Test Drive with Kyle Ashby

2013 Lexus ES350

The exterior of this classy 4-door sedan is painted Silver Lining Met, to enhance the tinted all glass panorama roof complete with a one-touch open/close, power tilt and slide moonroof above the driver and passenger. A second lookout position is located above the rear passenger section of the car. The sleek lines and curves start with the sporty grill which encases the High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps, wrapping around the 17” split 10-spoke wheels with a Liquid Graphic finish and end up on all four Smart Access door handles.

After driving for several hundred miles in this week’s luxurious car - loaned to me by Lexus,- I was impressed with how comfortable the overall ride was and the amount of leg room for passengers. The NuLuxe seating, wrapped in Piano Black, perforated semianiline, plus ultra luxury package trim of dark Bird’s-Eye Maple wood trim interior, allowed for extreme comfort and style in this driving experience. The 10-way driver’s and passenger’s heated and ventilated power seats have 3 memory positions. The driver’s seat and leather wrapped, heated, wood trimmed, tilt/telescoping steering wheel both move to a relaxed position and will reset to the previously memorized position when the push button start/stop function is activated. Rear passengers are shielded from the sun with power rear and manual window sunshades, adding to the comfort of all occupants.

I am a huge fan of technology integrated into my driving experience. Lexus does a superb job matching technology with convenience and efficiency. Rather than providing a traditional touch screen - all of the car’s technology, navigation, phone accessibility, sound, entertainment and vehicle maintenance can be controlled by a mouse which is conveniently located on the center console. The 835 watt, 15 speaker Mark Levinson premium audio package including a single DVD/CD player, hard disk drive navigation system, back-up camera, Lexus Enform with App Suite, destination assist and eDestination is topped off with voice command, SiriusXM and quick Bluetooth connectivity compatible with any smart phone.

Using the ES350 as a commuter vehicle or even touring far away destinations - the Lexus’ 3.5 liter, 268 horsepower, four cam, 24 valve V6 engine meets the demands of any terrain. Driving performance and fuel mileage can be set to Eco, Normal or Sport with the Drive Mode Select dial conveniently located on the center console, allowing as much as 31 MPGs on the highway and 24 MPGs combined city and highway. Safety features include dual front and knee airbags, front and rear seat mounted side impact airbags, and side curtain airbags with vehicle stability control with TRAC.

I was very pleased driving the Lexus ES350 - complete with comfort, style, technology and ultimate space and safety for everyone enjoying the ride.

Visit a Lexus dealer and ask them about a similar driving experience.

Base MSRP: $36,100
Price as Driven: $46,004