Es350 Front Drive Vs. Gs350 Awd - Is There Much Difference In The Snow

[GSY]

My wife currently drives a Ford Five Hundred AWD sedan (presently re-badged as the current Taurus). It' a heavy car and with AWD she feels comfortable driving it in the snow.

Her lease will be up in the spring and we're "stepping up" to Lexus for her. I just got a 2009 RX350 and love it.

She and I both love the ES350 for her but her only concern is that there is no AWD offering. We live in Northern New Jersey where snow can be a problem at times. Nothing treacherous but just slick enough to be a hazard.

The IS with AWD is too small for her and the LS with AWD is too pricey right now. We could possibly stretch to a GS350 with AWD but quite frankly the ES is more in our budget.

Q - For anyone who is familiar with both vehicles, is the AWD on the GS350 that much better in the snow than the FWD ES350 to justify the $15,000 + price difference? My thought is that the traction and stability controls of the ES when coupled with the front wheel drive may make snow driving somewhat equal on the two vehicles but I would very much appreciate more learned opinions than mine.

Thank you all in advance.

George

[PEG460]

My wife has a ES350 and just loves it. The standard all season tires were allright but I bought her some Michelin winter driving tires and it handles snow and ice very well. I would not spend the extra $15000 for the GS. We live in Canada and have lots of snow and ice.

Don

[GSY]

That sounds very encouraging Don. Thanks for the reply and good luck with your ES. If it's OK for Canada it's more than OK for New Jersey (with winter tires).

My wife has a ES350 and just loves it. The standard all season tires were allright but I bought her some Michelin winter driving tires and it handles snow and ice very well. I would not spend the extra $15000 for the GS. We live in Canada and have lots of snow and ice.

Don

[mhawkin1]

What does your wife think of your RX? Is that not an option? I live in Indiana and if I lived anywhere north of Indy I would probably buy an RX. My experience with the ES is that the traction control is dialed up really high - i.e. the tires do not really spin, they just turn as fast as they can without slipping. This means if you are on an incline and the tires start to slip the car will just stop. The stability and traction cannot be turned off.... unless I just do not know how to turn it off... which is a possibility.

For me the GS was not an option because I find its entire design, barftastic… for lack of a better word.

Don’t shoot me, but have you checked out the new AWD TL? Or AWD G37?

[GSY]

My wife likes my RX but prefers a sedan for the "cushy" ride and trunk. I appreciate the Acura recommendation and will look into that as well.

What does your wife think of your RX? Is that not an option? I live in Indiana and if I lived anywhere north of Indy I would probably buy an RX. My experience with the ES is that the traction control is dialed up really high - i.e. the tires do not really spin, they just turn as fast as they can without slipping. This means if you are on an incline and the tires start to slip the car will just stop. The stability and traction cannot be turned off.... unless I just do not know how to turn it off... which is a possibility.

For me the GS was not an option because I find its entire design, barftastic… for lack of a better word.

Don’t shoot me, but have you checked out the new AWD TL? Or AWD G37?

[SW03ES]

The GS is a good bit stiffer riding and the interior is a lot smaller than the ES. If she likes the cushy ride, the ES is a great car. I think the GS interior is much nicer than the current ES, and its not harsh riding but there aren't a lot of cars out there that ride as good as the ES. The LS rides better obviously, but there aren't many cars that do.

My ES is just fine in the snow. With the VSC and trac I bet she'll be fine.