The ES 350 is Lexus’ front-wheel-drive midsize luxury sedan. It seats up to five people, and in keeping with Lexus’ naming conventions, the numeric portion of the ES name reflects the engine size, a 3.5-liter V-6 engine. The ES 350 competes with the Acura TL and Lincoln MKZ.
A limited-edition Touring Edition debuts for 2012. It features 17-inch wheels, a full-size spare tire, wood and leather accents for the steering wheel and shifter, heated and ventilated front seats, a navigation system and leather seats. Lexus is limiting production to 2,000 copies.
Smooth, flowing lines define the ES 350’s exterior, which is free of body cladding. Exterior features include:
- Standard moonroof
- Standard 17-inch alloy wheels
- Available 10-spoke wheels with Liquid Graphite finish
- Standard dual exhaust tips
- Standard rain-sensing windshield wipers
- Available panoramic glass roof
Safety Connect, a subscription-based communication system, is standard, and the available navigation system includes the Lexus Enform concierge service and Bluetooth phonebook download. Interior features include:
- Leather upholstery
- Push-button start
- Dual-zone automatic climate control
- 10-way power-adjustable front seats
- Available 14-speaker Mark Levinson stereo with iPod, USB connectivity
- Available navigation system with backup camera
The ES 350’s 3.5-liter V-6 drives the front wheels through an automatic transmission. Mechanical features include:
- 268-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 makes 248 pounds-feet of torque
- Runs on regular gas
- Six-speed automatic transmission with clutchless-manual mode
An available Adaptive Front Lighting System allows the headlights to swivel when rounding curves. Safety features include:
- All-disc antilock brakes
- Traction control
- Electronic stability system
- Driver and front passenger knee airbags
- Side curtain airbags
- Side-impact airbags for the front and outboard rear seats
- Available Pre-Collision System