Lexus India’s bestselling model, the ES 300h, known for its petrol-hybrid powertrain, its distinctive styling and its luxurious interiors is now updated with some new tech and subtle revisions. Saumil Shah takes a closer look at what all has changed.
Welcome to the 2021 iteration of lexis india’s best selling model the es 300h this car rivals the likes of the mercedes-benz e-class bmw 5 series audi a6 and the volvo s90 and what sets it apart is its unique styling its refinement and its petrol hybrid powertrain for this 2021 update what this car gets is a minor facelift and some new features but something
That most buyers will be interested in is its backseat experience so let’s start this review from the back just like the 2018 nitration the backseat experience of this 2021 facelift hasn’t changed at all so seat comfort is supreme the cushioning is spot on the backrest even reclines up to a modest eight degrees adding to the comfort and spacer is a plenty
Rear passengers also get heated seats while these do serve a purpose in winter especially up north in india a cool seats option like its front seats would have been great to keep the heat out there are sun shades for the rear windows and the rear windscreen and the armrest gets audio controls aircon controls and there are also usb charging provisions to charge
Your phone let me also tell you that ride comfort here is excellent this car absorbs the road shocks extremely nicely and then there are the sheer levels of sound insulation and sound deadening that have gone into the structure and as a result your cocoon from the outside world and it adds to the whole relaxed comfortable experience on the inside the suspension
Setup is spot on it softly sails over road imperfections at lower speeds and remains flat and composed as you pick up the pace so its ride quality is one of the best in its segment now before we get to the driver’s seat let me summarize its exteriors this car still wears its 2018 identity it still looks very handsome and the several cuts and creases give it a
Distinct identity what’s new for 2021 is the pattern of these 18-inch wheels the headlights are a bit different and so is the large spindle grille what’s unique about this grille is that it features l-shaped elements incorporated in it now that we’ve summarized its exteriors let’s get to the driver’s seat step into the ess cabin and you’ll like what you see
Like the outside the interiors too feature several unique design elements giving it a very distinct identity of its own for this 2021 iteration what you get is open power walnut which looks exquisite and adds to the sensification on the inside even the analog clock looks really classy and the front seats offer supreme levels of comfort and the other big talking
Point for this 2021 iteration is that the lexus es now gets a full-fledged 12.3 inch touch operable infotainment system now as you can see it’s a lot closer to the driver so everything is within the driver’s reach and it’s also angled towards the driver for better convenience what’s nice is that you also get shortcut buttons as well as a trackpad to navigate
Through the menu and the system in general is very easy to operate however the cabin doesn’t look as rich as that of its rivals and to be brutally honest some of the buttons are more toyota than lexus inbuilt navigation is standard and this es finally gets android auto and apple car play among other things it gets three zone climate control heated and cooled
Front seats heated rear seats electric backseat adjust and a decent list of equipment which is on your screen right now well finally it’s time to get behind the wheel powering this es 300h sedan is a 2.5 liter four-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine and that comes mated to an electric motor so both of them combine make 218 horsepower you can start off
From a standstill or bottle around at low speeds in full electric mode and if the battery has adequate juice it’ll even perform the daily bumper-to-bumper grind without using a single drop of petrol with more aggressive throttle inputs or when you up the pace the petrol motor does kick in and when it does the transition is so smooth and seamless you can barely
Tell and all you hear is a faint purr from under the bonnet transmitting power to the front wheels is an ecvt automatic now this gearbox does a splendid job of making the drive experience a lot nicer and a lot more relaxed what’s not nice however is that when you do get aggressive with your throttle inputs you can feel that rubber band effect to a certain extent
And then there are paddle shifters too for manual control but these feel artificial in their function and don’t give you that engaging connected feel talk the left paddle and even though it doesn’t have any gears to play around with you do get some engine braking as though you’ve engaged a lower gear high speed stability is good and this lexus is composed and
Rock solid even at triple digit speeds show it a set of corners and it will change directions in a rather positive or rather reassuring manner a bmw 5 series however it is not but for most people it does a fine job among the other things the brake pedal itself is also new and it’s wider than before lexus claims that the wider contact area with your foot gives
You a lot more confidence while using the brake and slowing down the lexus es 300 edge is a really competent car it is luxurious it is refined it is comfortable and it is feature loaded it stands out for its hybrid power train and with the kit it packs in it even justifies the asking price yes the dealer network is scanned yes its brand equity isn’t as strong
As its german counterparts but at the end of the day if you are looking for a unique proposition to stand out of the market without compromising on other factors then the es300 edge is a car that you really need to experience to appreciate you
Transcribed from video
Lexus ES 300h review – Sharp cut sedan gets updates | First Drive | Autocar India By Autocar India
