Lexus ES300h: Design Decoded

The new breed of Lexus cars certainly make a bold statement with their elegant styling. But have you ever wondered what exactly allows them to stand out from the crowd?

Lexus has embraced handmade craftsmanship in their design language, bringing elegant, unique shapes from traditional handcrafted art for a truly luxurious experience and beautiful designs. Lexus takes inspiration from Takumi masters - experts who have spent over 60,000 hours refining their craft. Little details like their Sashiko quilted fabric interior trim, Kiriko cut glass accents, origami inspired folded fabric and signature spindle grill all pay tribute to this pursuit for excellence. The ES 300h may not be as flashy as the range topping LS sedan but it still manages to turn heads on the roads. Let's take a look at how it pulls this off.

Exterior design 

Elegance in motion is how Lexus describes the ES 300h sedan and that it certainly is. The overall silhouette is quite classic but there are plenty of eccentric details that make the ES stand out and at the same time look undoubtedly Lexus. It all starts with and stems from that beautiful spindle grill. Lexus say they have put tonnes of work into crafting this masterpiece, which has become a seal of quality of sorts for their latest lineup. itsI unique feature is the way the headlamps seemingly force the grill to kink inwards on either side. And it’s from this focal point where all the accent lines for the bumpers, shoulder line and roof line originate. The 3-eye Bi-Beam headlights match the sharp lines of the grill and also house L-shaped LED DRLs. 

On the side the ES 300h is more understated but the alloy wheels are hard to miss. Each is forged out of a single block of aluminum and then spun, stretched, cooled and polished to finally achieve this attractive finish. The ES achieves a nice low, sporty stance on the road accentuated by the sharply angled windscreen and the gently sloping roofline. 

At the rear there is a strong chrome accent that runs across the entire boot, eyelining the sleek taillamps. In the night the L-shaped three-element lights give the rear a very distinctive look. Other clever features include acoustic glass and setback exhaust silencers that help keep the ES cabin as quiet as possible. No luxury car can be complete without a sunroof.

The ES 300h is available in 6 colours - Ice Ecru, Sonic Quartz, Sonic Titanium, Graphite Black, Red Micra and Deep Blue Micra. In terms of size it’s 4975mm long, 1865mm wide, 1445mm tall and sits on a 2870mm wheelbase. 

Also Read: Lexus RX vs BMW X5 vs Mercedes-Benz GLE: Feature Wars

Interior design 

Inside, the overall design is less flashy and more understated but in no way boring. The Semi Artline leather seat upholstery is available in three colours: Topaz Brown, Rich Cream and black. The front seats are powered with 4-way adjustment of lumbar support as well as ventilation. The rear seats also feature a powered recline function. Lexus’s climate concierge ensures 3 zones of separate climate control with controls for the rear zone in the central armrest. The armrest also houses controls for the audio and recline functions. 

When it comes to technology there’s a 12.3-inch touch screen which is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible and forms the centrepiece of the dash layout.  There’s also an all digital 7-inch colour driver’s display.

In addition to all the sound deadening there is also active noise control to further isolate passengers from the outside world. Entertainment comes in the form of a 17 speaker Mark Levinson surround system so you can make the most of that quiet cabin. Other features of note are wireless charging, a sunroof, and sunshades in the rear doors, quarter glass and rear windscreen. 

Related: Lexus NX vs ES: Sedan Or SUV?

Specification and Price

The Lexus ES 300h is powered by a 2.5-litre, 4-cylinder petrol engine that makes 178PS and 221Nm. There is also a hybrid motor that makes 120PS of power and 202Nm. Power is sent to the wheels via an E-CVT transmission. Safety wise there’s 10 airbags, ABS, EBD, Vehicle stability control, hill start assist, tyre pressure monitoring and emergency brake warning. The Lexus ES 300h is available in two models: Exquisite and Luxury, priced at Rs 51.90 and Rs 56.95 lakh ex-showroom Delhi respectively.

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