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There's no denying that Lexus engineers and designs attractive, comfortable cars. They are luxurious without being exuberant and pleasant to drive without being hair-raising or obnoxious. And I think that's where my problem lies with Lexus; they're just too vanilla about it all.
Save for the IS F, I've yet to drive a Lexus that really brought about a certain amount of excitement. True, I absolutely loved the Lexus CT 200h (and still talk about it), but I loved it because it was a functional, OK-to-drive hybrid, not because it was a Lexus. And so, when I was handed the keys to a 2013 Lexus ES 350, I rather hoped it would change my opinion completely, ignite something in me that would have me raving about Lexus for weeks to come.
Perhaps my expectations were just much too high...
Comfortably luxurious
Perhaps it was the silver paint job that left me feeling rather ho-hum about the exterior look of the 2013 Lexus ES 350. Save for the newly updated front grille that's taken design cues from the Lexus supercar, the LFA and the sporty Lexus GS, the ES 350 offers fairly standard fair in the luxury sedan design department. There's no innovation here, no grand achievements; just what you'd expect from a businessman's car.
The LED daytime running lights are, perhaps, the most exciting element that the 2013 Lexus ES 350 sports on the outside. Let your gaze run from nose to tail and you might feel the lines are sophisticated and classy, but you won't feel any zest or spice. It's comfortably luxurious, nothing more.
Business Class on four wheels
If nothing else, the 2013 Lexus ES 350 sports a fabulously comfortable interior space. Very rarely do I feel immediately comfortable in a car, but such was not the case with the ES 350. A few tweaks to the seat and mirror et voila, I was home for the week.
Where the 2013 Lexus ES 350 falls flat, for me, is in their onboard entertainment and navigation system. Controlled by the only “mouse” on the car market, the system is one of the most distracting I've ever used. The centre-stack-mounted mouse is not user-friendly and the actual system kept defaulting back to the most random screens. If I pressed the radio button it would stay on the radio screen for approximately two minutes, and then flip back to the map or the system set-up screen, for no apparent reason. Highly aggravating.
Yet, I wasn't about to read the near-1,000-page owner's manual to try and figure out how the whole thing worked. Yes, you read correctly. One thousand pages on how to properly own and operate your 2013 Lexus ES 350. It's often the subtle ones who are the most complicated beneath the surface, right?
Smooth sailing -- er, driving
Driving the 2013 Lexus ES 350, again, left me with neither good nor bad feelings. The 3.5L V6 is responsive without being overly excitable, pushing out 268 hp and 248 lb-ft of torque; coupled with a 6-speed automatic transmission it's just enough to pull evasive manoeuvres without getting you into trouble. What did shock me were the talkative tires. It seemed a little too easy to get the front tires to chirp (or spin in wet conditions) without meaning to. While the power isn't felt, you get the sense there's something there because of the mild amount of torque steer and tire squeal.
Of all the interior bits and bobs, I fixated on the knob labeled: “ECO, Normal, Sport” (I know, shocking). I dialed through each setting throughout the week and found the changes subtle, but effective. Naturally, ECO mode cuts throttle response and dulls everything down (including the A/C); while Sport livens it all up and even improves steering response by 20%.
However, that rare bit of excitement over that particular knob was not enough to increase my attraction for the 2013 Lexus ES 350.
Built right for the target audience, which is... ?
While I was flipping through the ES 350's entertainment system, I noticed there was a USB detected and it was a Lexus Media Group storage key filled with a playlist for the car. Perfect, I thought. They're trying to send me a message through music now too. But with artists ranging from Ellie Goulding to Linkin Park with Techno and Taylor Swift thrown in for good measure, I got the sense that not even Lexus were sure who they were hoping to please with this latest ES 350.
With a starting price of $39,500 the 2013 Lexus ES 350 has already whittled down its target market, however, I wonder if those select individuals will spend their dollars elsewhere on a vehicle that ignites a bit more emotion both from behind the wheel and on the road.
Save for the IS F, I've yet to drive a Lexus that really brought about a certain amount of excitement. True, I absolutely loved the Lexus CT 200h (and still talk about it), but I loved it because it was a functional, OK-to-drive hybrid, not because it was a Lexus. And so, when I was handed the keys to a 2013 Lexus ES 350, I rather hoped it would change my opinion completely, ignite something in me that would have me raving about Lexus for weeks to come.
Perhaps my expectations were just much too high...
 |
Comfortably luxurious
Perhaps it was the silver paint job that left me feeling rather ho-hum about the exterior look of the 2013 Lexus ES 350. Save for the newly updated front grille that's taken design cues from the Lexus supercar, the LFA and the sporty Lexus GS, the ES 350 offers fairly standard fair in the luxury sedan design department. There's no innovation here, no grand achievements; just what you'd expect from a businessman's car.
The LED daytime running lights are, perhaps, the most exciting element that the 2013 Lexus ES 350 sports on the outside. Let your gaze run from nose to tail and you might feel the lines are sophisticated and classy, but you won't feel any zest or spice. It's comfortably luxurious, nothing more.
 |
| Save for the newly updated front grille that's taken design cues from the Lexus supercar, the LFA. (Photo: Philippe Champoux) |
Business Class on four wheels
If nothing else, the 2013 Lexus ES 350 sports a fabulously comfortable interior space. Very rarely do I feel immediately comfortable in a car, but such was not the case with the ES 350. A few tweaks to the seat and mirror et voila, I was home for the week.
Where the 2013 Lexus ES 350 falls flat, for me, is in their onboard entertainment and navigation system. Controlled by the only “mouse” on the car market, the system is one of the most distracting I've ever used. The centre-stack-mounted mouse is not user-friendly and the actual system kept defaulting back to the most random screens. If I pressed the radio button it would stay on the radio screen for approximately two minutes, and then flip back to the map or the system set-up screen, for no apparent reason. Highly aggravating.
Yet, I wasn't about to read the near-1,000-page owner's manual to try and figure out how the whole thing worked. Yes, you read correctly. One thousand pages on how to properly own and operate your 2013 Lexus ES 350. It's often the subtle ones who are the most complicated beneath the surface, right?
 |
| Where the 2013 Lexus ES 350 falls flat, for me, is in their onboard entertainment and navigation system. (Photo: Philippe Champoux) |
Smooth sailing -- er, driving
Driving the 2013 Lexus ES 350, again, left me with neither good nor bad feelings. The 3.5L V6 is responsive without being overly excitable, pushing out 268 hp and 248 lb-ft of torque; coupled with a 6-speed automatic transmission it's just enough to pull evasive manoeuvres without getting you into trouble. What did shock me were the talkative tires. It seemed a little too easy to get the front tires to chirp (or spin in wet conditions) without meaning to. While the power isn't felt, you get the sense there's something there because of the mild amount of torque steer and tire squeal.
Of all the interior bits and bobs, I fixated on the knob labeled: “ECO, Normal, Sport” (I know, shocking). I dialed through each setting throughout the week and found the changes subtle, but effective. Naturally, ECO mode cuts throttle response and dulls everything down (including the A/C); while Sport livens it all up and even improves steering response by 20%.
However, that rare bit of excitement over that particular knob was not enough to increase my attraction for the 2013 Lexus ES 350.
 |
| Of all the interior bits and bobs, I fixated on the knob labeled: “ECO, Normal, Sport” (I know, shocking). (Photo: Philippe Champoux) |
Built right for the target audience, which is... ?
While I was flipping through the ES 350's entertainment system, I noticed there was a USB detected and it was a Lexus Media Group storage key filled with a playlist for the car. Perfect, I thought. They're trying to send me a message through music now too. But with artists ranging from Ellie Goulding to Linkin Park with Techno and Taylor Swift thrown in for good measure, I got the sense that not even Lexus were sure who they were hoping to please with this latest ES 350.
With a starting price of $39,500 the 2013 Lexus ES 350 has already whittled down its target market, however, I wonder if those select individuals will spend their dollars elsewhere on a vehicle that ignites a bit more emotion both from behind the wheel and on the road.