Trending
You may recall Cadillac sedan cruisers of the '60s. They floated along with soft, almost bouncy suspension, leaned into corners, had enormous rear fins, white wall paws and got 9-13 miles per gallon.
Fast forward to the present and, thankfully, those cars rest in museums or Jay Leno's garage.
Lexus has taken over today's sedan of choice for many starting with the ES 300 debut in the early '90s and today's ES 350 hybrid, an eighth-generation redesign.
Its sleek body takes on a sixth-generation hybrid system capturing 244 combined horsepower while delivering 46 miles per gallon. An all-electric 350e has an estimated range of 307 miles although the carmaker is placing its emphasis on the hybrid.
The newest 2027 ES is 6.5 inches longer and 2.2-inches wider. Its longer wheelbase provides extra leg and headroom giving rear seat passengers up to seven feet more room to stretch.
Those familiar with the Lexus look will do a double take with its more rounded sheet metal, thin taillights and newly shaped front end. The sides have an odd black trim piece angled around the front door while stretching to the rear wheel well.
It maintains Lexus' quiet, comfortable ride. Outside noise stays outside and does not penetrate acoustic front and side window glass. Sound deadening material further surrounds exterior wheel wells and undercarriage reducing road noise to a whisper.
Base price for the luxury sedan is $51,095 with higher trims going for $57,295.
Our prototype test car featured NuLuxe trimmed seats, a synthetic material designed by the car company to mimic the look and feel of leather without using animal products.
Heated and ventilated seats are standard.
The new ES marks the end of the gasoline only version -- available now as a hybrid or electric only.
The 2.5-liter, I-4 engine is not the quickest horse in the barn but it powers this sedan in quick fashion, maneuvering around traffic with passing power when needed. At our independent test track, the ES350h reached 60 miles per hour in 7.2 seconds.
In true Lexus fashion, the interior is luxurious with soft materials throughout. The 14-inch touchscreen houses a progressive infotainment system with primary controls for audio and climate controls using buttons and flip switches instead of drilling down like so many rivals.
All models include wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and phone charger.
A standard 12.3- inch instrument cluster displays engine vitals and visualizes turn-by-turn navigation in front of the driver.
Audiophiles will delight with its 17-speaker, 1,800-watt Mark Levinson surround sound audio system.
Trunk space is 13.3 cubic feet -- enough to hold a set of golf clubs and luggage in the wide opening with push-button opener. Unfortunately, the rear seats do not fold.
Cabin storage is reasonable with a good-sized center console to store smaller items. Door space is reasonable for bottles and there are good-sized cupholders throughout.
The new ES 350h features the Lexus 4.0 Safety System with pre-collision systems built into adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assistance.
(Contact independent automotive columnist Len Ingrassia at editor@ptd.net)