This is the entry-level ticket to the Lexus experience. And all of the Lexus experience is here.
The Lexus ES 300 is arguably the most refined automobile in what auto marketers call the near luxury class -- sedans that range in price from about $29,000 to $36,000. It's also quite nice to look at. Athletic sporting reflexes make the ES 300 good fun to drive, and it has more power for 1999.
Throw in dealer satisfaction that's consistently rated among the very best, and the ES 300 proves tough for other car builders to match. Over the years the ES 300 has performed with such appliance-like efficiency that auto critics have made vague claims about its lack of soul. This could really be another way of saying that the critics can't specifically find much wrong with the car.
The ES 300 remains the least expensive car in the Lexus line, yet like most Lexus products, its overriding characteristic is smoothness. Until Lexus launched its hot new RX 300 sport-utility vehicle in 1998, the ES 300 was always the company's best seller.
The ES 300 is actually a highly polished, more luxuriously trimmed version of the Toyota Camry, and that's no dig. The car at Lexus dealerships today was introduced in late 1996 as a 1997 model, and by now the look is familiar: frame-less windows with a blacked-out center pillar that creates the impression of a coupe; aggressive, multi-refractor headlights; perfectly matched body seams and gem-like paint. Yet the '99 ES 300 has some revisions under its steel skin. It weighs a bit less than the '98 despite a number of improvements, including a thorough reworking of the drivetrain.
This year's 3.0-liter V6 produces more power -- 10 more horsepower and 10 more foot-pounds of torque -- than it did in 1998, even though the displacement is the same. Equipped with the new variable valve-timing system (VVT-i), the revised engine also offers improved fuel efficiency and reduced emissions. The most noticeable benefit from the driver's seat is that this engine provides better low-rpm power, which is often a weakness with four-cam, multi-valve engines. About 80 percent of peak torque is available from 1600 rpm all the way to the tachometer's redline. So, no matter how fast the car is already going when the driver steps on the gas, it gets going faster in short order.
With the revised engine comes a stronger, electronically controlled four-speed automatic transmission. Like the automatic, anti-lock brakes and traction control are standard equipment. Front side-impact airbags that deploy from the seat bolsters are standard along with dual front airbags.
The ES 300 offers a sophisticated electronic skid-control system as a $550 option -- something that until recently was reserved for much more expensive cars. Using a fast computer and sensors in the wheels and steering column, the skid-control system senses what the driver is trying to make the car do, then compares that to what the car is actually doing. If the driver's wishes and the car's direction of travel don't match, the system decreases engine power or applies braking force to individual wheels to help prevent loss of control.
At its base price the ES 300 is fairly well equipped, and its strengths still shine through. Yet with the preferred options on our test car, including leather, a moonroof and CD changer, the price increases a significant $6,000.
The first two recommended maintenance procedures -- basically changing the oil are thrown in.
It's officially classified as a compact, but the ES 300 provides plenty of space for large adults in the front seats. The back seat comfortably accommodates three children, or two adults in stretches up to about 60 minutes. The trunk is good for a couple of golf bags, and larger than many in the class.
One of the Lexus trademarks has been superior fit and finish for its dashboards, door panels and other interior surfaces. The ES 300 meets that standard. None of the plastic or vinyl surfaces look hard, brittle, or cheap. Judicious use of walnut trim and an outside temperature indicator add an expensive feel. The electroluminescent gauges pop in the brightest sunlight, yet are easy on the eyes in pitch dark. Nearly all switches fall intuitively to grasp with little distraction, and they work with a firm, satisfying click. Unfortunately, the memory buttons for the driver's seat are an exception. They're small, located on the side of the seat bottom, and troublesome to work in the dark.
