Last month, Lexus shared details of its Digital Side-View Monitors system on the Japanese-market ES, making the executive sedan the world’s first serial production vehicle to come with side-view cameras – replacing the usual door mirrors. Now, Toyota’s luxury offshoot has announced the start of sales for the ES in the Land of the Rising Sun, plus additional information on the rest of the car.
Marking the nameplate’s debut in Japan, the new ES debuts a new, sportier design for the traditionally frumpy four-door. It rides on the modular Global Architecture – K (GA-K), essentially Lexus’ version of the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) that also underpins the new Toyota Camry and Avalon. As such, it benefits from a lower centre of gravity, with the resultant proportions giving it a sleeker look.
At the front, the trademark spindle grille has been made more aggressive than ever before, with flowing fin inserts. The slim headlights, sharp crease lines emanating from the grille and sculpted surfaces give the car a more expressive look, while the more rearward positioning of the A-pillars and the fast rear windscreen rake provide a more dynamic silhouette.
Moving to the rear, the ES adopts the typical Lexus triple L-shaped tail lights, plus a wider stance from the rear wheels. Two new colours are being introduced with the new ES, these being Ice Ecru Mica Metallic and Sunlight Green Mica Metallic.
The new looks betray the adjusted dimensions of the new car, which now measures 4,975 mm long, 1,865 mm wide and 1,445 tall – figures that are 66 mm longer, 46 mm wider but five millimetres lower than the outgoing model. The 2,870 mm wheelbase is also 51 mm longer.
Inside, the ES sticks the template set by the new LS, complete with sweeping curves and a large 12.3-inch centre display linked to the latest Lexus Remote Touch interface. The seats are said to have been designed easy control operation and viewing of the displays without changing driving posture, while the rear pews now feature an electric reclining feature. Optional delineated Viscotecs door upholstery has been added.
For the first time, the ES is available with the F Sport appearance package, adding a new mesh grille, 19-inch ten-spoke alloy wheels, Adaptive Variable Suspension dampers, sports seats, unique steering wheel and instrument gauges and a new hadori aluminium trim inspired by the finishing of samurai swords.
Aside from blessing the new ES with a more low-slung aesthetic, the highly rigid GA-K platform is also said to imbue the car with a more athletic nature, with double wishbone rear suspension, optimised overall geometry and a rack-mounted electric power steering system. The standard dampers feature an ultra low-velocity swing valve (another world first) to respond to minor surface imperfections.
Refinement has also been improved with high levels of sound absorption, sound insulation and noise-cancelling measures. These include the flowing body shape, noise reduction wheels, the LS’ sound-insulating acoustic glass and the precise tuning of noise from the engine and sound system.
Safety-wise, the ES comes with the Lexus Safety System+ suite of driver assists, including Pre-Collision System autonomous emergency braking, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control with Lane Tracing Assist (LTA) that allows the car to accelerate, brake and stay in its own lane semi-autonomously, Adaptive High Beam System (AHS), Road Sign Assist (RSA), Parking Support Brake System and a Panoramic View Monitor.
The aforementioned Digital Side-View Monitors use tiny concept car-style exterior cameras to transmit images to a five-inch monitor at the base of each A-pillar. Lexus says the cameras are resistant to raindrop stains, provide a clear view of the image irrespective of the weather, reduce wind noise and provide virtually unblocked forward visibility. It is optional on the top Version L variant, joining the digital rear-view mirror.
Just one engine option is offered and it’s the ES 300h hybrid, utilising a 178 hp/221 Nm 2.5 litre Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder petrol engine and a new hybrid electric transaxle, delivering a total system output of 205 hp and a fuel economy figure of up to 23.4 km per litre on the Japanese JC08 test cycle.
The new engine comes with laser-clad intake valve seats for increased cylinder airflow, along with a new intake port shape to increase the tumble-flow of the air-fuel mixture, giving it world-leading thermal efficiency. Meanwhile, the battery is more compact and sits underneath the rear seats, improving weight balance, lowering the centre of gravity and increasing boot space.
Pricing for the new ES in Japan starts from 5,800,000 yen (RM215,000), rising up to 6,290,000 yen (RM233,200) for the F Sport and 6,980,000 yen (RM258,800) for the Version L. Closer to home, the ES will be previewed at the Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show (KLIMS) at the end of next month.
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
only RM216k to RM259k. this Lexus wud gv German big 3 and volvo a run for their money.
Proton already got 360 cameras. Why this Lexus only got side cameras?
Proton wud gip Lexus a run for their money. Perdana is the sexiest Proton car ever.
Prootn and Lexus are worlds part la brader. Don’t syiok sendiri thinking Lexus buyers are going to buy your Proton.
This is why Proton does not improve. They have people like you syiok sendiri thinking Proton is better than Lexus or even Rolls Royce. Tht is why Proton never betters itself. It needs China’s Geely to make better products for Proton
Proton’s handling is wayyyyyyyy better than any normal japs car
The basic ES model will be around rm300k I guess
In Japan 5.8 mil yen is not big money. Biasa only. But here RM215k is big money. Mind you RM215 is belum tax lagi.
I think once you factor tax and excise, the new ES might even be RM500k.
Totally no logic. High car pricing needs to change. These are the bad habits from the previous corrupted administration brought forward to today
That car already expensive in Japan n u hoping cheaper when come to bolehland lol…
hah! when a single person with 6 million yen/year in one of the most expensive city on the planet can live comfortably and can splurge, its not small money. effing liar.
kereta mahal di Malaysia kerana kerajaa dulu lembap. Tak erti buat bizness jual kereta
Price is in Japan…
By the time reach Malaysia it would be 500k..
the previous es250 was only rm270k in malaysia.
Breakages of wing mirrors (digital or otherwise) just got a whole lot more expensive. The cameras can have fisheye view of surroundings, so why make it juts out like traditional mirrors? What were they thinking, getting drunk on sake?
Jepunis lords drunk on sake. Lol!
hope more car will use camera for side view mirror.
can see blind spot too if they can switch to wide angle view :D
Most Malaysians don’t even bother to use wing mirrors and signal when they switch lanes. Having cameras instead makes no difference to their attitude.
Ya, especially Myvi and Vios drivers.
Nah, mostly Proton drivers.
That is $$ for japan, not bolehland
How come here? I think our tax is few hundred percent……habis lah the price. Might even be RM600k
Deswai veli few buys Lexus and instrad go for Mesidis& BMW, and deswai both brands r making record breaking sales. Just cuz u got no money dun mean others r the same. Work harder and stop complaining.
I thought u still own a Gen 2? Work harder, john.
Yes I do. How’s ur kapcai? Still hanging on?
Yes, work harder and stop complaining.
What value is added with camera replacing side mirrors? More expensive to maintain, just for the sake of different from others. What is in their mind? OMG LEXUS
It’s a race. Between Japan, the Germans and Koreans.
It’s always like that. Who the first got 7 speed? The first 8 speed? The first 9 speed… Bla3
Less wind noise. Less drag.
Way more cool, if you are one of those guys who like to show off Thier new phones.
Best looking sedan on sale
Best looking? U r kidding right?
Best looking top ten:-
1. BMW 5 Series
2. Jaguar XF
3. Mercedes-Benz E-Class
4. Volvo S90
5. Audi A6
6. Lexus GS
7. Skoda Superb
8. Maserati Ghibli
9. Infiniti Q70
10. Hyundai Genesis
According to who? U?
This must be the worst way to incorporate side cameras to a car. With a camera, you can make it flush with the body or at least just a little bump at the A pillars. Not to mention the viewer screens look like some third party add-on to the car. Lexus really should have made it flush with the dashboard.
Meh, those camera side mirror not gonna last, will break punya after a year, if in this panasland sure less than that time or got stolen.
Skrg tak perlu beli, tunggu 3 tahun kemudian, harga akan jatuh sampai 140k. Berbaloi tunggu
Civic pulak jatuh sampai 50k. Berbaloi
Ya betul, 2021 harga civic akan jatuh sampai 63k. Berbaloi kan?
To be honest, i’m indifferent to these new camera side windows.
I still think properly set (keyword, “properly set” – most people get it wrong) side windows offer better viewing angles as you can move your head slightly and see more (maybe lexus has some head/eye tracking system for the mirrors).
Is it just me or the monitors look really small? about half the size of what you get on a normal mirror.
There is one reason I like about the cameras though…. they give you better visibility in the dark and impervious to being blinded by miss-aimed headlights from the car behind.
U will still get headlight glaring shown on the monitor unless the system is smart enuff to filter out the glare. From the description, its just a normal camera with a normal monitor.
Obviously you don’t know about automatic dimming mirror, can be found not only on luxury cara but also accord and Camry. The Japanese is not stupid like you John
You got confused between mirror and camera. Camera can’t be autodimmed, you dimwit. Obviously you’re more stupid than you accused of John.
Tenkiu bro!
Your phone camera has ISO settings that can reduce sensitivity and some have may have a form of ND filter or apperture in the lens system. Otherwise it won’t work properly in the day and at night. Camera simply do not have the dynamic range as our eyes. If a phone can have that, I’m sure a luxury car can have that as well.
This is not a cheap dash cam we are talking about here.
In traffic, motorbike fella will hit and break the camera, damn it gonna cost you
Ugghh they still retain that ugly predator front look? Please redesign that!
Ugh Honda Designer still retain that ugly Honda Accord predator design. Auto better don’t buy upcoming Honda Accord including upcoming Honda models as Honda predator design