2019 Lexus ES 350 Review

The 2019 Lexus ES 350 is a big step in the right direction for the Camry-sized sedan. It looks eons better than the last ES, and it has the Lexus ride and luxury to back it up. Lexus redesigned the mid-size sedan for the 2019 model year, putting it on Toyota’s TNGA platform. It’s a good place to be, as every new Toyota that has come out on this architecture is more dynamic and comfortable than the last. Lexus even went so far as to add optional adaptive shocks to the equation, which stiffens up the ride in Sport mode.

Our first tester was this gorgeous, blue F Sport model, which is comparable to the one West Coast Editor James Riswick drove last year. Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski tested an ES 350 with Lexus' top Ultra Luxury package. Our blue test car came with the aforementioned adaptive suspension, but the F Sport also gains 19-inch wheels and trim-exclusive sport seats. A Sport+ driving mode is added with the adaptive suspension, as well, joining the existing Sport, Normal and Eco modes. Without options, the ES 350 F Sport is a $45,160 car. All our tester's extras brought the final price to $54,450. The most expensive addition was the Mark Levinson audio system, combined with navigation for a hefty $2,900. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert costs $1,065; triple-beam LED headlights are $1,515, and the adaptive suspension is $750. A swath of unnecessary accessories balloon the price even higher, but it’s still cheaper than many of the German sedans. A generously equipped car could come in right around $50,000 if you’re willing to compromise on a few amenities.

Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore: I’m going to zero-in on the infotainment system's touchpad, which sits to the right of the driver. It’s tricky to use, especially while driving. To be fair, I didn’t spend a ton of time in this otherwise enjoyable ES 350 F Sport, but tuning the radio and toggling through the different sources (FM, XM, etc.) shouldn’t require all that much education. There are redundant controls for some of the functionality, but this still isn't great. You can do a lot of things with this touchpad -- flick, zoom, scroll -- it’s good in theory. But in practice, I find it annoying, and in traffic it can be distracting. There are simpler solutions that are better. Toyota has plenty of good tech hardware. The next day I drove an Avalon hybrid and had no issues with the touchscreen-operated infotainment. There was almost no adjustment period. That's the way to go.

Assistant Editor Zac Palmer: Lexus knows how to make seats. I’ve never sat my bottom down in a Lexus cushion that didn’t make me happy, and the new ES 350 is more of the same. Not only are these "sport seats" plush and relaxing, but they also held me in well around corners. Somehow, Lexus has managed to hit the best of both worlds with these chairs, and I love it.

The rest of the interior makes for a luxurious place to spend time in, as it tries to sort out every last setting for you. The Lexus “Climate Concierge” does its best to be your personal temperature assistant, more than any other luxury car brand attempts to do. Automatic climate control for the temperature setting is a given, but this car also features automatic heated/cooled seats, an automatic heated steering wheel and automatic control of the air recirculation setting. For the most part, it works flawlessly. Set your temperature, and then the “Concierge” takes it from there. I had to intervene a couple times to keep my heated steering wheel on during a particularly chilly morning, but the seat control was spot on. Did Lexus need to do this? No. However, not having to mess with settings feels like luxury, so I think I’m going to side with Lexus on this one.

Automatic EVERYTHING in the Lexus ES 350 F-Sport. Seats, steering wheel, temperature and air recirculation setting. @therealautoblog pic.twitter.com/FxXbSbAvc7

— Zac Palmer (@zacpalmerr) October 16, 2019

Production Manager Eddie Sabatini: I REALLY like this car, and not just because we share the same initials. The V6 sounds great, and even though 302 HP isn't the most you can get at this price point, it's more than enough power to have fun passing the confused Lyft driver doing 50 on the expressway. Until I looked at the window sticker, I assumed I was in a $60,000 car. My one gripe, and it's a minor one, is I wish the heated steering wheel got a little warmer. But hey, if you're at a place where you're complaining about the intensity of your heated steering wheel, things must be pretty good.

Associate Editor Joel Stocksdale: I agree with Eddie, the V6 is excellent. It's got a deep throaty intake growl, revs happily, and all 302 horses feel healthy. As a couple of us discovered, it's very capable of roasting the front tires from a standstill.

It's a little weird, then, that such an athletic engine is in such a comfort-oriented sedan. Even with the F Sport's adjustable suspension and big wheels, it still had soft, squishy suspension. It was good for a comfy ride, but resulted in plenty of body roll in corners. It's not particularly grippy, and the back end doesn't feel as buttoned down as a "sporty" car should.

The transmission is a similar story. It's seamless, if on the slow side. It does have a manual mode with some nice paddles to play with that liven things up.

Somewhat related, I love that the ES has a simple, mechanical-feeling shifter. It's not quite as quick and solid-feeling as the company's gated automatic shifters, but the push-button lever is plenty positive and makes it easy to pick the right gear. I know electronic monostable shifters are all the rage, but they just aren't as user friendly, and they typically aren't used to actually free up the space an electric shifter hypothetically could.

West Coast Editor James Riswick: I'm going to have to disagree with Mr. Stocksdale here ... or at least my notes from 10 months do. Back in my review last year of pretty much the same car, I wrote "It really comes down to what you feel through the F Sport steering wheel, through your heels planted in the floor below, and the seat of your pants that's now placed lower in a sportier driving position (than the previous generation). The ES 350 F Sport is one of those cars that manages to shrink around you as you hustle it along, feeling much smaller than its full-size sedan dimensions would indicate. It may be based on the Avalon, but that car never feels as lithe and responsive as its Lexus cousin."

I also praised the steering, and actually thought potential owners might find the suspension too stiff. "One potential drawback to the F Sport and its superior handling capabilities is that even in Normal, you feel far more road imperfections than in ES models of the past. In Sport+ it can actually be unpleasant." I definitely didn't think it suffered from excess body roll. Of course, different drivers, different roads, different side of the country. 

I did agree that the transmission is a let-down and added that the ES in general would benefit from the torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system offered by its platform mate, the Toyota RAV4. 

Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski: The ES Ultra Luxury is aptly named. I cruised from Detroit, Michigan to Columbus, Ohio in leather-lined and wood-highlighted tranquility. The long highway stretches were truly relaxing from behind the wheel of the ES sedan, and the comfortable seats that Zac mentioned above really are excellent. But I will also echo Greg's commentary above about Lexus' irritating infotainment system and I'll add that the graphics and color scheme could use a serious refresh.

I also put some miles on a Toyota Camry Hybrid in XLE trim, and while there may be subtle differences between the powertrains of that car and the ES 300h, I can say with confidence that Toyota has truly nailed the fuel-sipping experience, crafting a drivetrain that doesn't always feel like a bore despite the fact that it earns a combined rating of 44 miles per gallon. While the 302-horsepower V6 of the ES 350 is lovely to have at the right foot's beck and call, the hybridized version would also suit the Lexus' serene driving experience.