2007 Lexus ES350 interior review: You will be suprised!

[pagemaster]

Sat inside the new ES350 today. Not really impressed with where Lexus is going on the interior of this car. I don't like the door panel at all and the dash is kind of boring. Switches and buttons don't feel all that impressive and the interior design just didnt do it when seen in person. Granted this ES350 was the base trim. Even the wood felt cheap.

I sat in the LX470 new for 2006 and the interior is much nicer than the ES350 and why I bring it up is because the LX seems to not have any cost cutting inside.

For some reason you really start to notice the cost cutting in the ES350, the centre console was very week and could be moved very easily.

This leads me to wonder why not put the ES on the Avalon platform. I know the Avalon is similar to the Camry but I don't know why but the Avalon seems to be the nicer buy.

*** out of *****

[mgescuro]

Yup. That's pretty much what I notcied from teh pictures alone. Cheap gate shifter, even when chromed. Rubber patch for a footrest.

I think Lexus is just going for volume.. and trying to fool people into thinking the ES is a luxury car.

[pagemaster]

I think Lexus is just going for volume.. and trying to fool people into thinking the ES is a luxury car.

What I really noticed was the difference between the LX and the ES. I know they are totally different vehicles but the LX had all the little details covered which is what I was expecting from the ES.

overall the materials of the ES seem nice and the execution seems well thought out as it was all the little details that make the GX, LS and SC all stand out.

[grumbles]

huh what

looks extremely high quality to me, especially for a car that starts just over $30k

It certainly looks like a luxury car to me. And I can tell you right now, the engine and transmission are not only smooth, but whisper quiet also.

I don't think Lexus is trying to fool anyone.

[megeebee]

Originally Posted by pagemaster

This leads me to wonder why not put the ES on the Avalon platform. I know the Avalon is similar to the Camry but I don't know why but the Avalon seems to be the nicer buy.

*** out of *****

The ES IS on the Avalon platform, technically. That is because the Avalon is built on the Camry platform. The other Toyota/ Lexus that share this platform are: The Highlander and the RX 330.

[Bravada]

looks extremely high quality to me, especially for a car that starts just over $30k

These are promo pics. Each and every car looks great in promo pics (with the exception of GM's promo pics that is). There were real-life pics of the ES posted here and they exposed the naked truth about it. Besides, even best pics won't hide a poor design, and this is one. Avalon or even Camry are better designs than this thing.

[grumbles]

Originally Posted by Bravada

These are promo pics. Each and every car looks great in promo pics (with the exception of GM's promo pics that is). There were real-life pics of the ES posted here and they exposed the naked truth about it. Besides, even best pics won't hide a poor design, and this is one. Avalon or even Camry are better designs than this thing.

I'm not really seeing how it's a poor design.

Maybe you could elaborate a bit?

[Quickening]

Well, the doors stick out like a sore thumb. THere are no variations or contrasts. You have black plastic up top and cream/tan on the bottom. And you have the well over done, arch from rear door to front door. But the tan part seems rather large with no variation making it look very boring. No details at all.

[BMW FAN]

I sat in a fully loaded ES 350 and it was awesome! Much better than most cars. The quality was nice and everything felt good and glowed.

[Bravada]

I'm not really seeing how it's a poor design.

Maybe you could elaborate a bit?

The doors, especially the rear, are as cheap-looking as can get (Even if they are made of fine silk combined with Corinthian leather and platinum or whatever, the design is cheap). The central console is a poor-taste pun on Gotham city. What is in front of the (front) passenger does not really deserve recognition.

In general, it is not an apalling car, it is no Malibu. It is an OK design. It would have been OK, or even very good on a Hyundai Azera or Sonata. But it's a far cry from the supposed Lexus territory. Any Volvo, BMW or even Audi (some of whose interiors are really dated now) is much more sophisticated and better detailed than this one.

I sat in a fully loaded ES 350 and it was awesome! Much better than most cars. The quality was nice and everything felt good and glowed.

I know a few people who glow and I wouldn't call them sophisticated or upscale.



In the wood thread you can hear some praise for Jaguar for not making their wood glow.

[giagastormer]

I have yet to sit in a ES350 yet, but at the autoshow in January I sat in a ES330 and was blown away, the quality, and details were most def there.

[Bravada]

That's because the ES330 is actually a better design. More dated, but better.



Let's forget about the way the door decals don't meet their dashboard counterparts, that's (legendary Lexus) build quality, not design. Same applies to materials, whichever shiny wood you prefer.

The few details that just do it all:
* side vents
* the way handles, speakers and buttonry are integrated into door decals
* more integrated and simply nicer central console (even in spite of the Nav buttonry)
* nicer steering wheel - this design went on to the new Camry and Avalon
* much more interesting view for the front passenger (the fabulous vistas of fake wood, still more interesting than sea of dark plastic)
* tan reaching far higher than in the ES 350

Looking for the above pics, I realized how the good old Window is so much more appealing than the new ES. Toyota made a big step back.










GM should attack Toyota now that they are having a moment of weakness. The problem is that GM keeps their secret weapon against this ES350 on the wrong side of the ocean.

[griswold44]

Originally Posted by Bravada

* much more interesting view for the front passenger (the fabulous vistas of fake wood, still more interesting than sea of dark plastic)

The ES330 wood was 100% real.

[Bravada]

Whatever, I still don't distinguish between them, I distinugish between varnished and matte, and between patterns, and this was "standard wood", nothing to write home about, nice and that's enough. I WANT THE OLD WINDOM BACK. Or perhaps not. I want GM to succeed

[pagemaster]

have yet to sit in a ES350 yet, but at the autoshow in January I sat in a ES330 and was blown away, the quality, and details were most def there.

I have to agree. The older ES330 interior is much nicer and more detailed design. The new ES350 door panels really sucked.

I used the LX comparison because that is an older design that is still really nice and uses the best materials.

Overall the new ES350 interior seems to that it is trying to hard to impress with style.