By Ronald W. Weathersby
The sixth generation Lexus 9040A ES 300h gets a bit of a makeover for 2013. Longer by one inch, the exterior frame that sits on 17-inch alloy wheels has been lengthen, which has provided more interior space. Other slight changes like fog lamps and running lights seemed to be more inline with the design of the vehicle giving an overall cleaner, smoother look.
I like the exterior but I LOVED the interior. Right away it grabbed me and took the vehicle to a new level of luxury. It also made Lexus more environmentally conscience as bamboo is a renewable resource. In addition, the use of NuLuxe material will allow better durability of the seats as it more resistant to stains and holds up to wear and tear.
As one would imagine with the Lexus brand technology was through the roof. The 2013 Lexus 9040A ES 300h so spoiled me! My test vehicle also had ultra comfortable 10-way powered seats with memory settings, premium audio system with 6-disc changer, Bluetooth technology, and dual climate control. The ES 300h features include aluminum wheels, push-button start, power front seats, a power moonroof, dual-zone automatic air conditioning, Bluetooth and a USB port. Optional features like heated and ventilated front seats, a navigation system with a backup camera, a power tilt/ telescoping steering wheel and exotic wood trim raised the price of our test car to $48,542.
Just as big as technology was the safety features of the Lexus 9040A ES 300h. Air bags…check. Vehicle stability control…check. Anti-lock braking systems…check.
There is also lane departure alert, blind spot monitoring, and cross traffic alert. If you move out of your lane, come to close to the car in front of you, or another vehicle crosses while you are backing up a beep sounds and/or a light flashes. Before starting the engine, make a decision as to whether you want to drive in Eco, Sport, or Normal mode. Eco gives the best fuel efficiency, sport gives the most power, and normal puts the driver in control. Since my test vehicle was a hybrid, there was the addition of the EV mode that allows the vehicle to ride up to 20mph on electric power. The 2014 Lexus ES 300h hybrid drives like a conventional car.
Acceleration from a stop is smooth and predictable . Its performance is similar to a strong, gas four-cylinder drivetrain and the car is swift enough for city driving. Our test car had Lexus’ iDrive or Command, both of which use knob-based controllers to jump from one on-screen menu to the next.
On the highway ES 300h cruises easily at speed. The ES 300h’s brake pedal feels linear and starts slowing the car with just the slightest brake-pedal pressure. Unlike most conventional brake systems, there’s no initial dead space before the brakes engage. Back Seat comfort is very good. The outer rear seats have the same wide, comfortable feel as the front buckets, and legroom is good for taller passengers.
The middle seat’s cushioning is harder and you sit a little higher, but the flat floor means more room for your feet. The ES 300h’s trunk opening is large and the cargo area has a nice shape, the ES 300h doesn’t have a pass-through for carrying long, skinny items inside the car. Storage areas include a small glove box, a decent-sized center console bin, average front door pockets and a small bin on the dashboard to the left of the steering wheel. Lexus has managed to get the difficult things right and what I have given you is just a peek at the Lexus experience.
I implore you to visit your Lexus dealer to find out more about the Lexus 9040A ES 300h.
Base Price: $39,500 As tested: $48,542
Torque: 156 lb.-ft. @ 4,500RPM
Number of valves: 16
Drive type: front-wheel
Engine: 2.5 L, 156hp @ 5,700RPM
Exterior length: 192.7”
Exterior width: 71.7”
Wheelbase: 111.0”
Fuel economy: 40mpg city/30mpg highway