The ES is more spacious, quieter and safer than ever before, while a new generation of customers is being introduced to a sedan with sharpened performance, class-leading safety technology and a level of craftsmanship rarely found in this market segment.
The ES 250 has a sleek yet fluid design from front to back. Upfront, the ES’ face is slightly different, with variations according to model grade. The ES display elegant bars that radiate from the centre of the updated signature Lexus spindle grille. The frontal design was revised with a new treatment of the spindle grille with fewer vertical bars and the introduction of L-shaped elements.
In a break with past generations, the design features a rearward-sloping fast roofline that emphasises the vehicle’s lower stance and aerodynamics. The rear end is clean and sharply chiselled, with LED lamps that wrap around the quarter panels to generate a continuous styling line when viewed from any angle.
The champagne coloured leather seats have that welcome feeling to them and are one of the most notable features as you get comfy in the drivers’ seat. It is very easy to get ‘cabin fever’, by not wanting to get out. When designing the look and feel of the ES cabin, the design team’s starting point was the Lexus Future Interior concept, which blends a driver-centric cockpit with a spacious and comfortable area for the front passenger. The driver’s focus is kept on the road ahead by strategically locating the centre display screen and instrument panel.
A new high-resolution 12.3-inch widescreen display has been brought forward by more than 100mm compared with the current model, debuting touch-display functionality to increase usability options for the driver and front passenger.
Standard on the ES range is keyless smart entry, a moonroof, twin-front and twin-rear USB-C ports, DAB+ digital radio, 10-speaker audio (EX grades), Mark Levinson 17 Speaker audio (SE) and both with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.
The ES 250 is available with a high-efficient, direct-injection 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and an eight-speed Direct Shift automatic transmission. Outputs are pegged at 152kW. The fuel consumption I achieved in my travels with the ES 250 was a modest 6.8l/100km. the top speed is around 210kmph, but with a vehicle like the Lexus, you would want to cruise along elegantly.
The seventh-generation ES features advanced safety technology. It’s equipped with full suite of passive safety equipment comprising driver and front passenger airbags; two driver and front passenger knee airbags; two driver and front passenger seat-mounted side-impact airbags and two front-to-rear side curtain airbags.
Standard safety technology further includes a rear-view camera with park distance control and all-speed active cruise control. The EX-grade now also comes standard with the blind-spot monitor. The SE grade boasts the Lexus Safety System which further includes Lane Departure Alert, Pre-crash System, Lane Keep Assist and LED-Adaptive High-beam System (AHS).
