—which pays off in back-seat space. Thanks to its additional back-seat space, we might as well call it a large sedan. There’s now enough room for three adults back there, if you need it, while in front, for the first time, Lexus is offering an available extendable thigh support for taller drivers (cushions are longer, too). Ride quality is slightly firmer, but the outside world, engine noise, and the road surface are all still supremely isolated from the cabin.
In addition to active-safety features like Rear Cross Traffic Alert and a Pre Collision System, the ES offers a host of high-tech entertainment and premium-luxury goodies on top of its standard kit. Major options for the ES include a hard-drive-based navigation system with voice command, Mark Levinson audio, upgraded leather and trims, a built-in backup camera system, and a next-generation Enform with apps. The only down side to getting the audio upgrade, or navigation, is the mandatory, mouse-like Remote Touch controller, which requires you to follow a pointer on the screen to make selections. For 2014, LED foglamps are now standard, the hybrid model’s bamboo wooden trim is now offered on the ES 350, and the faux-leather NuLuxe seats can be both heated and ventilated. Lexus has also partnered with Apple to offer “Siri Eyes Free Mode” on 2014 models.
Credit: Lexus Cars

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