2019 Lexus ES 350 Ultra Luxury
Class: Premium Midsize Car
Miles driven: 424
Fuel used: 17.8 gallons
Real-world fuel economy: 23.8 mpg
Driving mix: 60% city, 40% highway
| CG Report Card | |
|---|---|
| Room and Comfort | A- |
| Power and Performance | B |
| Fit and Finish | A- |
| Fuel Economy | B |
| Value | A |
| Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide's impressions of the entire model lineup. | |
| Big & Tall Comfort | |
| Big Guy | A |
| Tall Guy | B |
| Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. "Big" rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, "Tall" rating based on 6'6"-tall male tester. | |
| Drivetrain | |
| Engine Specs | 302-hp 3.5L |
| Engine Type | V6 |
| Transmission | 8-speed automatic |
| Drive Wheels | Front-wheel drive |
EPA-estimated fuel economy: 22/33/26 (city/highway/combined)
Fuel type: Regular gas
Base price: $43,150 (not including $1025 destination charge)
Options on test vehicle: Blind-spot monitor with rear cross traffic alert, intuitive parking assist w/ auto braking, rear pedestrian detection, panoramic-view monitor ($1900), wireless charger ($75), 18-inch alloy noise-reduction wheels ($950), head-up display ($500), Mark Levinson premium audio system with 12.3-inch display, Apple CarPlay, auto-dimming rearview mirror with Homelink, navigation ($3000), heated wood- and leather-trimmed steering wheel, windshield-wiper de-icer, fast-response interior heater ($480), illuminated door sills ($379)
Price as tested: $51,459
Quick Hits
The great: Satisfying V6 acceleration, generous level of comfort and safety features for the price
The good: Ride quality, quietness, visibility
The not so good: Complicated control layout, rear seat backs don’t fold down to expand the cargo area
More ES price and availability information
CG Says:
We’ve covered the entire redesigned-for-2019 Lexus ES lineup in our First Spin report, along with specific Chicago-area Test Drives of the performance-oriented F Sport and economy-focused 300h hybrid in subsequent reviews, so we invite you to read those for more details. But here we’re looking at the bread-and-butter model of the lineup, the ES 350.
Two elements of the 2019 Lexus ES 350 are rather rare for the premium-midsize class: its standard V6 engine — of 3.5 liters and 302 horsepower — and the fact it only comes in front-wheel-drive form. Also rare is that it doesn’t offer Android Auto compatibility, but does have Apple CarPlay — and a CD player.
Aside from that, this is really the quintessential premium-midsize sedan.
Cool Color: Lexus Sunlit Green
Quiet, quick, spacious, pleasant riding, and loaded with features, the Lexus ES 350 defines what a luxury car is supposed to be — at least when equipped like our tester. In addition to the extensive list of standard features, this Ultra Luxury version came with such upscale niceties as 14-way power drivers seat with 4-way lumbar and seat-cushion extension with memory (that also includes the power steering-wheel setting, a great touch), heated and ventilated front seats, rain-sensing wipers, hands-free power trunklid (you swipe your foot under the rear bumper to open or close — no more dirty hands), and a power rear sunshade and manual rear-door ones. Added as options were blind-spot monitor with rear cross traffic alert (which really should be standard), rear obstacle detection with rear automatic braking, parking assist, and 360-degree cameras with “rotating” view, all included in a $1900 option package. Other notable options included Qi wireless charging (which for $75, also seemed as though it should be standard), a large 10.2-inch head-up display, heated wood-rimmed steering wheel, wiper de-icers, fast-response interior heater, and a $3000 Mark Levinson audio system with navigation. A few other options pushed the bottom line to over $51,000, but that’s for a very nice, very loaded vehicle.
Yet not all is rosy. None of our editors were particularly fond of the console-touchpad infotainment controller (the large dash screen is not a touchscreen) as it’s rather cumbersome to use. Ditto the climate controls, which consist of repetitive-step pushbuttons, though at least they’re easy to reach. Also, most sedans allow the rear seat backs to be folded to expand the cargo area, but this one doesn’t — though it does have a ski pass-through. Cabin storage space could be better, with the most notable culprit being a small glovebox, though there is a handy (but small) left-side dash bin, along with a largish console box with a lid that can be opened from either side — a really thoughtful touch. Another negative is that if the front doors are opened anywhere close to wide, the door handles are a really long reach away.
But from there, the ES 350 fares well. The engine provides a strong jump off the line, and it combines with the transmission’s fairly quick kickdowns to make the ES feel very responsive in traffic. (This kind of performance used to be de rigueur in the premium-midsize class, but now that many rivals have switched to small 4-cylinder turbos as the standard engine, it isn’t.) The ride is short of plush but still comfortable, and it’s also quiet. Passenger space is enough that 6-footers should be able to sit in tandem, though a center-seater in back will have to contend with a large driveline hump.
The bottom line is that the ES has long been a Consumer Guide Best Buy, and the 2019 redesign carries on that tradition. (Spoiler alert: it continues as such for 2020 as well. — Ed). As long as you don’t need all-wheel drive, this is one of the best all-around luxury sedans you can get.
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2019 Lexus ES 350
