Can the Lexus ES 350 F Sport compete against the best of the best?

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Toyota’s luxury division is the more important of the two Japanese automakers with well over 600,000 vehicles sold per year on a global scale. Almost half of that figure comes from North America. The continent tallies around 53 percent of the company’s sales (based on 2017 data).

The luxury division’s U.S. sales for 2018 have fallen below the 300,000 mark for the first time since 2013, but not by much. Compared to 2017 when Lexus marketed 305,229 units, its 2018 figures came to a stop at 298,302 vehicles, a meager 2.3 percent loss. The company is expected to rebound for the 2019 MY, which is the new UX subcompact’s first full year on the market.

Lexus is expected to focus on performance for 2020, especially with the RC Coupe Track Edition. The brand will also fully revitalize the compact IS F Sport sedan and LC F Sport coupe as well as offer a ragtop LC model sometime during next year.

However, most Lexus buyers will opt for one of the now three available crossovers – not counting the boxy GX and LX which draw an insignificant amount of interest compared to the smaller UX, NX, and the company’s cash cow, the RX. It accounted for more than one third of Lexus’s U.S. sales with 111,636 units during 2018.

Introduced for 2019, the all-new seventh-generation ES provides some excitement in a dying segment. The mid-size luxury sedan is the company’s oldest nameplate alongside the flagship LS line. They’ve had their share of ups and downs over the course of the three decades they’ve been on the market, and the Japanese will be hoping that the fully redesigned ES can mitigate the negative sales trend their sedans have been experiencing.

Apart from a fresh and bold new look, the ES sedan offers a smooth and comfortable ride and a plushy cabin well worth the $40,000-plus asking price. 2019 marks the first model year that Lexus presents the ES in an F Sport trim for the very first time in the ES’s 30-year history. This further enhances the sedan’s appeal among potential buyers wanting a sporty appeal. Strangely enough the ES 350 F Sport’s competition includes the Acura TLX A-Spec, Kia Stinger and Genesis G70 Sport. The Lexus GS F-Sport competes with the likes of the Audi S6, BMW M5-Series, and Mercedes-Benz E 53 S.

Well it Looks Sporty

The 2019/2020 Lexus ES F Sport certainly looks a lot sportier than the other trim levels. It receives a black grille with a unique diamond pattern, 19-inch alloy wheels, black mirror caps and a spoiler for the trunk. The F Sport package typically involves more of an appearance upgrade than it does actual performance modifications. Overall stance is low, long and wide and from a styling perspective, the ES F Sport certainly does look the part, although styling is always a personal preference.

Performance

Under the hood are relatively few changes. The ES 350 comes with the same 3.5-liter naturally aspirated V6 that’s offered on the rest of the ES 350 lineup. It produces 302 horsepower and 267 lb.-ft of torque, which is quite an improvement over the previous model which had only 268 ponies and 248 lb.-ft. Both the regular ES 350 and F Sport are paired to an 8-speed automatic transmission, but the F Sport includes adaptive dampers with additional Sport+ driving mode alongside unique interior touches.

However, like the rest of the ES lineup, the ES 350 F Sport is front-wheel drive. It’ll be interesting to see how it fares against rear and all-wheel drive opponents considering it’s consigned to a front-wheel-drive configuration. Most ES models, including the F Sport grade, come standard with a 3.5L V6 engine capable of producing 302 horsepower and 267 lb.-ft of torque

There’s also a hybrid ES available in three trim levels. Its outstanding fuel economy is provided by a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder paired with an electric motor that combines for 215 horsepower. This powertrain is not available with the F Sport trim, however the F Sport is EPA rated at 22/31 mpg city/highway.

Ride & Handling

Contrary to the shared powertrain, the F Sport trim does affect ride and handling, slightly. Lexus gives it a tuned MacPherson-strut front suspension and multi-link rear suspension. The ride is noticeably stiffer than its other ES brethren. Apart from the standard suspension, the F Sport is also available with adaptive dampers which is well worth the $750 upcharge.

With its incredible torque steering, the ES 350 F Sport doesn’t like to be pushed to the limit. It is stiffer, but under hard cornering there is a distinct lack of coherence between the front and rear axles. Weight transfer is noticeable thanks to the front-wheel drive platform, not to mention lots of body roll and understeer. It’s not dangerous but handling with the standard suspension on other ES models did not inspire my confidence on twisties. The optional adaptive dampers help remedy this problem.

Though considered a mid-size, the ES does do a commendable job of being a large, spacious sedan. First there’s 16.9 cu-ft of trunk space. Likewise, the back seat is rather spacious. My 6-foot torso had no issues with headroom or legroom. Furthermore, the front seats are supportive and quite comfortable, and seem sportier than the other ES models.

The F Sport trim adds some fun pieces to the interior as well. Our red leather Recaro-like seats were embossed with F Sport logos on the headrests. There was red accent stitching on the dashboard and shift knob. A state-of-the-art digital gauge cluster displays the tach with a digital speedometer. The F-Sport even includes an informative heads-up display. The only issue I had was the horizontal bar fuel gauge that was so small it was difficult to read.

The Lexus ES 350 F Sport is damn near perfect in my opinion. However, knowing that the ES is based off the Toyota Camry/Avalon platform (also built at the same Georgetown, Kentucky facility), I’d love to see the ES convert to RWD, or at least AWD, like the Quattro Audi S6. After all that’s what makes the Lexus IS sedan and RC coupe so exhilarating.

In order to showcase its commitment to following trends, Lexus fitted the ES with a host of advanced electronic gizmos such as automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, and adaptive cruise control which is standard across the board. Apple CarPlay is finally available as well as Amazon Alexa.

Our 2019 tester had a base MSRP of $44,035 (add an additional $600 for the 2020 model). Options tacked on another $8,769 to the sticker for a grand total of $52,804, which includes a $1,025 destination charge. Our tester came in an Ultrasonic Blue Mica hue. Major options were blind spot monitor ($1,065) and navigation package ($1,920), and of course the formerly mentioned adaptive variable suspension. I was a little stunned that the blind spot monitor was not standard.

The 2019 ES 350 F Sport was put to good use during our week with it. Wednesday it went on our Texas Motor Press rally, taking us through scenic parts of south Dallas County, with a stop at Trinity River Audubon preserve. Thursday it took us to State Fair Media Day, and Saturday to Park Place MotorCars third annual Luxury & Supercar Showcase.