Groningen The Netherlands 2019; The Lexus ES (First generation ES250) made its appearance in 1989 as a debut line. But it wasn’t until now; 30 years & seven generations later, that this mid-size sedan made its entrance on the European market. This seventh generation Lexus ES ( Executive Sedan) was unveiled in April 2018 during the International Automotive Exhibition in Beijing. Two months later Lexus Groningen brought one out of two available promo cars on the world for a special Dutch reveal. After the sale started last December, I couldn’t resist to test drive it. Thanks to Lexus Groningen, I am able to provide you my first impression, driving experience and a glimpse of this Lexus ES F-sport Premium!
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The ES can be delivered in 12 different colors. The F-sport Premium provided by Lexus Groningen came in black, to be more exact “Graphite black”. Although black isn’t my favorite color, I have to admit that this color will come completely to life once standing in the sun. The graphite black paint job on this ES F sport premium is absolutely stunning, with all the chrome parts complementing its design and curves.
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Lexus designed this ES to make you feel comfortable at home; in their own words “Omotenashi” meaning hospitality in Japanese. But this way of thinking goes much further than that! It’s the little things, the tiny details that make you feel spoiled. Like the door handles being lid when approaching the car; a bright light in the door panels that gives you a clear illumination of the floor when stepping out of the car or side mirrors being lowered when hitting reverse for parallel parking so you can avoid scratching your rims. And my personal favorite is: sensor detecting a person approaching the car and automatically stopping of the wipers until the doors are closed when it’s raining.
But the interior is where you start to feel at home! The F-sport model overwhelms you with an all-black leather interior. The aluminum brushed ‘Hadori’ style trim panels doesn’t go unnoticed (‘Hadori’ is a Japanese technique for polishing swords). The front seats, which have a sport/racing look, are very comfortable yet they give you enough support while driving through corners or when accelerating. Also, the steering wheel has a black leather finish and is equipped with all the necessary buttons, logically placed which makes it easy to change settings or take calls, etc.
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The multimedia is displayed on a centrally positioned 12.3” split-screen which is very eye friendly to use in dual vision for multitasking. And of course, the traditional analog clock, at the left top end of the display, finalizes the touch in the ES. The only struggle I found is the navigation system. It’s an improvement from the previous system and the mouse pad system is ok, but it not there yet. Maybe a touch screen would have nailed it in this ES.
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I would say that it’s only when taking a seat in the back of the car that you’re unlocking the full level of luxury and comfort. Looking at the statistics; The ES300H is only 1.380 wide in the back (inside width), but strangely, the feeling you get is that you are getting a lot more! As if the ES300H is a lot bigger than it actually is. The back seats are built like a soft sofa with all the amenities and gadgets of a luxury sedan (like climate control) allowing you to just sit back, relax and enjoy the ride. Well until you crank up the Mark Levinson sound system which will blow your ears off, absolutely amazing! The Mark Levinson audio system includes seventeen speakers which is positioned in such a way that you will feel like you’re at a live concert.
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How does this ES F-sport perform on the road? The European market is very different from the Asian & American where comfort & performance, are the top demands when buying a car. The European legislation is more focus on fuel efficiency and emission and therefore the 3.5-liter V-6 engine, generating 315 horsepower will only remain the American dream!
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Coming back to European reality; the way I see it, the Lexus ES despite its F-sport badge is still a cruiser and not a performance car. The only ES version available for the Dutch market is the ES300H (Hybrid) which is powered by a 2.5 liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine combined with an electric motor, which delivers 218 horsepower at 5700 rpm. This is a small engine that needs to push the massive 1755 kg weighing ES, and that is definitely noticeable on the road (100 km/h in 8.9 seconds). Lexus choose for a front wheel driven system for the ES to create more space in the back and trunk.
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But still, the best way to enjoy this car is when cruising at low speed even on the clinker brick roads of Holland. Even for a non-technical person, you will notice something different about being on the road with the ES. It drives really smooth for a conventional suspension, and that’s because it hasn’t! The ES has a newly designed swing valve shock absorber. This shock absorber has ultra-low velocity valves for precision damping performance at very low speed, which makes the ride an ultra-soft one. Also in the corners, the ES handles pretty good for a front wheel driven car; the double wishbone suspension provides excellent handling stability. The Hybrid/front wheel drive combination provides a good weight distribution also helps keep the car stable on the road.
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The ES makes you feel that the whole world is just one finger away! Driving the Lexus ES300H is very pleasant, like a walk in the park on a Sunday morning. Overall; Lexus re-engineered the suspension and equipped the ES with enough technology and didn’t forget the details; making this ES F Sport premium a true Lexus experience!
Text: Benjamin Wefer
Text Editor: Roley Richardson
Picture: Benjamin Wefer
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