2018 Lexus ES 350 INTERIOR - Younger brother of the GS 350 REVIEW
The 2018 Lexus ES is now in its fifth year, following the addition of a new and more aggressive front end a couple of years ago. The basic silhouette remains sedate, but the front fascia with its “spindle” grille and brash chrome surround feels like an add-on from a different vehicle. The grille itself is shaped like an hourglass, wide at the top and bottom and pinched at the middle. At least the spindle grille gets the car noticed; without that, it would be so quiet it might as well be made invisible. The sole design change this year is the elimination of dark metallic paint inside the headlight surrounds on cars fitted with bi-xenon lamps. Still, the interior is superb, and it earns the car 6 out of 10 points for its design. (Read more about how we rate cars.) The contours and curves of the wide, horizontal dash make the ES feel spacious, and the high-mounted and hooded navigation system and the instrument cluster behind the steering wheel come off as elegant and practical. We might dial down the piano-black and matte metallic trim a bit, but that’s a minor quibble. The selection of species of wood trim on high-end models is impressive, and it’s better done and more authentic feeling than many competitors in the class.
The 2018 Lexus ES is now in its fifth year, following the addition of a new and more aggressive front end a couple of years ago. The basic silhouette remains sedate, but the front fascia with its “spindle” grille and brash chrome surround feels like an add-on from a different vehicle. The grille itself is shaped like an hourglass, wide at the top and bottom and pinched at the middle. At least the spindle grille gets the car noticed; without that, it would be so quiet it might as well be made invisible. The sole design change this year is the elimination of dark metallic paint inside the headlight surrounds on cars fitted with bi-xenon lamps. Still, the interior is superb, and it earns the car 6 out of 10 points for its design. (Read more about how we rate cars.) The contours and curves of the wide, horizontal dash make the ES feel spacious, and the high-mounted and hooded navigation system and the instrument cluster behind the steering wheel come off as elegant and practical. We might dial down the piano-black and matte metallic trim a bit, but that’s a minor quibble. The selection of species of wood trim on high-end models is impressive, and it’s better done and more authentic feeling than many competitors in the class.