Arguably, the Lexus ES 250 is one of the better-looking executive sedans that one can buy today. With a focus on comfort and refinement, every drive in the ES is a relaxed experience. The enhancements the new models receive level up the sedan in the areas of design, comfort and safety. Joining the ES range this year is the F Sport variant.
The coupe-styled sedan receives design tweaks all over. In front, the numbers of vertical bars have been reduced and L-shaped patterns introduced to emphasise lateral flow. The F Sport does away with the bars in favour of mesh-like interlocking ‘L’ elements finished in dark metallic. In addition, the F Sport’s black-finish mesh are also found in the wider cut-outs at each corner of the front fascia.
The headlamps have been restyled to complement the revised front grille. Bi-LED Projector units are now included in the ES 250 Premium variant. As for the ES 250 Luxury and F Sport, both these variants will run with the ultra-compact 3-beam LED projector headlamps. These compact headlamps also have a distinctive DRL design.
New wheels complete the refreshed looks. The F Sport is fitted with 19-inch alloy wheels with a Dark Premium Metallic Finish. As for the other variants, Premium and Luxury maintain the 18-inch size but those on the Premium receives the Dark Grey Metallic Finish.
Interior trim and tech upgraded
Lexus has also upgraded ES 250’s interior across all variants. The Premium and Luxury can choose between Black with Walnut Black trim or a Walnut Brown trim with Hazel upholstery. The Luxury can be ordered with Walnut Black trim and Mauve upholstery.
However, the F Sport is fitted and finished according to its sporty ambitions. The F Sport comes with an aluminium finish on the trip and a choice of Flare Red or Black upholstery. The sporty trim also features a leather-covered three-spoke F Sport steering wheel and dimpled leather-trimmed shift knob. In addition, sporty aluminium pedals and footrest come as part of the package.
The dashboard has been reworked and placed the touchscreen 112mm closer to the occupants and turned five degrees towards the driver. The F Sport features a full-colour 12.3-inch touchscreen while the Premium has the same but with an 8-inch screen. Following that, the multimedia system includes Navigation services and is now available for the Luxury and F Sport variants.
Staying in touch with the times, the ES 250 comes with Type-C connectors to match the need of newer devices. The Lexus sedans are fitted with a Nanoe-X negative ion generator to improve cabin air quality.
The F Sport adds its own character, example the analogue clock has its own L-shaped graphics. In addition, the meter has an electric movable metal ring with a 3-D effect, similar to that in the LFA supercar and other F Sport variants.
To keep your Lexus in its placed and not towed away by thieves, or the local city council, the security system includes an inclination sensor. This sensor detects when the car is tilted while being towed, triggering a siren connected with an internal battery.
Same powertrain, tuned to smooth delivery and efficiency
No matter which variant you go home with, the same engine will power all three. As before, the ES 250 gets power from a 2.5-litre petrol engine that produces 204hp and 247Nm. The engine features multi-hole direct injectors, a continuously variable-capacity oil pump, a variable cooling system and VVT-iE on the intake valves.
An eight-speed Direct Shift automatic transmission completes the drivetrain. Ultra-thin torque converters and a multi-plate lock-up clutch give the same feel as a dual-clutch system. The transmission also features Direct Connected Downshift that skips a few gears down when the accelerator opens the throttle wide.
The FWD car accomplished the 0-100kph spring in 9.1 seconds and up to a top speed of 210kph. The Direct Mode Select system remaps the engine for Economy, Sport or a balance of both.
The Lexus ES 250 is built on the Global Architecture-K (GA-K), which delivers straight-line driving stability, cornering poise and better braking ability. MacPherson strut front suspension and trailing-arm double-wishbone rear suspension are also found in the new cars.
A key element of the Lexus ES 250 is the Global Architecture-K (GA-K) platform. More than just an engineering achievement, the GA-K platform includes a chassis made from several grades of high-strength steel to further solidify the already robust structure. The platform also enhances core performance criteria to deliver excellent straight-line driving stability, cornering poise, and braking ability.
While the MacPherson strut front suspension and trailing-arm double-wishbone rear suspension are retained, the ride comfort and handling have been improved by increasing the rigidity (through adding a brace) of the rear suspension. Performance dampers are installed in the Lexus ES 250 Luxury and F SPORT and these chassis-mounted dampers absorb even the smallest instances of frame compression and/or flex to keep them from generating any resonances that might generate interior cabin noise.
Safety systems get a level-up
Updates to the Lexus isn’t just cosmetic with the safety systems given a boost. All ES versions come standard with the Lexus Safety System+, or LSS+. One key element that’s better is the Pre-Collision System that can now detect bicyclists in the daytime through mm-wave radar and monocular camera sensor. The camera’s sensitivity and dynamic range are increased to improve pedestrian identification in certain low-light situations.
Adaptive High-beam System (AHS) is upgraded with BladeScan technology. With this tech, LED-sourced lights shine onto blade mirrors that spin at high speed. It is then transferred to a lens to illuminate the road ahead. The BladeScan system precisely controls light distribution by synchronising the rotation of the blade mirrors and switching the LED lights on and off. Subsequently, this prevents the light to appear stationary.
Together with the AHS, the Adaptive Front-lighting System (AFS) computes vehicle speed and steering input to direct low beams in the direction of travel. This feature helps shine the road ahead, be it curves or straights, well in advance.
Other LSS+ features includes Dynamic Radar Cruise Control with Stop & Go Function, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Tracing Assist and Lane Departure Alert.
Safety systems also extend to the rear, in the form of the Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Parking Support Brake. Both systems aim to mitigate collisions in parking lots by detecting vehicles approaching from the rear or sides. The Parking Support Brake also helps to prevent frontal collisions in case there is a wall or vehicle in front and you’ve selected D instead of R.
Prices for the Lexus ES 250 starts at RM295,663.50 for the Premium, RM329,910.50 for Luxury and RM345,134.00 for the F Sport. All prices here are listed without insurance and sales tax.
