|
Gasoline: | 2.4 L
2AZ-FE I4 | 3.5 L
2GR-FE V6 }} }} Lexus unveiled the fifth generation ES in February 2006 at the
Chicago Auto Show for the 2007 model year. The line initially consisted of the ES 350 sedan, which as per previous models, featured
front-wheel-drive and a
V6 engine—now displacing 3.5 liters. The line was refreshed in 2009, during which more features were added, and a four-cylinder variant, the ES 240, was introduced for Asian markets. The fifth generation ES remained Lexus' top-selling sedan model in the North American and Asian markets, anchoring the marque's entry-level model lineup. Like previous generations, the fifth generation ES was geared towards the comfort luxury segment, favoring a soft ride over sporty performance. It continued the previous generation's direction of moving the ES more upscale in its design and features; Lexus touted the ES 350 as faster, more powerful, more aerodynamic, and more quiet than the original LS 400 flagship. Like its predecessors, the fifth generation ES continued to be made in Japan, at the Kyushu plant in Fukuoka, Japan. Despite being built in the country, the XV40 is
left-hand drive only and was not sold in the Japanese market, as well as the other regions with
right-hand drive.
2006–2009 The fifth generation ES (GSV40) debuted at the Chicago Auto Show in February 2006 as the ES 350, featuring a six-speed
automatic transmission with a
front-wheel drive aluminum 3.5 L
2GR-FE V6 engine with intake and exhaust
variable valve timing. The exterior design featured an all-new body in the style of Lexus' new design philosophy,
L-finesse. The new design was sleeker than its predecessor, with a streamlined cabin and character lines across the hood, fenders, and rear pillars. The Lexus emblem returned to the grille for the first time since the first generation, and was placed at the center of a five-bar horizontal grille. For the debut 2007 models, Lexus introduced a number of unique colors exclusive to the ES 350, including Aquamarine Pearl, Royal Ruby Metallic, Moon Shell Mica, and Amber Pearl. The drag coefficient was
Cd 0.28. Available new features included a 300-watt, 14-speaker
Mark Levinson premium audio system, power seat cushion extender, radar-based
adaptive cruise control, rain-sensing windshield wipers, power rear sunshade, DVD navigation system, and Lexus Park Assist, a sonar-based warning system with
backup camera. Fuel economy was estimated at in the city and on the highway. Some commentators have complained that so much power to the front wheels has produced uncomfortable torque steer in both the new ES and Camry. The ES 350 arrived at U.S. dealerships in late April 2006 as a 2007 model. The 2007 base price in the U.S. was $33,470. That year, the ES 350 was launched in North America, the Middle East, China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau), South Korea and Taiwan. At the
2008 Chicago Auto Show, Lexus debuted a Pebble Beach Edition ES 350, produced in partnership with the
Pebble Beach Company. The Pebble Beach ES 350 came in either Truffle Mica, Pearl Silver, or Obsidian Black exterior colors, with exterior and interior badging, along with the choice of either travel or golf products by the
Callaway Golf Company or
Viking Range cookware. The front passenger airbag used a twin-chamber design for reduced occupant discomfort upon deployment. Toyota recalled and replaced 55,000 optional all-weather rubber
floor mats from the Camry and ES 350 in September 2007, citing the risk of unsecured mats jamming the accelerator pedal. In August 2009, the NHTSA probed the ES 350 following 40 acceleration control complaints, eight crashes and 12 injuries, with floor mats implicated in most cases. An accident involving a
loaner ES 350 killed four persons near San Diego on 28 August. The NHTSA and
San Diego County Sheriff's Department found that the car was wrongly fitted with an unsecured
SUV rubber floor mat; which an earlier driver had complained about. On 29 November, the 2007–2010 MY floor mat recall was revised to add shorter accelerator pedals, thinner replacement mats, and a brake override feature which ignores accelerator input when the brake pedal is depressed. Debuting first in the Chinese auto market, the 2010 ES lineup added a second model, the ES 240 (ACV40), which was produced to comply with the country's new emission laws for luxury cars, making it the first gasoline four-cylinder Lexus since the 2005 IS. The ES 240 received a 2.4L
2AZ-FE inline-four engine producing and of torque at 4000 rpm. Several awards won by the fifth generation ES include 2009 Best Upscale Car for the Money from
U.S News & World Report,
AutoPacific 2009 Vehicle Satisfaction Award for Best Mid-size Luxury Car, and Best New Luxury Car (under $50k) Award in 2007 at the
Canadian Car of the Year Awards, selected by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada. The ES 350 has also been named
Consumer Guide 2008 Best Buy in the Premium Midsize Class,
ConsumerSearch Best "budget" luxury sedan of 2008, ''
Kiplinger's Personal Finance Best New Car for 2007, and Best in Class for 2008, Intellichoice'' Best Car Value Over $23,000 for 2007, and Polk Automotive Loyalty award for 2008. == Sixth generation (XV60; 2012) ==