2017 Lexus ES 350 Specs, Price Review: More Space and Efficiency, Less Cost
The 2017 Lexus ES 350 offers customers something other brands might not: a lot of interior space. The low price is also quite tempting for those looking to splurge on a luxury car which is probably why the line has experienced high sales numbers for years.
While the car embodies Lexus' principles of being spacious and comfortable, its features make potential luxury car buyers reconsider purchasing it. This is mainly due to the fact that both design and tech-wise, the car doesn't really give that air of luxury that brands like Mercedes Benz and BMW do.
This is probably due to the car sharing many similarities with the front-drive Toyota Avalon, the automaker's flagship sedan in the United States. While the exterior does feature stark differences between the two cars, choosing between a bare-bones ES 350 or a fully-equipped Avalon is easier said than done.
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Still, the 2017 Lexus ES 350 does have a few things going for it. The large interior space makes it the perfect car for cruising, making this car a practical luxury car rather than a sporty one.
ES 350 comes equipped with a 268-horsepower V-6 engine, the same type used by the Toyota Camry, and is connected to a six-speed automatic transmission. The combination is less than satisfactory and makes gaining forward momentum feel more arduous than it should be.
Changing from the three drive modes, Eco, Normal and Sport, offers only minor changes. And while the hybrid badge gives it more fuel economy on paper, the Environmental Protection Agency's estimates for the ES 350 are just 21 miles per gallon (mpg) city and 30 mpg highway.
Fortunately, the interior of the ES 350 makes it shine on a positive note. The aforementioned large interior makes for a much comfortable ride for both driver and passengers. Design-wise however, luxury car connoisseurs might be put off by the lack of style.
The ES 350's infotainment system is also heavily dependent on taste. While some drivers might manage without much in terms of features, the limited technological experience might put off some buyers. Add to that the less than adequate satellite-radio antenna and the car's tech offerings appear to be lackluster at best.
Thankfully, the low-cost Lexus Safety System+ option adds pointers for driver-assistance systems. It gives drivers adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and automatic high beams, which certainly come in handy on the road.
With a starting price of $39,875, the 2017 Lexus ES 350 does give people looking for a low-cost luxury car a very promising option. However, for those are willing to spend as much money for the car just to get that feeling of luxury, they might be better off buying a non-luxury competitor with all the bells and whistles than buying the car bare-boned.
