2020 Lexus ES 350 F Sport Review: Fun to Drive During the Week and Twice on Sundays!

2020 Lexus ES 350 F Sport Our take: The Lexus ES has been around for 30 years, but it's still as young as ever in 2020, especially in F Sport configuration. On the one hand, the Lexus ES 350 F Sport is sleek and athletic; on the other hand, it is comfortable and quiet. Lexus is facing stiff competition from the likes of Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz and more. However, we believe the 2020 ES 350 F Sport will hold its own in the luxury car battle royale. Exterior styling93Interior layout82Driving dynamics90Safety and performance86Everyday functionality82Economy in everyday lifeStylish and sleekDriving dynamicsConsTouch pad interfaceSeat seats do not fold down 87

The 2020 Lexus ES 350 F Sport is a sharp car. In many ways, Lexus has been at the top of its game since 1989. Author Bryce G. Hoffman recalls a scene from his book American Icon where new Ford CEO Alan Mulally was asked what he drove during an event at the automaker's headquarters. Mulally was new to the company but quickly responded by saying that he had a Lexus because it was the best car in the world.

This is a scene I kept replaying during our week-long drive with the 2020 Lexus ES 350 F Sport. Just because the ES 350 is a good-looking car, however, doesn't mean it's automatically right for you. Lexus is not alone in this space, with Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz having great deals to offer.

Here's how our week-long drive with the 2020 Lexus ES 350 F Sport went. I hope this helps you determine if this machine is right for you.

Lexus ES 350: what's new in 2020?

The Lexus ES was completely redesigned in 2019, so there will only be a few updates for 2020. However, you can buy a carefully used ES and save some money. If you opt for the 2020 ES, you'll have Android Auto compatibility and power door mirrors standard on most trim levels.

The new ES is built on the Lexus Global Architecture - K platform. Lexus uses various grades of high-strength steel to increase torsional rigidity while reducing chassis weight. At the same time, front MacPherson struts and a new multi-link rear suspension (longitudinal wishbone) contribute to better handling.

Our 2020 Lexus ES 350 F Sport press car in front of AMC Star Southfield 20 near Detroit.

Our 2020 Lexus ES 350 F sports car

Our Atomic Silver press came from the Georgetown, Kentucky factory with a 3.5L V6 engine, paddle shifters and front wheel drive. Standard equipment was the Lexus Safety System+ 2.0, 10 airbags, a reversing camera, dual-range headlights, and daytime running lights.

Our press service included a 3-year trial of Enform Safety Connect and 10 years of Enform Service Connect, both of which add value to ES. The Enform Remote feature (including a three-year trial) is compatible with smartphones, watches, and things like Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. The 2020 Lexus ES 350 even has Wi-Fi access (my first car had a tape recorder, so it's incredible how far we've come!).

The cassette player has disappeared from our press in favor of a premium 1800W Mark Levinson stereo system with 17 speakers. The Mark Levinson package includes a clear 12.3-inch multimedia display with navigation.

Other F-Sport features included a 10.2-inch display, a power rear sun visor, wireless charging, Hadori aluminum interior trim, heated and ventilated seats, and an adaptive adjustable suspension with custom driving modes.

Window sticker of our 2020 Lexus ES 350 F Sport press car.

How much is the 2020 Lexus ES 350 worth?

Our 2020 Lexus ES 350 F Sport had a base price of $44,635. With F-Sport features, the total was $52,925. Add in the $1,025 shipping fee and the total MSRP for our press is $53,950 . By comparison, the 2020 Lexus ES starts at $39,900.

The capabilities of the Lexus ES add up quickly. However, depending on local incentives and stock availability in your area, you may be able to save a little more to offset some of these costs. This free and simple search tool* will show you which dealers offer you the best price.

Interior Features: First Impressions

Lexus uses an ES design concept called "Seat in Control" meaning all the controls and information a driver needs are easily accessible. We agree that Lexus has done a stellar job of creating a driver-centric cabin. The feel of the steering column, the location of the shifter, and the design of the center console make the 2020 ES feel like a driver-focused sports car.

It looks like the 2020 Lexus ES 350 F Sport has two sides. For our passengers, it was a comfortable and enjoyable week-long trip. They noted the soft red leather (both heated and ventilated) inside our F Sport press car, the spaciousness of the rear seats, and how their tablet could hide inside the center console. Similarly, the 2020 Lexus ES offers 16.7 cubic feet of luggage space to accommodate grocery stores, suitcases and other weekend getaway gear.

2020 Lexus ES 350 F Sport rear seat layout.

Interior Highlights: Twice a Sunday

As our passengers stretched and relaxed, I, as Driver of the Week, felt like driving a futuristic sports car. Indeed, the 2020 Lexus ES is one of the most comfortable and luxurious vehicles I have ever driven, and I share the same sentiments as our passengers, but it is also one of the most fun. There are "big things" that make the ES exciting to drive (like the engine and sport modes), but it's the little things that make it stand out.

For example, LS provides the 2020 ES steering wheel, which gives it a commanding yet understated look. Combine that with Hadori aluminum trim and the F Sport's Circuit Red seats, and the 2020 ES will have you hooked.

Once you've tweaked the interior "the way you want it," the 2020 Lexus ES 350 F Sport is a vehicle that will simply take you away from driving. We found ourselves volunteering to take friends and family with drivers if they needed to run errands, and we found an excuse to take not one but two Sunday rides.

Not everyone agrees with Lexus that they use the touchpad interface (to the right of the switch), but it's not terrible.

Interior features: elephants in the room

Many of our colleagues and contemporaries do not care about the touchpad controller that Lexus uses. Admittedly this makes sense as it's not very intuitive, but I think most drivers will figure it out fairly quickly. When you place your finger on the dash, it cycles through the various functions on the 12.3-inch display on the dash. It works in much the same way as a mouse touchpad on a typical laptop computer.

I wouldn't go so far as to say that I love how Lexus relies on touchpad design, but I don't hate it either. Once I got used to it, I didn't think about it anymore. Lexus probably has better ways to set this up in future models, but for now it gets the job done.

The second elephant in the room is that the rear seats don't fold down, which is typical of most sedans. This will limit your ability to carry longer items as there is no "passage" from the trunk to the rear seats. A special V-shaped bandage behind the rear seat is to blame.

This V-strut is a structural architectural enhancement that helps give the ES 350 sharp yet balanced driving dynamics. For some buyers, this is an advantage; for others, not so much. It will depend on your preference, but if you often carry longer items with you, it will be difficult to get the 2020 ES 350 to work.

2020 Lexus ES 350 F Sport interior layout. Soundproofing covers more than 90 percent of the floor for a quieter ride.

Lexus ES 350 2020: engine and transmission

Under the hood of the 2020 ES 350 (F Sport or otherwise) is a 3.5-liter V6 with an aluminum block and cylinder heads. The engine, complete with direct and left hand injection, produces 302 horsepower (6600 rpm) and 267 lb-ft. torque (4700 rpm). The 2020 Lexus ES 350 hits 60 in 6.6 seconds and has an electronically limited top speed of 131.

An eight-speed automatic transmission with a 2.561 final drive ratio helps transfer power to the front wheels. A new eight-speed gearbox replaces the six-speed gearbox in older ES models.

Will the 2020 Lexus ES 350 be AWD?

All-wheel drive is not available for the 2020 Lexus ES 350.

Lexus ES 350 2020, gasoline, mileage

The EPA ratings are 22/31 city/highway and 25 combined for the F Sport. Otherwise, the 2020 ES 350 is rated 22/32 city/highway and 26 combined. The fuel tank capacity is 15.9 gallons.

We covered about 278 miles with our ES 350 F Sport during our week-long drive, averaging 26.4 mpg.

How does the 2020 Lexus ES 350 drive?

The best cars are those that have the foundations of chassis, architecture, and suspension. They look like the carcass of a car, and the 2020 Lexus ES 350 F Sport has strong bones. When a car has strong bones, it is safer, more economical, and more fun to drive.

During the manufacturing process, 65 feet (or about 22 yards) of adhesive is used throughout the entire structure, more than double that of previous ES models. Laser-welded screws and other stiffening efforts, such as the strut strut brace, give the ES 350 a confident feel when in the driver's seat.

Likewise, the 2020 ES 350's suspension will see several critical changes for the new model year. One of the most notable changes is the caster angle (plus two degrees) and the caster length (plus 0.3 inches). This harmony helps reduce understeer and oversteer while improving straight-line performance.

Lexus uses so-called Dynamic Control dampers with non-overlapping auxiliary values. This design allows the damper oil to flow in either direction before entering the main valve, which softens bumps and makes the ES 350 more responsive.

Combine an already robust architecture with a punchy V6 engine and the quiet interior of our press car, and the 2020 Lexus ES 350 F Sport is the perfect companion for everyday driving.

2020 Lexus ES 350 F Sport on the open road.

2020 Lexus ES 350 F Sport: Perfect fit

On a Saturday night Woodward Avenue cruise here in Detroit, we took the opportunity to showcase our car to the press. If you've never seen Woodward Avenue here in Motor City on a typical summer Saturday night, this is really something. As you drive up to the Royal Oak and Birmingham areas, you literally literally struggle with powerful and powerful cars of almost every kind, both classic and new.

While cruising through Birmingham on our way back to Detroit, we caught the attention of two middle-aged couples, one in a Camaro ZL1 and the other in a GTO Judge. The younger girl and her friends in the BMW X5 M waved to us in our ES 350 F Sport, as did the other guy in the McLaren 720S Spider. The older dude in the T-Bucket even gave us a thumbs up.

We switched to Sport S+ mode and ran with a backpack for a bit, enjoying the evening air coming in through the sunroof. The Sport S+ adjusts the throttle, transmission, steering and adaptive dampers. While we weren't as fast (or loud!) as some of the other cars, our 2020 Lexus ES 350 F Sport drew a lot of looks and stole the show.

Our 2020 Lexus ES 350 F Sport press car at Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan.

Should You Buy the 2020 Lexus ES 350?

At least it's worth taking for a test drive. Cars in this class will have unique features, personalities, and features, so some of them may depend on which brand you most identify with. As for the 2020 Lexus ES 350 F Sport specifically, we have every reason to believe that parking such a car in your driveway will put a smile on your face.

Carl Anthony is the Managing Editor of BlogAvto and a member of the Midwest Automotive Media Association and the Society of Automotive Historians. He is on the board of directors of the Ally Jolie Baldwin Foundation, is a former president of the Detroit Working Writers, and is a devoted fan of the Detroit Lions.

2020 Lexus ES 350 F Sport Gallery

Photo: Lexus.

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