The luxury sedan segment in India is majorly dominated by the manufacturers from Germany and England but somewhere we forget about the brand from the most advanced country in the world, Lexus. Lexus has launched the seventh generation of the ES 300h in India at a very competitive price.
Exteriors – The 2018 Lexus ES 300h has a very gorgeous silhouette and sharp styling. The body lines of the ES 300h look very grand and proportionate. The huge spindle grille on the front is very commanding. One may love the grille or completely hate it, but surely can’t ignore the grille. The headlight of the car looks like a piece of art that has been crafted by the masters itself. The sheer design continues to the rear of the car.
Interiors – The materials used on the inside are very exquisite and there is attention to detail in each and every part of the cabin. The controls are placed in a very user-friendly manner. The steering wheel tilts and the seat goes back to ease the in/out movement of the driver. The fit and finish of this car is marvellous. However, the switches of the power window are of inferior quality. The infotainment system on the car isn’t very user-friendly. Moreover, the trackpad and the layout of the menus consumes some time to get acquainted.
The upholstery of the car is designed to comfort your skin and to prevent unpleasant stickiness. The seats both at the front and rear are very well contoured and provides a colossal amount of comfort. The front seats of the car have a ventilation feature along with heating function but the seats at the rear get heating option only. There are audio controls on the rear centre arm rest. The 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system is very pleasant to the ear. The things that this car majorly misses out on are the Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Surprisingly the car comes with a spare full-size alloy wheel.
Performance – The 2018 Lexus ES 300h is powered by a 2.5-litre petrol engine which is combined with an electric motor. The combined power output of the ES 300h is 215 HP. The ES can be driven in the pure EV mode but only for a short range of distance and the hybrid powertrains kicks in as soon as the battery runs out of juice. However, the switch from electric to petrol motor is very smooth. The motor and engine are extremely refined and quiet, and the NVH level on this car is very impressive.
The power delivery of the ES 300h is linear and there is a good amount of punch. The ES comes mated with a 7-step eCVT transmission with paddle shifters but the rubber band effect is still felt. There are three engine modes – Normal, Sport and Eco. In Eco mode, the power delivery is laid back and some lag is felt when you press the throttle but in the Sport mode, the car comes to life and the engine is more responsive. The fuel efficiency of the car is around 14-15 km/l. The car does 0-100 km/hr in 8.9 seconds and the top speed is just 180 km/hr.
Driving Dynamics – The ride quality offered on ES 300h is very plush and the car glides over the potholes without breaking a sweat. The steering lacks feedback but it is light enough for city usage and it weighs up with an increase in speed. This luxury sedan is more of a comfortable laidback cruiser rather than a corner carver. The brakes on this car provide decent stopping power but lacks the initial bite.
Safety and After Sales Service – One shouldn’t doubt the reliability of Japanese cars and the ES 300h is no different. On the safety front, the car gets 10 airbags (driver, passenger, driver knee, passenger knee, front side, rear side, and curtain shield), ABS with EBD, Hill Start Assist, VSC, Active Cornering Assist and Tyre Pressure Monitoring System.
Verdict – The 2018 Lexus ES 300h is a very comfortable and well-built car. Despite being a CBU the price of the car is very competitive. If you are looking for a luxury sedan go for the Lexus ES 300h which has ticked all the boxes when compared with other European rivals. All things said, low running costs and Japanese reliability are the major USPs of the Lexus ES 300h.
