In fashion, the classics will never go out of style. Be it a dress or a bag, we return to a beloved piece over and over again for the familiarity, comfort and nostalgia. Likewise, in the automotive world, a historical model such as the Lexus ES will always find its way to the heart of drivers. The ES has been synonymous with the brand since its birth in 1989 and to date, remains its most popular sedan with over 2.3 million sales worldwide in three decades. Currently in its seventh reiteration, the Lexus ES brings a new ownership experience through its latest variants – the ES 250 Luxury and ES 250 Premium – with refined looks and features. Lexus’ popular kid on the block takes the title with:
Its bold looks and quiet disposition
For the exterior, the craftsmanship that goes into the latest ES series takes on a more emotional and dynamic design element. A rearward sloping roofline gives it a coupe-like profile for that smart sporty look with more efficient aerodynamics. Size wise, the ES has a lower bonnet, lower roof, longer wheelbase and body. As for the cabin, the new Lexus ES builds on its established strengths where spaciousness and quietness have always been its core qualities. New technologies ensure countermeasures to tackle noise and vibration at their source while providing sound insulation and absorption.
Its safety priority
Safety performance and accident prevention are of utmost importance for Lexus. The latest Lexus Safety System + (LSS+) is chock-full of active safety technologies. Extra alerts and safeguard features are adapted into more range of driving scenarios to prevent any untoward incidents from happening. Among the notable features include a comprehensive Pre-Collision System that utilises radar and cameras to detect vehicles or obstacles; Lane Departure Alert with Lane Tracing Assist so you are always driving on the right track; and Dynamic Radar Cruise Control that has a ‘Stop and Go’ function to help maintain a safe distance to the vehicle in front of you and stopping and moving as necessary. Talk about prevention is better than cure!
For the ES 250 Luxury, you’ll get the added benefit of a Panoramic View Monitor. That means you have an all-round view that will make manoeuvering during parking a tad easier. On top of that, the See-Through View and Moving View allows the driver to ‘see’ around and from the top of the car so you have a better awareness of your surrounding areas.
And if anyone is counting, the Lexus ES series has up to 10 SRS airbags including side protection for the rear passengers along with the curtain shield airbags over the windows. You know what they say, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Its comforting support
Lexus also took three years to come up with the ideal seat for your comfort. The newly-designed seats feature flat cushion and raised side sections to ensure better body support. In the ES 250 Luxury, the seats are upholstered with semi-aniline leather while the ES 250 Premium comes with NuLuxe leather. The former has a 10-way power adjustment on the driver’s seat and eight for the front passenger while the latter comes with 8-way power adjustment for both front seats. Both classes are equipped with automatic internal ventilation in the seats. The rear passengers are not forgotten as there’s an increased legroom and headroom in the latest ES series. Riding in the ES 250 Luxury would mean you’re privy to other little luxuries such as climate control and sunshade position.
Its super smooth performance
Aside from passenger comfort, road performance and fuel efficiency take centre stage in the seventh generation Lexus ES. The front-wheel drive ES 250 Premium and ES250 Luxury are powered by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine, making 204 hp at 6,600 rpm and 247 Nm of torque at 5,000 rpm. Paired with the eight-speed Direct Shift automatic transmission, you can go from 0-100 km/h in 9.1 seconds and a top speed of 210 km/h. The eight-speed transmission’s ultra-thin torque converter and multi-plate lock-up clutch ensure more efficient power transfer to the front wheels so there’s better fuel efficiency too. With the AI Shift Control feature, the car intelligently shifts based on the road speed, throttle position and predicted driver intentions, hence a personalised experience each time whether you’re driving in normal, eco or sport mode.
Its nifty features
As all drivers should know by now, the eyes should always be on the road. Lexus encourages this with a driver-centric cockpit by locating the centre display screen and instrument panel all within the field of view. On the Luxury variant, a high-resolution display is projected on the windscreen so drivers can readily focus on objects in front of the car as well as vital information such as road and engine speed, gear position, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control status and Lane Tracing Assist warning. Additionally, the 12.3-inch wide display screen ensures you stay connected seamlessly with its crisp, easy-to-read graphics and revised menu.
The ES sedans are also fitted with push button engine start/stop system and Electronic Parking Brake with an Auto Hold function for easier starts on slopes. Both variants come with Pioneer sound system featuring 10 speakers for an immersive soundscape during any journey. Compatible smartphones also get the ease of Qi wireless charging in the centre console box of the ES 250 Luxury. Another smart feature is the hands-free powered boot—just one “kick” to open. Handy when you’re carrying all that shopping bags!
Lexus has done well in setting an industry standard to deliver quality, safety and satisfaction to drivers. The ES series captures all the big and small details of an exceptional driving experience. Both the ES 250 Luxury and Premium are available in seven exterior colours – Ice Ecru Mica Metallic, Sonic Quartz, Red Mica Crystal Shine, Graphite Black Glass Flake, Sonic Titanium, Platinum Silver Metallic and Deep Blue Mica, as well as two interior themes – Black and Topaz Brown.
The Lexus ES 250 Premium is priced at RM299,888 while the Lexus ES 250 Luxury is priced at RM332,888. For more information, visit Lexus.
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