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2011 Lexus ES 350
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This week I am piloting the Lexus ES 350 — or am I really just a passenger in this luxury cruiser? My plan for the week was to compare it to the less-expensive but seemingly identical Toyota Avalon, but those plans have backfired somewhat as it has been nearly a year since I last drove the Avalon and, well, I can’t remember small nuances that far back.
What I do remember about the Avalon was that it offered a great highway ride, exceptional comfort, plenty of toys (including navigation) and it surprised me with exceptional fuel economy from its 3.5-litre V6 engine.
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My ES 350 tester should provide all the same. It should also be equipped with more luxury features, although at first glance I don’t see much more here than what was in the Avalon. Missing is the navigation system that I was hoping to have for a trip to Detroit this weekend. But what is added seems to be more supple leather and luxury touches that perhaps are accented by the black exterior with chrome accents and aluminum wheels.
The base price for the ES 350 is $42,150 and my tester adds only $500 to this for the Touring package. That seems to be an excellent value, though, adding upgraded premium alloy wheels, a rear spoiler, and an HID adaptive (steerable) front lighting system.
Standard features on the ES include dual-zone climate control, power telescopic steering wheel, Bluetooth, Lexus premium audio, heated leather seats and, of course, the aforementioned 3.5-litre V6 engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.
2011 Lexus ES 350
MSRP as tested (excluding destination): $42,785
For more information on Lexus and the ES 350 visit Lexus Canada
