First Test Drive

[akewlguy]

Today I drove my future LS400.. What a wonderful experience.. I used my knowledge from the website and reviewed all aspects of LEXUS.. As I drove the LS I noticed all the benefits including smooth ride, plenty of room, quiet engine and good pick up.

Now I was thinking maybe this is too smooth. Is the ES a lot more sportier? Tighter on the curbs? Quicker acceleration? Who has experienced both?

[Dust]

ES 300 series is not faster. * if you are comparting the same year of the car but different models *

If you drove an LS 400 v8 250 horse power you will see how powerful the take really is.

I am glad you enjoyed its performance as far as comfort and acceleration goes. :)

I have never drove an ES300 but my friend owns it, its a smaller car, little tighter if you want to get around. Very good looking car though. One place that the ES300 comes up short is in the headroom department. There just isn't a lot of it in this car, especially when equipped with a moonroof. Even sub-six-footers can brush the roof in front. In the back, forget it. The engine on the ES300 is also quieter.

[akewlguy]

I proably screwed up by not cruising on the highway.. I only got up to 50mph on a back road with traffic.. To me this car seamed like the a comfortable caddie? Maybe if I took it around the curbs and got on it a bit more I would have experienced the true LEXUS..

One thing the car never reached 2500 RPMS..

Can one use 90 octain for gas in these V-8s?

[blake918]

I've logged many miles in my '94 ES and '95 LS over the past few years. I'd have to say that the ES is a bit more sporty than the LS although I find that the suspension in the LS rolls less in the turns. It doesn't make much sense to me that the LS rolls less and has a floatier ride. The ES definantly has a firmer ride, but it leans like crazy through the turns(it doesn't bottom out and the ride is contolled, so I would think the shocks are good).

Who's engine is smoother between the LS and ES is like asking who's your favorite child? lol The 1MZ-FE(3.0) and 1UZ-FE(4.0) are both exceptional feats of engineering excellence. I find that the LS's tranny might be just a slight micrometer smoother than the ES. As smooth and quiet as the ES's 3.0 is, it is s l o w, but acceleration is more than adequate. It's just not the same as punching the LS's pedal...188hp v. 260hp, so obviously it's going to be different!

I'm 6'4, and the ES was just too small-there's no legroom. The ES's headroom was actually adequate for me even with the sunroof; it was the legroom that killed me. Strangely enough, I was more comfortable in the backseat. I only drive it on occasion, so I enjoy my time behind the wheel now that it's not my daily driver! The LS on the other hand has more head and legroom, so it's much more comfortable for me.

The biggest difference I notice between my ES and LS other than the roominess and power is that the LS is a much heavier duty machine. The LS takes miles much better than my ES, and the LS is far more reliable even though its got a lot of miles.

If you are looking for something sporty, the ES and LS are both bad choices. If you want a smooth, elegant, refined cruiser, then, you need to look no further. B)

[akewlguy]

Wow, thanks for the in depth reply. For sure the LS400 is for me. I am so excited to get my first LEXUS sometime during the next two weeks. Although I am 5'10' we all know its nice to have extra room. Today the car I drove was a 93 and it was great.

When I listened to the engine there was a light ticking sound is this normal?

I think the LS400 93-00 is such a nice looking car!

[blake918]

No problem! The ES and LS are really great cars. The ticking is the sound of an impending valve adjustment(quite normal on an older car). ;) I'd be sure to take the car over 70mph and slam on the brakes(at any speed) before you buy it. You can get a good feel for any suspension problems that way. They are gorgeous looking cars!! B)

[Lexls]

I've got experience with both too. What Blake said is really good, I totally agree with him. My mother recently got a 99 ES and I have a 91 LS......

-The LS is more solidly build. I've inspected both and the LS parts are very heavy duty.

-The LS has more power, although it's heavier. The ES feels like it's faster but it's really not. The ES is definitely more "sporty" excellent pickup.

-The ES gets better MPG. If you're concerned about gas prices don't get an LS! Man, I hope the new hybrid LS gets better than 30 MPG!!!

-The LS is obviously bigger. And it also feels bigger when you drive it. I'm 5' 10" and it has PLENTLY of room for me!

-The LS is bigger and more expensive to keep up. It can be costly to own so beware.

-That's all I can do for now.....

Both are great cars and so it really boils down to how much you want to spend and your wants. Personally, I would find it very hard to buy anything other than an LS. However, my mother LOVES her ES and it fits her well. It's personal. If you go LS make sure to read my article on the generations so you know more about it......good luck!

[SRK]

When I have had to take either my LS or GS to the dealer, which are a 92 and a 98 respectively, I have had a 2004 ES as a loaner for the day. I can't get out of the ES fast enough. I don't like front drivers, and I don't like the transmission performance of the ES at all. Comfortable, lots of similarities in "family design" between them, but the dynamics are all wrong for me in the ES.

That's just me. Buy the LS - you will soon forget everything else....

[JasonInDallas]

I hate front wheel drive. I love my LS430. I say get the LS or if you don't like it and want something sportier then get something entirely different like an Infiniti I/J30 or a BMW or an Acura. A 5-series BMW with stick shift is a wonderful car, especially the last gen 530 which I like better than the 540 due to the rack and pinion steering onlyavailable in the 6-cyl models.

The ES is incredibly boring. Copmetent, sure, but a real snooze. I test drove one for an hour and wanted to like it but I hated it, and it was a super clean Coach Edition a couple years ago. The new ES with the redesign might be better, but it would still be FWD.

[Lexusfreak]

Today I drove my future LS400.. What a wonderful experience.. I used my knowledge from the website and reviewed all aspects of LEXUS.. As I drove the LS I noticed all the benefits including smooth ride, plenty of room, quiet engine and good pick up.

Now I was thinking maybe this is too smooth. Is the ES a lot more sportier? Tighter on the curbs? Quicker acceleration? Who has experienced both?

←

You can't really compare the LS & ES as they are two different animals if you will & are targeted at different customers. You will have better winter traction in the ES, better fuel economy with the 6 cylinder engine (not to mention a lighter vehicle) but it as you know is a smaller car. Both are georgous cars & there is something to be said driving the Lexus 'Flagship' being the LS so it comes down to personal preference & which car you feel most comfortable driving on a daily basis. It's might not be an easy decision for many however. B)

[nc211]

Like all have said, both are great cars. It is my opinion however the ES is just a car. While the LS is a true machine! I like the 2nd generation models the best (95+) due to the changes in the interior, but that's just my personal opinion. There are lots of guys here who like the 1st generation models better. It's really just a personal opinion. Blake and I have the exact same car, 95' black with tan interior. He's got something like 200k miles, I'm about to turn the 100k mark. His looks better than mine, hands down. So, if that doesn't say something right there about how awsome these cars are built, I don't know what does.

Trust us, you want the LS. If you get the ES, I'd be willing to bet you'll be sitting at a stop light in it, see an LS and say "why didn't I get that one instead?" Gas mileage really is a 6 in one, half a dozen in the other type of reasoning. Although the LS has a V8, as you noted, it rarely revs above 2500 rpm. I drive around town and almost never go above 2000 rpm. The car simply doesn't need to, it's plenty fast. V6 engines have to rev higher to obtain their power bans, higher revs = more gasoline being consumed. Case-in-point, my 4.0 liter V8 gets 21/26. My last car was a 2001 Maxima SE 3.0 liter V6, it got about the same mpg, but was much louder, buzzier and a very rough ride. But, must admit, she sure could take a turn like a bat out of hell, and that was fun. If you put your foot in the V8, it will get thirsty however, but trust us, it's worth it ;)

You can't beat 8 pistons revving up and launching you into the fast lane. Just can't beat it.