When Lexus first launched in 1990, the line contained two models: the LS, a large sedan that was new from the ground up, and the ES, which was heavily based on a Japanese domestic market variant of the Camry. While the silence, smoothness, and refinement of the big sedan sent shockwaves through the auto industry, no one took the junior model seriously. It was clearly offered to give Lexus dealers a second, less expensive car to sell.

And yet Toyota ignored the critics and stuck with the ES, recently redesigning it for the fourth time. Consumers clearly like the car; more of them remain loyal to the brand than the owners of any other entry-lux vehicle. With the fifth iteration, is it time to cast aside notions that the ES is simply a tarted-up Camry? I took one for a test drive to find out.

Styling

While the first-gen ES was nothing special to look at, the second was more obviously an upscale sedan, and the third was fairly sharp. But the ungainly fish-faced fourth-generation ES was downright ugly. Way too much overhang and a front end only a mid-90s Ford designer could love. Against this recent backdrop, the 2007 car looks pretty good. The excessive front overhang and headlamps stretching halfway up the fenders are gone. The proportions are much better, and join with the brand's new "L-Finesse" design language to create an ES that for the first time has presence. In this segment, presence is key.

This said, the exterior still has a hint of Camry about it. But not the interior. I drove a Camry Hybrid the same day, and from the driver's seat you'd never guess the two were based on the same platform. The latest Camry interior, while it contains some nifty touches like clear ice-blue buttons, is filled with hard plastic bits that don't all fit together well. Not to mince words, it looks and feels a bit cheap, something I don't expect in a Toyota.

In contrast, the ES 350 interior is downright opulent, with polished wood, soft leather, and cushy door panels. I'm not crazy about the styling of the center stack--the curve at the top seems to be artsy for the sake of being artsy, and doesn't really fit the rest of the interior--but that's about all I can say bad about the look and feel of this interior.

Accommodations

While waiting for the salesperson to grab a key, I went back and forth between the ES and the IS in the showroom. Unique among luxury makes, Lexus offers two parallel lines of sedans: one for luxury buyers, and one for drivers. The ES and the IS feel quite different inside. In the IS, you sit low between a tall center console and even taller beltline. Shoulder room is limited. It's meant to feel tight, like a sports car, and does. Perhaps too much so--the #1 complaint I read about the car on the Internet is that it's too cramped inside.

People will have no such problem with the ES. Its interior is roomier and airier, with a much less prominent center console (partly thanks to front-wheel-drive) and more glass. The instrument panel is also lower relative to the driver's seat. You're clearly sitting in a sedan. Nothing sporty about it.

Though the seats are hardly hard in the IS, they're definitely cushier in the ES. Though side bolsters are present, don't count on them to do much bolstering. That's just not the car's MO.

The IS is extremely tight in back. The ES is much roomier, though the cushion is a bit low to the floor. Thank the L-Finesse roofline.

Trunk room is about average for a midsize sedan. As in other Japanese luxury sedans, the rear seats do not fold to expand the trunk.

On the Road

The ES is one of about half a dozen Toyota and Lexus models to receive a new 3.5-liter V6. In ES trim it's good for 272 horsepower (it makes 306 in the IS). Flooring the accelerator will make the sedan really get up and go, and produce much more torque steer and front-end float than a car of refinement should have. But I'll grant that this isn't what the 3.5 in the ES is about--there is the IS, after all. Instead, in this application the 3.5's forte is effortless part-throttle acceleration. In normal driving just a slight tip of the toe readily gets you up to the speed of traffic. No fuss, no worries.

In contrast, while the Camry Hybrid I drove that same day posts good road test numbers, its throttle calibration conveyed the impression that the powertrain was weak and slow to respond. Would a throttle calibration like that of the ES kill its EPA ratings?

This is only the second time I've ever driven an ES. The first time was at a Lexus-sponsored driving event. A moderately demanding road course was set up in a parking lot. We were able to drive the entire Lexus line, plus a couple key competitors for each model. The fourth-gen ES was the least happy car on that course, and by a considerable margin. Lots of float, lots of sway, and a general lack of composure. The sort of behavior Buicks used to be roundly criticized for. (In comparison, the sport-suspensioned, better balanced LS, while still no BMW, felt great.)

The new ES feels a bit more composed and less floaty, with higher (if still not high) limits if you bother to seek them out. But it's still far from a sport sedan. Again, that's what the IS is for. Still, does the steering have to be so light and numb? You'll find few lighter and number is a current car.

Ride quality is clearly the priority with the ES, and it's generally good. Not great, though, as there's a bit more bobbling about on rough surfaces than you'll find in the best sedans. Noise levels are low, as people expect them to be in a Lexus.

Lexus ES 350 Pricing and Price Comparisons

The two most common comparisons, base to base without rebates but with adjustments for feature differences:

Acura TL: $1,100 less at MSRP, $200 less at invoice

Toyota Camry SE V6: $5,700 less at MSRP, $5,000 less at invoice

Prices change frequently, and differences will vary based on feature level. To quickly generate these and other comparisons with the specific features you want, visit my Web site, www.truedelta.com. (It's the only site that provides true "apples-to-apples" price comparisons.) TrueDelta's page for the Lexus ES:

http://www.truedelta.com/models/ES.php

Last Words

In its latest form, the ES does not deserve to be thought of as a tarted-up Camry. It had the presence, interior, performance, and ride of a luxury sedan, and deserves to be thought of as such. The exterior is a huge improvement over that of the previous ES, and the interior is light years nicer than that of the latest Camry. While acceleration is effortless, performance isn't that of a sport sedan. But it's not intended to be. Some people want a sport sedan. Lexus has the IS for them, as long as they don't need much room. Others could care less about handling and steering feel. They want a roomy, luxurious interior and a smooth, silent ride, and perhaps a bit of status as well. The new ES delivers on all counts.

But the ES isn't a total loss for driving enthusiasts. Without it, we wouldn't have the IS. I wish other manufacturers would follow Lexus' lead and offer two lines of luxury sedans. As it stands, even BMW risks diluting the sportiness of its sport sedans by seeking to appeal to luxury buyers with the same car. Lexus' unique dual line strategy permits each car to be more tightly focused. (GM has from time to time toyed with a similar strategy using Buick and Cadillac, but has never come close to implementing it.)

This said, I'm not sure both sets of Lexus sedans should be offered under the same brand. The IS and GS have had a bit of trouble breaking out because their sporty mission doesn't fit the image of Lexus. At a minimum, a sub-brand (think Scion) should be created within Lexus. Until then, the image of the ES will bleed into that of the IS, even when this is undeserved.

To learn more about my reliability research and sign up to participate in it, or to perform thorough, up-to-date new car price comparisons, visit www.truedelta.com. A link to this website and alphabetized links to my other vehicle reviews can be found on my profile page.

A note on Lexus ES 350 Reliability

I cannot practically cover reliability within the context of this review. However, many people are interested in such information, so I've started collecting my own data. Results, once they are available, will be posted to my site, www.truedelta.com, with updates every three months.

Unlike other sources, TrueDelta will clearly identify what difference it will make if you buy an ES 350 rather than another vehicle by providing "times in the shop" and "days in the shop" stats (among others). You will be able to specify the number of years, annual miles, and types of repairs to include in Lexus ES 350 reliability comparisons.

Before I can report results, I need data on all cars--not just the ES 350--from people like you. To encourage participation, those who help provide the data will receive free access to the site's reliability information. For non-participants, this access will cost $24.95.

For the details, and to sign up, visit www.truedelta.com.

A link to this website and alphabetized links to my other vehicle reviews can be found on my profile page.

Some of my reviews of related vehicles:
Acura TL review
Buick Lucerne review
Lexus IS review
Lincoln Zephyr review
Toyota Avalon review