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By: Derek Price
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Every
time I get behind the wheel of a Lexus, I think,
"This is how all cars will feel in 10 years."
It's not the technology that gives a Lexus the
ahead-of-its-time feel, nor is it the styling. Heck,
any company can install a few gizmos in a car and
call it luxury, and there are plenty of examples of
cars that look cutting-edge when they're born only
to look totally ridiculous when they age.
So what makes a Lexus so special? Perfection.
Every body panel, every piece of interior trim and
every component under the hood work in harmony to
make the driving experience blissful. It's smooth.
It's precise. It's refined.
That's why each new Lexus is so impressive. It's not
that they have a revolutionary body style or fancy
new gadgets, it's that they're closer to that
elusive automotive perfection than ever before.
Thus it is with the 2005 ES 330.
Last year's model was a great car -- probably the
smoothest, quietest vehicle in its class -- but the
newest version is slightly more polished.
For starters, the body is faintly different. It's
certainly not revolutionary, but the new grille,
headlights and taillights are a nice evolution of
Lexus' subtle luxury theme and make it look less
like the cheaper Toyota Camry.
It also has several new luxury features, like enhanced
seating comfort and adjustability, a new steering
wheel with integrated audio and central display
controls, voice activation for the available
navigation system, and satellite radio
compatibility. Again, the changes aren't earth
shaking, but they're enough to make the ES 330 a
better bargain and a more luxurious vehicle than
ever before.
Lexus also makes the car more appealing by adding
several choices for interior trim, including two
different types of wood -- burl walnut and golden
bird's eye maple. Combined with two new leather
colors, the ES 330 offers plenty of choices for the
cabin's look and feel.
The driving feel doesn't appear to have changed much
from 2004, and that's fine by me.
As always, the ES 330 feels perfectly smooth in every
respect, from the buttery suspension to the
oh-so-sweet engine/transmission combination. It has
enough power to be fun on twisty roads, but it also
shifts smooth enough to coddle passengers around
town.
Although its 3.3-liter V6 engine makes a robust 225
horsepower and 240 foot-pounds of torque, it still
manages to get 21 miles per gallon in town and 29
mpg on the highway according to government tests. It
also qualifies for Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle II
certification.
Lexus infused the ES 330 with luxury features similar
to the LS 430 flagship sedan, such as dual-zone
automatic climate control with an air filtration
system. The standard audio system in both models
features a five-channel amplifier and seven
speakers. The ES 330 includes both a CD player and a
cassette player, and Automatic Sound Level (ASL)
adjusts volume up or down in response to ambient
noise.
Like most Lexus models, it also offers an optional
high-end Mark Levinson audio system in combination
with a DVD-based navigation system.
Additional standard features include a one-touch power
moonroof with sunshade; multi-information display
with trip computer; a built-in garage door opener;
and a compass integrated into the rearview mirror.
The power windows on all four doors provide
one-touch up/down control with jam protection. Two
convenience features borrowed from the LS 430
include water-repellent front door glass and
four-door courtesy lamps that illuminate the ground
and doorsill areas.
All in all, it's hard to find anything to gripe about
in this car. Sure, the styling remains a little
bland and drivers could always use slightly more
horsepower, but the overall aura of perfection is
hard to beat.
Somehow, though, you can bank on Lexus finding a way to
raise the bar in the future.
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| Ratings: |
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Style: 7
Performance: 7
Price: 9
Handling: 9
Ride: 10
Comfort: 10
Quality: 10
Overall: 9
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| Why Buy
It: |
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It's probably the smoothest, quietest car in its
class, with a buttery driving feel and silent cabin. If
you're looking for perfection on wheels, it's hard to
beat the ES 330 at this price.
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| Why Avoid
It: |
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The styling still doesn't seem to say "luxury car."
Also, 225 horsepower is perfectly acceptable, but it
lacks the excess power that defines luxury for some
drivers.
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