Excellent build quality, quiet, comfortable, responsive engine, good handling --did I say quiet?

No radio/CD controls on steering wheel -- a big disapointment

After driving European sedans for the last 7 years, I bought the ES 300 because I was getting tired of all the repair bills on my 1999 Saab 9-5 (about $4000 in repairs over the last six months of ownership). The ES 300 is a much more refined car than the Saab. The engine is powerful but very quiet. I am very impressed with the transmission and have had none of the sudden acceleration stalling problems that others have noted. There is considerably less road noise than in the Saab. The seats are even more comfortable than the Saab's (which are quite good also). Handling is a bit different, but the ES 300's steering is still quick and responsive. The ES 300 also has much less body roll than the Saab. The only problems I've had so far have been rattles inside the car, which stand out more than in other cars because there is so little road and engine noise inside the cockpit. The dealer takes noise problems very seriously and has eliminated them all. I'm very pleased with the dealer experience so far. The Saab had a few features that are missing on the ES 300, but overall I'm very pleased and trust that I will spend considerably less time and money on repairs.

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Acura, Volvo, Saab

At about 11k in 2003 the Es300 is a good buy for people who want a reliable car with enough performance to leave most cars in the dust.

its only a V6 with an automatic shifter. This equals slow reaction times and throtle lag. Also it's a foor door if looking for a performance car people should consider the sc300 or sc400.

I purchased this car in 1998. People who doubt the power of the es300 are kidding themselves. A rather light four door that has plenty of leg room and tunk space for the big soundsystems. The only disadvantage is performance porducts are hard to find but this keeps people away from the model. Hey it's more fun to me. I think the Es300 has a throaty V6 that you usually dont see in Hondas and Domestics. I take hondas and acuras by 2 seconds. The es3 has a good launch but has alot of wheel spin. I added a intake system and exhaust to make up for the weight of the sound system. I dont know if working on the engine like nitrous and turbos would be worth it but it would be fun to try.

Ride - Dependability - Looks - Comfort - Mark Levinson Stereo / GPS is a nice toy! (no pun, I love it!) But you should like that kind of thing and be comfortable with operating it before spending the xtra cash.

Vehicle Skid Control is annoying and borderline dangerous - Transmission is unpredictable at times - More power wouldn't hurt.

$38,789 includes tax. In summary, I am very happy. I really like the Mark Levinson Audio / GPS system. The sound is remarkeable and the GPS is very useful and easy to use. Be sure you like that kind of thing, and ask yourself if you get along with electronic toys/gadgets before spending the xtra $. I'm confused on the transmission. When consciously trying to repeat the steps that others have described I have noticed unpredicteable behaviour but only when REALLY trying, not through the normal course of my driving habits. I am 33 and a pretty mellow driver, using mostly for commutes. At times when I'm in a "Mood" I like to blow everyone away or beat a Semi when using the on-ramp. When you need xtra power it's there and it's adequate, but it's not an excitement machine, and I'm thankful I knew that before I bought. One thing I'm a bit disgruntled about is the Vehicle Skid Control (VSC). There are times when I need to pull out into heavy traffic. If you need to make a sharp turn and cut across a couple of lanes, the power cuts until the vehicle re-balances - Several times I've been a sitting duck with an unhappy motorist slamming their brakes and their horn behind me. I just went for my 5,000 mile service and asked if they could adjust it or unhook it. Nope. It only happens during agressive moves, so I'll live, but just a word of warning - It seems to be more of a problem then a help. That being said, could it be that drivers are confusing a transmission problem with a VSC annoyance? I know that I thought I was going to bring in a lemon transmission until I realized it was actually the VSC kicking in when punching the gas and making a 90 degree turn simultaneously.

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First luxury and foreign vehicle I have owned. However, I have USED a Mark VIII and spent substantial time driving/riding in a 2001 Jaguar. I did lot's of research on the web and planned on several te

VERY nice interior. Extremely quiet. Good engine. Dashboard lights look nice, but they burn out.

Terrible if you want to go sport. Steering is too light. You can't hear the engine, or anything outside. No road feel. Get a beemer for REAL SPORT, and luxury too. I heard the lights burn out, for real, the lights in this es start to burn out already.

2 way street. For a luxury minded, not sporty. Maybe not for young ones, like myself (17), i like the acceleration and handling of the 325i, but the luxury in the es is lovely.

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1991 Acura Integra GS 1993 Toyota Corolla 1993 BMW 325i

Interior, quite ride, comfortable ride

rims, truck space and trunk access.

Leased vehicle 1st of Sept and haven't had a bit a problem with it. Really like the ride and performance. I was very concerned about the trans problem because i read about this problem before a leased the vehicle. I have over 4700 miles on it and its already Thanksgiving day and still running fine. I love how quite the interior is and the luxurious appoiontments within. The navigation system is the greatest and the Mark Levinson sound system sounds great.

interior, value

exterior

Maybe I am jinxing myself with this review but I love my 2002. First, let me say this it is a luxury car NOT a sports. This car makes no pretensions about being fast sporty or being a babe magnet. It is comfortable car made for cruising. This leads me to the transmission. It feels lazy becuase it is supposed to be. This may not be your cup of tea but it is designed for "sunday drivers" like myself. I don't stomp on the gas but I can cruise comfortably and quitely at 85. I was very worried about he transmission problem too and test drove at least 10 300's seeking to recreat the pause. I was able to with effort but I never drive in that manner in real life. I have had need for sudden acceleration and it has not let me down. I picked this car becuase I am stuck in traffic 3 hours a day and I like the serenity of the interior. As far as the interior there is nothing in this class that touches it. Period. The one thing I will say about it is that it will not appeal to a large cross section of buyers. Again look at this car only if you want the most luxury 32 grand can buy. If you want a more "athletic" car get a G35 or 2004 TL. Or wait for the es330.

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A4, C-class, Acura TL Type S, G35

Still nice and quiet after so may miles

Trans shifts hard from 1st to 2nd but I wouldn't expect a transmission to work at all with that many miles on so its all good.

I bought my 92 ES300 with 303,000 miles on it. Original engine and automatic transmission. It sounds like like all those spoiled rich people got a bad deal with the 2002 ES300 Transmission but mine couldn't be too bad with 303,000 miles.

Insufficient headroom. I am only 6'1" tall, and it drives me crazy that my hair keeps rubbing on the headliner.

My comments concern the octane grade of gasoline to be used in my 2002 ES300. As I shopped for a new Lexus, I was told by no less than 2 dealers that regular grade gasoline can be used. I was trading in a Cadillac with a Northstar engine and was happy to know I could get away from the premium pump if I bought a new Lexus. Then after purchasing, I started reading my owner's manual and, lo and behold, it recommends 91 octane or higher. So I called my salesman, explaining that it was the first fill-up since driving out of the showroom. He said, "Oh, use 89 octane. That's what we recommend!" So now I have taken my car in for the first 1,000-mile check-up (which happens to be at yet a 3rd dealer), and the technician servicing my car tells me he notices I have used the wrong lower octane gas. The technician explained the high performance engine in my Lexus requires 91 or even 93 octane in order to perform properly. While waiting for the 1,000-mile check-up, I walk into that dealer's showroom and ask the same question, "What grade gasoline can be used in these cars?" The salesman again says, "We recommend 89 octane." That's when I tell the salesman what the manual says and what his technicians out in the repair bays are telling us. He is shocked. Apparently, I have been duped, along with everyone else that buys a new ES300. Premium gas is required and recommended by the manufacturer, but the dealers in the showrooms are lying to the customers and not telling them.

Nice Looks

Terrible engine/transmission problems

This car is really beautiful inside and out (except for kinda dull wheels). Unfortunately, the mechanicals do not seem to be what I expect in a Lexus! I also have the same transmission problems as others reviewed on this website, along with some additional problems. Quite often, when trying to take off slowly with the car; it pauses as if it isn't quite in gear. Then, all at once the car will lock in and surge forward! This behavior not only jerks around myself and passengers, but also makes moving into traffic a bit interesting. The car will also develop a significant shutter when traveling a steady speed of 50MPH of so. This is also pretty jerky, but much harder to recreate. My ES300 currently has about 22,000 miles on it, and drives like a car with about 100,000 on it. The tires are making significant noise on the highway, and passing from 40MPH or so is a real joke. Like others on this site, I am very dissatisfied with the car and will also be pursuing the Lemon Law. I've been trying to get this problem fixed from the time I purchased it in October 2001.

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The 2002 ES300 Lexus is a very nice car to look at and has some nice features. When you get into the car and drive it you realize it has major transmission and shifting problems. It will almost die when you accelerate to move into lanes. I had 3 passengers in the car on the freeway when traffic caused a slow down, when I pressed on the gas to keep up with the flow the transmission would not engage for a moment, just long enough to make all in the car wonder if we were going to be hit by another car. It freightened all in the car. That is just one of the near misses that I have had with this car. What a disappointment this car is. The dealer says be patient they are working on a fix. The company knows there is a problem. They even sent the Japanese over here to check on it. But in the meantime I am afraid to drive my car. I am going to pursue the lemon law.