If you crave adrenaline in your drive, the Lexus ES300H is not the car you you… BUT it’s almost 100% an ideal choice for your mom, aunt, etc. I say that because literally mom drives a Lexus ES, and my aunt drives an Avalon lol. But in 13 years combined, not a single issue. A lot of luxury cars will spend a lot more time making visits to their dealership.
While the Lexus ES300H is docile to drive, it’s not delicate.
Historically speaking, the Lexus ES is one of the most reliable & low maintenance vehicles in the luxury sedan segment. It quiets the chaos of the road, and keeps you from getting rattled behind the wheel.
The ES interior…
Is soft to the touch. It’s got superb textures & ergonomics. And it DOESN’T do what too many luxury cars are doing these days… and go overboard & get silly with gizmos. For instance, the ES still retains real buttons & knobs integrated into its infotainment… rather than finicky haptic screens that are just a giant distractions, sources of irritation, and future fail-points. Real buttons for things like seat & steering wheel heaters are always appreciated! Warming your buns is not a space shuttle launch… it doesn’t require a sequence of boops & beeps on a screen. A simple button works just fine. Just because we can do everything on a tablet, does not mean we need to. Eventually/hopefully other car manufacturers will figure that out, because it’s going a little too far.
The Lexus ES350H (hybrid) drives as smooth as room-temperature butter.
At lower throttle-inputs where it’s EV dominant, the ES300H moves like a cloud. But under heavier throttle as it switches over to its 4-cylinder engine & CVT transmission combo… I must admit… I wasn’t overly-impressed. That’s mainly due to the CVT transmission. Because fun fact: all CVTs are super lame. They make your car sound like a leaf blower.
In the ES300H, we averaged 39-40mpg real world!
And furthermore, that’s on regular 87 octane! Yes, unlike many other luxury vehicles, there’s no need for premium in the Lexus ES300H. I’m telling you – local errands don’t even move the gas needle on this car. And that’s pretty refreshing honestly. The cost of fuel is so negligible, the ES300H is almost like an EV that you don’t have to bother charging.
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