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- Refined 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine
- High quality interior fit and finish
- Comfortable, compliant ride
- Quiet, well-insulated cabin
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- Limited rear seat legroom
- Rear seat doesn’t fold
- Uncomfortable centre rear seat
- Awkward foot-operated parking brake
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Review: Lexus XV20.I ES 300 (1996-99)
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Overview
Released in October 1996, the Lexus XV20 ES 300 was a mid-size sedan. Manufactured in Japan, the front-wheel drive Lexus XV20 ES 300 was powered by a 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine that was mated to a four-speed automatic transmission.
1MZ-FE Engine
The 3.0-litre 1MZ-FE V6 petrol engine had an aluminium block, aluminium alloy cylinder head, multiport fuel injection, double overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder and a compression ratio of 10.5:1. The electronically-controlled four-speed automatic transmission was Aisin-Warner’s A5411E unit.
Dimensions
Compared to the Lexus XV10 ES 300 , the XV20 ES was 60 mm longer (at 4840 mm), 10 mm wider (1790 mm), 5 mm taller (1395 mm) and had a 50 mm longer wheelbase (2670 mm); kerb weight was 1500 kg, while the drag coefficient was 0.29 Cd.
Suspension
The XV20 ES had MacPherson strut front suspension with lower L-arms and MacPherson strut rear suspension with dual transverse links. [su_table responsive=”yes”]
| Variant | Years | Engine | Trans. | Peak power | Peak torque |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S, LXS |
1996-99 | 3.0-litre petrol V6 (1MZ-FE) | 4sp auto | 149 kW at 5200 rpm | 290 Nm at 4400 rpm |
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Safety equipment
Standard safety equipment for the ES 300 included dual front airbags and ABS. From October 1997, front side airbags and front seatbelts with pretensioners and load limiters were also fitted as standard.
Brakes
The XV20 ES 300 had 275 mm by 28 mm vented front brake discs and 288 mm by 10 mm solid rear discs.
Features: ES 300 S and LXS
Standard features for the Lexus ES 300 S included 15-inch steel wheels with 205/65 R15 92V Bridgestone Potenza tyres, a seven speaker sound system with CD player, climate control air conditioning, cruise control, remote central locking, power windows and heated mirrors, tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment, illuminated vanity mirrors, reading lamps, tinted windows and an alarm.
The ES 300 LXS was further equipped with 15-inch alloy wheels, an in-dash six-stack CD player, leather upholstery, power adjustable front seats and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.
In October 1997, standard features were extended to include an engine immobiliser.
Review: Lexus XV20.II ES 300 (1999-01)
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Overview
Released in August 1999, the XV20 Series II (XV20.II) ES range consisted solely of the LXS variant as the S was discontinued. Visually, the XV20.II ES could be identified by its new radiator grille with a wider chrome surround, more aggressive front bumper with a larger aperture and integral fog lights, and clear-lens tail-lights.
Inside, changes included stainless steel scuff plates with the Lexus logo, three rear head restraints which were integrated into the rear seat and the availability of black leather trim (previously limited to Ivory and Sage colours).
Other developments included a new keyless entry system with the entry buttons integrated into the ignition key head (previously on a separate fob) and the security system was upgraded to include a lock on the rear-seat port which provided access to the boot.
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| Variant | Years | Engine | Trans. | Peak power | Peak torque |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LXS | 1999-01 | 3.0-litre petrol V6 (1MZ-FE) | 4sp auto | 149 kW at 5200 rpm | 290 Nm at 4400 rpm |
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Features: ES 300 LXS
Compared to its XV20.I predecessor, standard features for the XV20.II ES 300 LXS were extended to include an electrochromatic rear vision mirror.
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