Review: Lexus XV60 ES (2013-18)

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• For ES 300h, refined and fuel-efficient powertrain
• For ES 350, refined and powerful V6 engine
• Comfortable, compliant ride
• Quiet, well-insulated cabin
• Spacious interior

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• Not an engaging drive
• Some cheap interior trim
• Reduced boot space for hybrid

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Review: Lexus XV60.I ES (2013-15)

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Overview

Released in November 2013, the Lexus XV60 Series I (XV60.I) ES was a large, front-wheel drive sedan. Manufactured in Miyawaka, Japan, the Lexus XV60 ES range consisted of the ES 300h and ES 350 models, the drivetrains of which were shared with the Toyota XV50 Camry Hybrid and XV50 Aurion , respectively.

Powertrains

Of the powertrains,

• For the ES 300h, the Hybrid Synergy Drive combined a 2.5-litre petrol engine with a 650 volt permanent magnet electric motor. Specifically, the 2.5-litre 2AR-FXE Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder petrol engine had double overhead camshafts, variable intake and exhaust camshaft timing (‘dual VVT-i’), an acoustically controlled induction system (ACIS), roller rocker arms and a compression ratio of 12.5:1. Of the two electric motors, the first motor (MG1) acted primarily as a generator and was driven by the petrol engine to generate electricity to charge the battery; the second motor (MG2) acted as the electric drive motor, but could also act as a generator during regenerative braking; and,
• The ES 350 was powered by a 3.5-litre 2GR-FE V6 petrol engine which had double overhead camshafts (per cylinder bank), four valves per cylinder, variable intake and exhaust camshaft timing, and a compression ratio of 10.8:1. Furthermore, the 2GR-FE engine was mounted on four active control engine mounts – featuring a vacuum-controlled membrane – which acted to suppress noise and vibration at engine speeds below 900 rpm.

Both the ES 300h and ES 350 models had three selectable drive modes – ECO, Sport and Normal – which varied the electric power steering assistance, throttle response and air conditioning systems; the ES 300h also had an EV (Electric Vehicle) mode which used the hybrid battery pack to drive the vehicle at speeds of up to 45 km/h.

Dimensions

Compared to the rear-wheel drive Lexus L10 GS , the XV60 ES was 52 mm longer (at 4900 mm), 20 mm narrower (1820 mm), 5 mm lower (1450 mm) and had a 30 mm shorter wheelbase (2820 mm); the drag coefficient was 0.27 Cd. Boot capacity for the ES 350 was 490 litres, though this decreased to 425 litres for the ES 300h due to its nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH) battery pack.

Suspension

In a further departure from the L10 GS, the XV60 ES had MacPherson strut front suspension (with inversely wound coil springs) and independent, dual-link MacPherson strut rear suspension. [su_table responsive=”yes”]

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Safety equipment

Standard safety equipment for the XV60 ES included dual front airbags, dual front knee airbags, front and rear side airbags, full-length curtain airbags, ABS, electronic brake force distribution, brake assist, electronic stability control, traction control, blind spot monitoring, active front seat head restraints and front seatbelts with pretensioners and load limiters.

For the ES 350 (both variants) and ES 300h Sports Luxury variant, an ‘Enhancement Pack’ was also fitted as standard which included a pre-collision safety system with both audible and visual pre-collision warnings, brake assist preparation, autonomous braking and, prior to a collision, retraction of the front seatbelts prior and airbag preparation. The Enhancement Pack was available as a $3000 option for the ES 300h Luxury.

From October 2014, Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) was standard for the ES 300h and ES 350 models.

Brakes

Both the ES 300h and ES 350 had 296 mm by 28 mm ventilated front brake discs and 281 mm by 10 mm solid rear discs.

Features: ES 350 and ES 300h

Standard features for the ES 350 and ES 300h Luxury variants included 17-inch alloy wheels with 215/55 R17 93V Yokohama Decibel E70 tyres, an eight speaker Lexus Premium Sound System with a digital amplifier, CD player, MP3/WMA compatibility, digital radio (DAB+), auxiliary inputs (3.5mm/USB/iPod) and Bluetooth connectivity (including voice recognition and audio streaming), satellite navigation with an eight-inch display and Lexus’ Remote Touch LRT) interface, dual-zone climate control air conditioning, leather upholstery, power adjustable and heated front seats, daytime LED running lights, a reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors, remote central locking with proximity key (‘Smart Entry’), push-button start, power windows and mirrors, a height and reach adjustable steering wheel, power rear sunshade, Piano Black interior trim, a moon roof, ambient lighting, a trip computer, tyre pressure monitoring and an immobiliser.

The air conditioning system included ‘Nanoe’ air purifying technology which releases 20 to 50 nm (diameter) Nanoe particles – negatively charged ions wrapped in water molecules – into the cabin to purify the air, eliminate odours and deodorise surfaces.

Sports Luxury variants were further equipped with an 835 watt Mark Levinson sound system with a Generation III ML5 amplifier and fifteen speakers, three-zone climate control air conditioning, semi-aniline leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, heated outboard rear seats, xenon high-intensity discharge (HID) headlights, a power boot lid, rear armrest controls (for audio and climate), manual side sun shades and Birdseye Maple interior trim; the ES300h Sports Luxury could also be specified with bamboo interior trim. 

October 2014 update

In October 2014, the multimedia systems for the ES 300h and ES 350 were updated to allow for the introduction of Lexus’ ENFORM connected mobility services and SD card-based navigation (which could alert drivers to speed and red light cameras, and school zones).

Brochure

• Brochure: Lexus XV60 ES 300h and ES 350 (October 2013)

Related links

• Press Kit: Lexus XV60 ES (November 2013)
• Lexus Australia: IS, ES and CT updates (October 2014)

Review: Lexus XV60.II ES 300 (2015-18)

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Overview

Released in September 2015, the Lexus XV60 Series II (XV60.II) ES could be identified by its new front and rear head lights (the former with daytime running lights) and more aggressive ‘spindle grille’ with revised grille surround; four new paint finishes were also introduced: Sonic White, Graphite Black, Deep Metallic Bronze and Deep Blue.

Inside, the XV60.II ES had new controls and was offered in three new trim colours with contrasting stitching.
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Safety equipment

As standard, the XV60.II ES was fitted with the ‘Lexus Safety System+’ which included:

• Lexus’ Pre-Collision Safety System (PCS): used a grille-mounted radar sensor to scan for potential collision situations. If detected, the driver would initially receive a warning and Pre-Collision Brake Assist (PBA) would activate to increase braking force when the system determined that the vehicle was in an emergency braking situation. If the relative speed between the driver’s vehicle and the obstacle ahead exceeded 30 km/h, PBA would automatically apply the brakes to reduce vehicle and reduce the severity of a collision;
• Lane Departure Warning (LDW): used a lane recognition sensor mounted near the interior rear view mirror to monitor the vehicle’s position on the road. If the driver was detected to be veering outside of their lane, a buzzer would sound and a warning message would be displayed on the multi-information screen. Furthermore, LDW could be turned on or off via a switch on the steering wheel;
• Automatic High Beam (AHB): automatically switched the headlights between high and low beam to avoid dazzling other road users; and,
• Active Cruise Control: used a millimetre-wave radar to detect vehicles ahead and determine their speed. Active Cruise Control could then adjust vehicle speed – within a set range – to maintain a safe distance between the vehicles.

Features

Standard features for the Lexus XV60.II ES were largely unchanged, though a panoramic glass roof was introduced as an extra-cost option for the ES 350 Sports Luxury.

Brochure

• Brochure: Lexus XV60 ES (November 2017)

Related links

• Press Kit: 2015 Lexus XV60.II ES (September 2015)
• Lexus Australia: Lexus ES 300h
• Lexus Australia: Lexus ES 350
• Wikipedia.org: Lexus XV60 ES
• Behind the Wheel: 2017 Lexus ES 350 Sports Luxury Review