by Cheryl Eldridge and wire reports
I have always admired the Lexus. Several of my colleagues and family members have owned one at one time or another and never had any complaints. I would like to follow in their footsteps and actually own one as well.
The 2014 luxury hybrid automobile makes that attraction even more intimate due to to it fuel economy of 40mpg in the city and 39 mpg on the highway.
My fully-loaded $48,542 tester was a dream, not to mention the kids enjoyed the drive. It was very spacious and with voice command delivered a pleasant experience.
The Lexus ES 300h now comes standard with xenon headlights. In addition, sedans with the NuLuxe leatherette upholstery can now be equipped with ventilated seats as an option, while the Display Audio package picks up Siri Eyes Free compatibility for newer iPhones.
The 2014 Lexus ES 300h is the hybrid version of the Lexus ES 350 luxury sedan. It seats five.
Standard equipment includes 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic xenon headlights, foglights, LED running lights, a sunroof, heated mirrors with memory function, keyless ignition/entry, cruise control, dual-zone automatic climate control, eight-way power front seats (with two-way lumbar adjustment), “NuLuxe” premium vinyl upholstery, a manual tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, Lexus Safety Connect emergency communications, Bluetooth phone connectivity and an eight-speaker sound system with a six-CD changer, satellite radio, an auxiliary audio jack and an iPod/USB audio interface.
The Display Audio package adds the Lexus Remote Touch electronics interface, a 7-inch display screen, rearview camera, a single-CD player, Bluetooth audio connectivity, Siri Eyes Free (enhanced hands-free iPhone functionality and integration) and HD radio with iTunes tagging. The Navigation package includes all of the Display Audio items plus a navigation system, voice controls, traffic and weather, and the Enform suite of smartphone-connected apps and concierge services. A 15-speaker Mark Levinson surround-sound audio system with DVD-audio capability can be added to the Navigation package.
My Premium package builds on the Navigation package and adds a power-adjustable steering wheel, driver memory functions and bamboo wood trim on the steering wheel and shift knob. The Luxury package includes all the Premium items plus parking sensors, heated and ventilated front seats, leather upholstery and a power rear sunshade. Finally, the Ultra Luxury package includes both the Premium and Luxury package items, plus automatic wipers, a power-closing trunk, adjustable seat-bottom cushion length for the driver seat, a heated steering wheel, passenger-seat memory functions, manual rear side sunshades and ambient interior lighting.
Most package options are also available as stand-alone options. Other optional items include a blind spot warning system that includes rear cross-traffic alerts, a lane departure warning system bundled with automatic high-beam control, and adaptive cruise control paired with a pre-collision system.
The 2014 Lexus ES 300h features a hybrid powertrain consisting of a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and an electric motor (powered by a battery pack) that together produce 200 horsepower. Front-wheel drive and a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) are standard.
The 2014 Lexus ES 300h comes standard with antilock brakes, stability and traction control, front and rear side airbags, side curtain airbags and front knee airbags. Also included is Lexus Safety Connect with automatic crash notification, stolen vehicle location and an emergency assist button.
Optional equipment includes a rearview camera, front and rear parking sensors, automatic high-beam headlights that turn off when they detect other vehicles, a lane-departure warning system and a blind-spot warning system with rear cross-traffic alerts. The optional adaptive cruise control includes the pre-collision system, which primes the seatbelts and brakes when it senses an impending collision.
The 2014 Lexus ES 300h’s cabin presents a modern, stylish environment. The optional (and sustainable) bamboo wood interior trim is an especially attractive touch. The quality of the materials depends on whether you opt for one of the luxury packages, but in typical Lexus fashion, everything is put together with care regardless of how the ES is equipped.
When you opt for the Display Audio or Navigation packages, you get the Lexus Remote Touch system, a mouselike device that controls a cursor on a large, centrally located screen. The system gives good tactile feedback, but the ultra-sensitive nature of the controller can make it clumsy and distracting to use while driving. The integrated armrest for the Remote Touch system also takes up quite a bit of the center-console.
Six-footers will be quite content in the ES 300h’s front seats. Rear-seat legroom is very impressive as well, and even taller adults will find it quite comfortable back there. Due to the rear-mounted battery pack, trunk capacity drops to 12.1 cubic feet (versus 15.2 cubic feet in the ES 350), and the rear seats do not fold.
Until next week, drive safely, don’t text and drive, and buckle up, it’s the law.
