Because Japan has embraced mirrorless cars, the ES 300h is described by Lexus as the world’s first production car with Digital Side-View Monitors. Customers can also opt for traditional side mirrors, and truth be told, the Audi e-tron quattro does it better than Lexus as far as the design of the monitors is concerned.
Three trim levels are available at launch, and every single one of them combines the A25A-FXS four-cylinder engine with the Lexus Hybrid Drive. The ES 300h comes with front-wheel drive for some reason or other, and pricing starts at 5,800,000 yen. Being based on the TNGA-K vehicle architecture, the mid-size sedan is related to the Toyota Camry, Avalon, and RAV4.
Lexus Safety System+ also comes standard, which promises “the highest level of security” thanks to add-ons such as the forward-looking camera and millimeter-wave radar. The Digital Side-View Monitors, on the other hand, send video feed from the cameras that replace the mirrors to a pair of 5.0-inch monitors located at the base of the A-pillars.
4,975 millimeters long, the ES 300h features a battery beneath the rear seats, translating to a low center of gravity and no intrusion at all into the trunk. The F Sport is designed to add spicing to the mid-size sedan, be it the appearance or performance package.
19-inch alloys with low-profile tires, solenoid-type Adaptive Variable Suspension, sport seats, F-mesh pattern grille, and exclusive aluminum ornamentation serve as the highlights of the ES 300h F Sport. Even though the hybrid powertrain isn’t exactly thrilling in regard to performance, the 2.5-liter engine “achieves world-leading thermal efficiency.”
Combined with the hybrid transaxle, Lexus promises 23.4 kilometers per liter of gasoline according to the JC08 test cycle. Converted to European and American currency, make that 4.2 l/100 km and 56 mpg.
Over in the United States, the ES 300h is EPA-rated 44 miles per gallon on the combined cycle (43 mpg in the city, 45 mpg out on the highway). The ES 350 is an idea thirstier at 26 miles per gallon.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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