Lexus ES

Lexus, Toyota's luxury arm, is looking to muscle onto the turf of the Europeans. But, what bait does the ES 300h sedan dangle to tempt the spoiled-for-choice car buyer away from the competition? We take a quick spin to figure that out.

ES 300h, who? Right, so the ES is the second rung in Lexus' sedan line-up. It sits a rung below the GS, which is the direct competitor to the likes of BMW's 5 Series and Audi's A6. At the same time, it is too large to compete with the BMW 3 Series or Mercedes-Benz C-Class directly either. Interestingly, Lexus has a simple petrol engine variant of the ES, but they have chosen to introduce hybrids keeping global trends in mind. Just for your information, the Lexus lineup also has the IS range at the start and the LS right at the top. The all-new LS was showcased at Lexus' India debut in March and is expected to make its way here to compete with the likes of the Mercedes S-Class. Focus! Yes, the ES 300h! It looks striking, doesn't it? It’s like a cat that’s taking a nice stretch. Long and low, but just a bit curvy. Looking at it from the side you wouldn't think it is related to the understated Toyota Camry Hybrid, but it is. A 45mm longer wheelbase and the lower, sportier stance set it apart sufficiently. From the front, the Lexus language shouts at you and it surely isn't subtle. The large spindle grille harks back to Toyota's origins as a handloom...read more »