1998 Lexus ES 300 Review

The suave, athletic Lexus ES 300 sedan breezes along like a gentle summer wind, with a suspension that shrugs off bumps and a silky V-6 that helps it quietly eat up miles.

The $30,790 ES 300 looks and feels like a luxury auto. But it's put in the ``near-luxury'' class, which contains cars in the approximately $29,000 to $38,000 range such as the Acura 3.2TL, Infiniti I30, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Cadillac Catera.

Those would have been pure luxury cars a few years ago. But levels of auto poshness have risen so rapidly that full-blown luxo cars now sit north of $38,000. They mostly are larger than near-luxury models and have more equipment.

Toyota's upscale Lexus car division first offered the ES in 1990 as a companion to the bigger, costlier LS 400. But the ES was a thinly disguised Toyota Camry that fooled few and needed heavy lease discounts to draw buyers.

Lexus learned fast and offered a far better ES model in 1992. The current front-wheel-drive model got a major overhaul for 1997, with more power, added room, longer wheelbase and more-rigid construction.

The ES 300 still is based on the Camry, but ES 300 has a more distinctive appearance, six more horsepower and a greater amount of standard equipment than the Camry.

New ES 300 items for 1998 include side-impact air bags up front, cutting-edge engine immobilizer security system and a killer $1,600 Nakamichi sound system that includes a six-disc CD changer with a convenient glovebox mounting.

The ES 300 is packed with standard equipment ranging from a highly efficient air conditioning system with automatic climate control to all sorts of power accessories and anti-lock brakes.

But this car deserves the $1,650 leather upholstery to accompany the standard walnut interior trim. It also should have the $300 traction control system for more grip on area winter roads, $600 cockpit adjustable suspension for a slilghtly smoother ride and better handling and $420 heated front seats for chilly weather. A $1,000 power sunroof is a popular option.

Powering the ES 300 is a quiet 3-liter V-6, which can run on 87-octane fuel and delivers an estimated 19 m.p.g. in the city and 27 on highways. It generates 200 horsepower and good torque, thanks to items such as four camshafts and 24 valves.

The aluminum engine whisks the ES 300 from 0 to 60 m.p.h. in a quick 7.8 seconds and allows fast merges and effortless high-speed cruising. It works with a responsive four-speed automatic transmission, which is so smooth that upshifts aren't noticeable and downshifts come quickly for good passing response.

Steering is quick and precise. While the ES 300 doesn't handle as well as a sports sedan, its all-independent suspension provides above-average handling even without the optional adaptive feature, which is icing on the cake.

The all-disc brake system stops the ES 300 quickly and surely, although the brake pedal feels too soft and there is considerable nosedive during sudden stops.

The aerodynamic body generates practically no wind noise at highway speeds. A church-quiet interior also is provided by generous sound insulation and items such as an anti-vibration subframe for the engine, transmission and front suspension.

Four tall adults easily fit in the ES 300 for long journeys, although there should be more toe room under the front seats. The middle of the rear seat is fairly soft and comfortable for a third occupant back there on shorter trips.

This is an excellent long-distance car, thanks to items such as a supportive 10-way adjustable driver's seat, smooth, fairly large controls and substantial front cupholders. A nifty item is the electronic analog instrument cluster; it has white cool cathode tube illumination that makes it easy to read gauges even when driving into sunsets.

Even the plastic panels in this beautifully built sedan look good. But the steering wheel blocks the remote fuel door and trunk lid releases, and rear cupholders that pop out from the rear of the front console look flimsy.

Wider back door openings would make it easier to get in and out, and a high rear end makes it difficult to back up safely. However, a low opening for the big trunk makes it easy to load awkwardly shaped cargo. The trunk lid emits a tinny sound when slammed shut, but doors close with a solid thunk.

For many, the ES 300 offers a nearly ideal blend of luxury and performance. No car is perfect, but this one comes close.