Star-Telegram.com's view

Launched as an afterthought when Toyota’s luxury brand arrived in 1989, the original ES — then called the ES 250 — was too small for American consumers and didn’t catch on right away.

Toyota announced plans for just the flagship LS 400 sedan first, but dealers clamored for a second vehicle, telling company officials that one vehicle wasn’t enough to offer consumers at their fancy new Lexus stores.

So Toyota quickly developed a second, smaller sedan, the 2.5-liter V-6 powered ES 250, from a vehicle it had been selling in Japan. Japanese consumers, as a group, are smaller than Americans, though, so the ES was a tight fit for many Americans. It initially was targeted to female consumers, who generally are smaller than men, so the size of the car wasn’t thought to be a real problem.

But it was. Consumers liked the idea of the ES, but complained about its cramped interior. So rather quickly, Toyota developed a successor to the ES 250, called the ES 300, based on the chassis of the Toyota Camry.

Since its arrival in fall 1991 with a roomier interior and a 3.0-liter V-6 engine, the ES has been the best-seller in the Lexus sedan lineup.

A third generation was introduced in September 1996, then the fourth generation in September 2001. That one got a new, larger engine — a 3.3-liter V-6 — in September 2003, which also brought about a name change reflecting the size of the engine. The car became the ES 330.

As the ES has been based on the Camry, generational changes have followed the same schedule as those of the Camry. So for 2007, we have the newest generation of the baby Lexus, with an even larger engine — a 3.5-liter V-6 — and another new name: ES 350.

The completely redesigned ES went on sale in late April, following the launch of the redesigned 2007 Camry in early March.

And if you thought the ES 330 was a great vehicle, wait until you get a look at this one. It’s the best ES yet, thanks to Lexus’ relentless pursuit of perfection, and it offers some really cool features, including an optional panoramic sunroof that comes close to creating a hardtop convertible out of a sedan.

The new has a wheelbase that is more than two inches longer than that of the 2006 model, and the track is more than an inch wider, which should improve roadhandling and stability.

Lexus says the car’s longer hood and shorter rear deck represent the brand’s new “L-finesse” design theme, “recalling classic sports-car proportions with a contemporary look unique to all new-generation Lexus sedans.”

This arrangement also provides more room inside, which gives the car increased rear leg room, along with more space for the driver and front passenger.

Still the most popular Lexus sedan, the new ES comes with a base price of $33,170, and features improvement over the previous model in every aspect — including comfort, safety, performance and craftsmanship, Lexus says.

In fact, the ES has evolved to where it’s better than the more expensive LS model that came out in 1989.

“We believe the new ES 350 is better in virtually every way than our original LS flagship sedan,” said Bob Carter, Lexus group vice president and general manager.

“It’s faster, more powerful and quieter than the vehicle that redefined the prestige luxury segment in the early 1990s.”

Under the hood is that new 3.5-liter engine, which, as in the past, is also shared with the Camry. It’s rated at 272 horsepower and 254 foot-pounds of torque, quite an increase from the 225 horsepower and 240 foot-pounds of torque in the 2006 ES 330.

The dramatic increase was a marketing necessity, considering that the ES sedan’s biggest competitors, the Acura TL, Cadillac CTS and Infiniti G35, already had considerably more power than the ES 330.

The CTS is offered in a 400-horsepower high-performance version, but its midlevel 3.6-liter V-6 — at 255 horsepower — now ranks below the ES 350.

The G35 is still the leader among the V-6 engines, with 280 horsepower in automatic-transmission models and 298 in manual-gearbox versions. The TL is now in third place among these four, with 258 horsepower. (The base model of the CTS, however, has a 2.8-liter V-6 with just 210 horsepower.)

The ES 350 is the only one of the four that does not offer a manual gearbox. Lexus has no plans for a manual in the ES because the car is aimed primarily at women, who generally prefer automatic transmissions. The rear-drive Lexus IS sedan line, which is aimed at the mostly male enthusiast crowd, offers a manual gearbox in its IS 250 model.

Having been derived from the Camry, the ES 350 comes with front-wheel drive.

With its six-speed automatic transmission, the car can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds. Yet it offers commendable fuel economy ratings of 21 miles per gallon in the city and 30 mpg on the highway. You won’t get that kind of economy if you’re trying constantly to achieve the best zero-to-60 times, however.

Lexus says that the ES 350’s electronic sequential fuel injection “optimizes the fuel mixture” to give improved power and fuel economy, as well as to reduce tailpipe emissions.

Standard safety features include four-wheel antilock disc brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution; electronic stability and traction control; and eight air bags, including side curtain bags for front and rear passengers. Optional are rear seat-mounted side air bags. Knee air bags are new for 2007, and are in place for both the driver and front passenger.

Other new features include front side windows with a water-repellant surface to help keep rain from obscuring vision; a rear backup camera as part of the optional satellite navigation system; and “intelligent” adaptive front lighting, which moves the headlights slightly into the direction of the car’s turn.

Luxury amenities abound, as befitting of a Lexus vehicle. Included are keyless entry and start with pushbutton ignition; dual-zone automatic climate control; 10-way power front seats; auto-dimming rearview mirror with digital compass; power/heated outside mirrors; sliding center console; power tilt/telescopic steering column; one-touch power moon roof; power windows with express up and down feature for the front doors; and an illuminated entry system that includes exterior “puddle” lamps and interior cabin footwell lights.

Cloth upholstery is standard, but two leather seating surface upgrades are offered, including extra-soft perforated leather. The car has premium wood, polished metal and leather interior trim. On the steering wheel are controls for the audio system, trip computer and multi-information display, as well as a switch for the optional Bluetooth hands-free phone system and the navigation system.

Other standard features include a universal garage/gate opener, and an in-dash, six-disc CD-changer with MP3/WMA playback and a jack for connection of an external MP3 player or iPod connectivity.

Optional is the newest generation of the Mark Levinson premium 5.1 Surround Sound audio system with 14 speakers and 300 watts of power.

The navigation system, with a DVD database, offers eight million points of interest, Lexus says. One of the most stunning features is the available two-section glass roof, which extends over almost the entire passenger cabin. The front section is the largest, and is the only one that opens. Options include radar-based adaptive cruise control, rain-sensing front wipers, and a parking-assist system that warns the driver when the car gets too close to an object.

The new ES also has a stainless-steel dual exhaust system.

Fast facts: 2007 Lexus ES 350
What’s new: The former ES 330 has been completely redesigned for 2007 with new styling and substantially more power; the name has changed to reflect the larger engine size.
The basics: Four-door entry-luxury sedan with seating for five.
Under the hood: A 3.5-liter V-6 engine with 272 horsepower and 254 foot-pounds of torque, connected to a six-speed automatic transmission.
Performance: Zero to 60 mpg in 6.8 seconds.
Notable features: Roomier interior, keyless entry and start, available navigation system with rear backup camera, optional panoramic sun roof.
EPA fuel economy: 19 mpg city/30 highway; 25 mpg combined.
Base price: $33,170 plus freight and options.
Availability: On sale now.

G. Chambers Williams III is staff automotive columnist for the San Antonio Express-News and former transportation writer for the Star-Telegram. His automotive columns have appeared regularly in the Star-Telegram since 1995. Contact him at (210) 250-3236; chambers@star-telegram.com.