2023 Lexus ES350 Luxury Review

The Lexus ES is called a turning point in the history of the midsize luxury sedan segment.

This is because it introduced reliability in the class, combined with high power, refinement, and sophistication. It won over the buyers who were previously only wooed by European luxury cars.

The ES is offered in two non-hybrid powertrains, with the more athletic one being the ES350. One of its top trim levels is the highly popular Luxury model.

The following is a review of its latest version, the 2023 ES350 Luxury:

Features

The 2023 Lexus ES350 Luxury belongs to the seventh generation of Lexus’s legendary midsize premium sports sedan. It debuted in 2018 and was facelifted in 2021.
The ES offers three powertrains – two non-hybrid (ES250 and ES350) and a hybrid model (ES350h). The ES350 is the most powerful and the snippiest of the three.

Meanwhile, the Luxury trim is one of the five variants offered and is just below the top-of-the-line Ultra Luxury trim.

This year’s model sees some changes to the interior options.

Powertrain and Numbers

The 2023 ES350 Luxury features a 3.5-liter V6 that makes 302 horsepower and 267 pound-feet. This is sent to the front wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
Kelly Blue Book described it as “highly refined”.

The 2023 ES350 is able to achieve a 0-60 mph time of just 6 seconds, putting it amongst the top dogs in the class. Testers have also noted how smooth and refined it is.

According to Cars.com, the ES350 “accelerates with refined smoothness from its silky [engine]”.

Consumer Reports also stated that it “accelerates smoothly, and [the] shifts are hardly noticeable.”

Despite the power output and acceleration, the ES350 Luxury gets a good rating from the EPA for its fuel economy. It can do up to 22 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway.

If you want more, you can opt for the 2023 ES Hybrid; it does up to 43 mpg city; 44 highway.

Interior and Technology

The 2023 ES Luxury is as luxurious and elegant as it gets. US News stated that it has an ‘impressive, upscale interior built with high-quality materials.’

Consumer Reports seems to agree, showering praise on the car for its material quality and aestheticism:

‘The high-quality interior features plenty of soft-touch leather surfaces, and its attractive interior design adds warmth.’

Not only does it look great, but it’s superbly comfortable, mainly due to its spacious accommodations for all five passengers:

‘Both rows offer ample legroom for even the tallest passengers, and the seats provide comfortable support,’ as noted by Car and Driver.

You can expect your ES350 Luxury to provide 13.9 cubic feet of trunk space. It features a wide trunk with a narrow pass-through to accommodate longer items.

The ES350 Luxury comes with a quilted and perforated semi-aniline leather-trimmed interior, wood trim with ambient lighting, and a wooden steering wheel.

The interior trim options offered on the 2023 ES350 Luxury are as follows:

• Black semi-aniline leather with Open-Pore Black trim
• Acorn semi-aniline leather with Open-Pore Black trim
• Macadamia semi-aniline leather with Ash Bamboo trim
• Palomino semi-aniline leather with Open-Pore Brown Walnut trim

For technology, you’ll enjoy dual-zone climate control, push-button ignition, a powered moonroof, and wireless phone charging. Additionally, the car boasts 14-way power-adjustable front seats that are heated and ventilated, with memory settings. The driver also benefits from a powered cushion extender.

There’s also an 8-inch touchscreen, a 10-speaker stereo, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, Bluetooth, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. Several USB ports and power outlets are included for your convenience.

You’ll also appreciate a range of safety features, including automated emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-departure warning with lane-keep assistance, and a backup camera. Other notable features include blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alerts, parking assists, and adaptive cruise control.”

Exterior and Driving

On the outside, the stylish body of the 2023 ES350 Luxury is complemented by Bi-LED headlamps, LED tail lamps and DRLs. You also get rain-sensing windshield wipers, 18-inch alloys, and a power moonroof.

The following are the exterior colors offered on the 2023 Lexus ES350 Luxury:

Reliability and Warranty

According to JD Power, the 2023 Lexus ES models get a score of 87 out of 100 in predicted reliability and have been ranked atop the list of midsize luxury sedans.

Similarly, Consumer Reports expects it to be “more reliable than the average”.

Lexus offers excellent coverage, so you’ll get a limited warranty of 4 years/50k miles, a powertrain warranty of 6 years/70k miles, and complimentary maintenance for 1 year/10k miles.

Verdict

The 2023 Lexus ES350 Luxury is an all-rounder vehicle then. It is powerful, quick, and fuel-efficient. The engine and transmission are smooth, and the driving dynamics are excellent.

It also looks stellar on the outside and inside, with the former making it stand out anywhere you go. The cabin is adorned with the finest materials on the planet and is very comfortable.

It is also more reliable than its competition and should serve you for generations. Lastly, Lexus gives you the best warranty in the class plus complimentary maintenance for a limited time.

To get the 2023 Lexus ES350 Luxury in Mason OH, Morrow OH, and Loveland OH, check out Performance Lexus here.