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The 40 mpg Cars of 2013

2008 Lexus ES

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Overview

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2008 Lexus ES Review

By KBB.com Editors

Completely redesigned for 2007, the fifth-generation ES 350 grew in size and status, gaining more elegant styling, a larger, more powerful engine and better overall packaging. Although this front-drive four-door still shares basic platform engineering with Toyota's best-selling Camry, the midsize ES 350, on top of its premium Lexus pedigree, offers numerous additional refinements to complement its superior ride comfort and cabin isolation. While these comprehensive upgrades have helped maintain the ES 350's position as the volume leader of the Lexus sedans, the largely unchanged 2008 version continues to face tough challenges from a formidable field of international competitors, including the Acura TL, Audi A6, Cadillac CTS, Infiniti G35, Lincoln MKZ and Saab 9-5.

You'll Like This Car If...

The ES 350 does an admirable job of defining the term "affordable luxury" as it applies to a premium midsize sedan. Offering a sophisticated driving environment, innovative design features, impressive build quality and well-proven Lexus dependability, its appeal remains strong to buyers seeking their own slice of the automotive good life.

You May Not Like This Car If...

Some buyers may find that even with its more evocative sheetmetal, the ES 350's appearance still remains a bit too conservative for their tastes. Those who demand a rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive configuration should consider alternatives like the Audi A6, BMW 528i, Cadillac CTS, Infiniti G35 or the new Mercedes-Benz C350.

What's New for 2008

Carrying over virtually intact from 2007, the ES 350 gets subtly revised exterior mirror housings and adds rear-seat reading lamps.

Driving the ES

Driving Impressions Smooth, quiet and impressively quick, the ES 350 excels in effortless cruising, across town or cross country, boasting sufficient power and responsiveness to master virtually any kind of traffic challenge....

Despite a comfort-tuned chassis, the ES 350 can still negotiate twisty roads with a fair bit of enthusiasm---accompanied by some expected body roll as you push more intensely into corners. The stability control system helps prevent surprises for those who exceed the grip limits of the ES 350's tires, and the four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes are quite capable, offering both Brake Assist (BA) and Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) to optimize their stopping potential under nearly any type of road conditions.

Favorite Features

SmartAccess Keyless Remote Entry/Starting
A standard that grows more appealing with each use, the SmartAccess system lets you lock and unlock the ES 350's doors or start and stop the engine with a simple push of a button -- while the key fob remains tucked away in your pocket or purse.

Optional Heated and Ventilated Front Seats
Available in conjunction with the Premium Plus Package, these leather-wrapped 10-way power seats add all-season appeal by providing three levels of warming when it's cold outside or three stages of cooling air flow to help beat the summer heat.

2008 Lexus ES Details

Interior

Subtle but meaningful details add even more appeal to the cabin of the latest-generation ES Series. In front are supportive 10-way power seats, and the 60/40 split-folding rear bench seat has the head and leg room to accommodate two average adults or three kids and makes the 14.7 cubic feet of trunk capacity even more usable. Real walnut or maple accents add richness to an already well-appointed interior, whether paired with standard cloth or optional leather. There's fundamental user-friendliness in the basic control and switchgear layouts, although the white-on-black electroluminescent main gauges are better in bright-sun legibility than the center stack displays for the radio, air conditioning or available navigation system.

Exterior

The ES 350's bodywork embraces the division's L-Finesse styling cues to impart the kind of bolder, more contemporary flair that many found lacking in its predecessor. Rising front quarters team with a flowing roofline, short deck and pronounced shoulder ridges to give this Lexus four-door a mild wedge shape that splits the visual difference between the edgier IS and the more conservative LS sedans. Despite its sleek profile, the ES 350's ample greenhouse still provides the driver with relatively good sightlines in all directions. Accenting the look are projector-beam headlights, wraparound rear lamps and a choice of 215/55 all-season or performance "summer" tires on 17-inch alloy wheels.

Notable Equipment

Standard Equipment

Although offered in just one trim level, the ES 350's aspirational character is well reinforced by a full range of creature comforts. Heading the list are power assists for the windows, locks and mirrors, 10-way power seats, tilt and telescoping steering column and power moonroof. Other highlights include SmartAccess keyless entry with push-button starting, cruise control, a driver information system and premium eight-speaker audio package with an in-dash six-disc CD-changer, MP3/iPod capability and speed-compensating Automatic Sound Leveler circuitry. Key vehicle dynamic assists include stability and traction controls plus enhanced four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes. The ES 350 also is fitted with front, front-side, side-curtain and driver and passenger knee airbags.

Optional Equipment

Personalizing the ES 350 can be done with both "stackable" packages and individual extras. The Premium Package includes leather upholstery and various supplemental memory functions, while the Premium Plus Package adds even more comfort touches, including heated and ventilated front seats and a voice-command GPS navigation system. One step up, the Ultra Luxury Package brings the Panorama glass roof, corner-following bi-xenon headlamps, rear-seat side airbags and numerous other creature comforts. Stand-alone options include the navigation system -- with or without a 14-speaker Mark Levinson premium Surround Sound audio setup -- Pre-Collision system with distance-sensing Dynamic Radar Cruise Control and XM Satellite Radio.

Under the Hood

Motivation for the ES 350 comes from an all-aluminum 3.5-liter V6 that turns out 272 horsepower and 254 pound-feet of torque. Fitted with continuously variable valve timing that helps optimize its low and mid-range response, and backed by a computer-controlled six-speed automatic transmission, this free-revving engine hustles the ES 350 from zero to 60 miles per hour in about seven seconds. It also generates EPA fuel economy numbers of 19 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway, figures that are slightly better than most of its current competitors. As a further enticement, the well-proven reliability of this potent powertrain is reinforced by a supplemental six-year/70,000-mile warranty.

3.5-liter V6
272 horsepower @ 6200 rpm
254 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4700 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 19/27

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2008 Lexus ES Consumer Reviews

Overall Rating

8.8

Out of 10

Based on 157 Ratings for the 2007 - 2012 models.

Review this car

Value

8.9/10

Quality

9.0/10
Reliability

9.2/10

Performance

9.0/10
Comfort

9.1/10

Styling

9.0/10

Best car I have ever owned.

By Lefty936 (MI) on Tuesday, May 21, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 95,000

10 9.0

overall rating 9 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 9/10
Value: 8/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 9/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "Great driver and very comfortable."

Cons: "There are no cons."

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"This car still runs and drives like when it was new. It has all the bells and whistles and I' really hesitant to sell it but we have three cars and it is more than we need. Very comfortable to drive and runs like it did coming off the showroom floor."

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An excellent car overall.

By Carlton (GA) on Friday, May 10, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 120,000

10 9.0

overall rating 9 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 9/10
Value: 8/10
Reliability: 8/10
Quality: 9/10
Performance: 6/10
Styling: 6/10
Comfort: 7/10

Pros: "Reliable, Decently Fun, Good Looking, Well Made"

Cons: "Some controls are hard to get to, low headroom"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 8

"I've owned this car for about 2 years. My overall satisfaction is very high and I have not had any major mechanical issues. The seats are comfortable but supportive. You don't feel like you are sinking into an abyss, which allows you to have a more connected feel to the job of driving in my opinion. I am tall and headroom is a bit tight, but lowering the seat as far as it will go and leaning it back slightly was fine. I still have to clean my hair out of the headliner though. The seat cooler works but is not overpowering. At times it might not seem like it is even on, really. Lexus service is generally okay. I've put 100k of the 120k miles on my car and I can tell you maintenance by the mileage schedule for me has been terribly expensive. You really get a lot of car in a 2007, but try to look for a slightly newer model. The 2007 has a couple of frustrating "qualities" about it. For one, they redesigned the center console in later years. The one in the 2007 opens with a button on the top front of the console and it is easy to hit that accidentally. Additionally it does not open as wide as newer ones do. Driving a loaner car while mine was being serviced was eye opening in that regard. The seat heater/cooler switches are also located in a spot where I personally have to lean forward and bend my entire body while looking down and away from the road to see if they are turned on or not. After a while I got the hang of how the roller switches feel and it was okay, but this seems counterintuitive for a feature you should just be able to see. Also, the 2007 cruise control indicator is a little spartan. It doesn't indicate it is actually set, just that the system is on. That sounds small and simple but it is better on slightly newer versions of the ES. I've also had issues that have come and gone with the air conditioner blower. No idea what, but it stopped acting up on its own. I can't remember what they call the feature that makes the headlights move based on whether you are turning or going up/down hills, but that alone makes me hate driving any other car. I will definitely need that feature on whatever car I choose to buy in the future. If you have never owned a Lexus before and wonder how it compares to other brands, I would first point out that you need to be aware of what you really want. The ES is not a race car and it is also not intended to be the most posh luxury sedan either. But if you are looking at optimizing the fully loaded cost of owning a car and getting something reliable, this one is not a bad choice for several reasons. Not to diminish any other brand, but the way I look at it, the quality of a 2007 ES 350 makes any Honda look and feel like a cheap toy and the reliability makes it seem foolish to pay for a BMW. You get style, comfort and quality for a fair price with no major repairs for a long, long time. From a performance perspective, the 2007 ES 350 is okay. The engine pulls nice and strong but it is connected via a transmission that really just wants to take it easy. You can drop it into that pseudo manual mode and control it to some extent, but the fact is this is not a race car. Yeah, you can pull 100 on the freeway and not even know it, so it isn't completely inept. It is a front wheel drive car so you go into it knowing your steering control is affected by that. It's not like a Honda by any means, but it is still affected. In all, it is a smooth and comfortable ride with mild performance characteristics that will probably tone down your desire to get crazy. You won't get overly tired and might consider driving rather than flying on some of those long trips. I've been to Florida several times and trips to DC as well. One last thing. Mine is black. It would be worth it to get one of those clear 3M paint protection coatings put on the front bumper and hood area. Mine looks like it has been sand blasted so it has nice white spots all over the front of it that I need to get repaired."

6 people out of 6 found this review helpful

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After 5 straight Nissans, I tried a Lexus.

By Barb (NJ) on Wednesday, May 01, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 47,000

10 10.0

overall rating 10 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 10/10

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"Great car. Fun to drive. Smooth and reliable. The only complaint I have is the sound system is not as good as Bose systems I was used to with Maxima and Infiniti."

1 person out of 1 found this review helpful

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powerful, fits like a glove, good MPGs, reliable

By Tinker (MS) on Friday, April 19, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 47,000

10 10.0

overall rating 10 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 10/10
Value: Not Rated
Reliability: Not Rated
Quality: Not Rated
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "turn by turn navigation, panaramic view"

Cons: "zero"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"absolutely wonderful car: comfort,luxury intelligence and zero problems. It is very quite and the ride is like gliding. Navigation system panaramoic view makes you feel very open. This is the nicest vehicle for anyone. You won.t have any problems and I love the rain sensing wipers. The car takes care of you and I find it can be smarter than me at times. It is push button start and won't let you lock yourself out."

2 people out of 2 found this review helpful

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Absolutely Great Car!!

By PBP (AZ) on Saturday, February 23, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 35,000

10 9.0

overall rating 9 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 9/10
Value: 7/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 9/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 9/10
Comfort: 9/10

Pros: "Comfortable, smooth ride with some pickup"

Cons: "Seats a little hard and maintenance is costly"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 9

"The Lexus drives very smoothly and has a lot of pickup. The steering is great and the ride is so smooth it is hard to keep the speed at the speed limit. Everyone loves to drive it. Only complaint is that the seats are a little hard - probably due to the heating/cooling ventilation system. The repairs are also a little expensive. I had to have the steering system fluid changed and the car only had 33,000 miles. It was not covered by the Resale Warranty Program."

6 people out of 6 found this review helpful

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Best Vehicle Ever

By JW (FL) on Saturday, October 20, 2012

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 100,000

10 10.0

overall rating 10 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "Fun to drive, great performance and gas mileage"

Cons: "Non"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"This car rides and handles so well. Even after being on the road all day I am not worn out. The performance is outstanding, I have only replaced the tires and the battery. I have not had any transmission or engine probelms. This is my second Lexus and I will always drive a Lexus."

12 people out of 12 found this review helpful

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See all 157 reviews