1999 - 2018 Lexus ES Retrospective | 20 Years of the Lexus ES | TestDrive Showdown
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- čas přidán 7. 09. 2024
- We met up with a local Lexus enthusiast in Sainte-Julie, Québec at Park Avenue Lexus to check out the differences between his 1999 Lexus ES 300 and the new 2018 Lexus ES 350. Our Showdown is on 20 years of the Lexus ES, going over the similarities and differences with these two cars from 19 years apart.
Special thanks to Lexus Sainte Julie & Groupe Park Avenue for letting us film this Retrospective episode of TestDrive Showdown. For more information about Lexus Sainte Julie please click here: www.parkavenue...
For more information on the 1999 Lexus ES, you can watch our Spotlight: • Long-Term Luxury Depen...
For more information about either vehicle please watch their respective episodes of TestDrive Spotlight.
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Did u jus say 1990 lexus as? In the begining?
It seems like I did miss that third 9 during the introduction. Thanks for pointing this out! It is a 99 ES 300.
Qadan alaram
I have a 2000 Lexus ES300 and I love it to death. Only 70,000 miles. People are amazed how smooth it drives compared to the newer cars.
We were very impressed with this ES, we think it could be one of the best values out there considering what you get out of the car.
I just bought a 1996, es300 for $950 bucks. It has 196k Miles on it. And it drives more smoother than my 2009 is250. What a fucking ride it is.
Very nice! I still recommend this generation ES as a seriously good first car & daily driver, there's so much good with this car.
The ES300, singlehandedly one of the best cars ever made
We really enjoyed driving this car a lot more than we expected we would. We'd absolutely buy one of these with the Platinum trim in black, sharp looking car that's aged pretty well!
Perpetual Radio Networks 100% agree, Im driving a 98 es300 as my very first car and I couldnt have asked for a better car that’s worth just a couple grand. Plus, a toyota engine means it never dies.
That's certainly true! Wish we had something as reliable as this ES 300 as our first car. Very underappreciated in the enthusiast communities (aside from Lexus/Toyota ones).
Lexus is on par with Mercedes and BMW, the only difference is Lexus is far more reliable, and has claimed "most reliable luxury car brand" for many years in a row.
That's certainly true. They definitely have the reliability factor nailed down, but even when the launched the brand into the 90s the level of detail and care put into these cars was top notch. We personally don't feel that Acura or Infiniti can compete with BMW/Mercedes in the 90s, or today.
not only reliability but also cost of repairs, maintenance and repair a german car drain your wallet every time you open the hood lol
My Corolla, not exactly a Lexus, but close enough, maintenance is an afterthought. The Mercedes? My god, how did they mess it up so bad?
yep, my father own a toyota with 160k km without any problem, some years ago my mother own a mercedes with half km and one day half cilinders stop to work... and repair at mercedes dealership was clearly expensive, after that she sold the car
MB was NEVER as good as some people imagine. Yes, there are a lot of 240d examples running as cabs in part of Europe and Africa and you occasionally see an old 300d or td chugging along but that's about it. Even then, there's a lot more in a car to fail than an engine.
I just picked up an insanely clean 2000 ES300 with only 102k for $4000. It’s in extremely good shape for a Michigan car. I’m beyond thankful.
Nice! Hold onto it if you can, that will last you forever!
@@PRNTestDrive will do!! 😁
Interiors have come so far. It's amazing looking at the new interior compared to the old.
Agreed! Gives a good comparison between the two generations.
That 1999 Lexus design is sharper than the 2018 model that 1999 Lexus was way ahead of its time.
Can't beat the 90s for Lexus design language.
Had I known how good Lexus was when I was looking for my first few vehicles years ago I wouldn't have wasted my time with anything else..
james 699 Had several Ford's, Dodges, a few Chevys, Hyundais, Mazdas, and a Honda all before trying a Toyota. Don't buy a Ford unless you like walking..
We definitely don't regret buying our car over the Lexus, but it is a great experience being able to try these two cars out to see how the differ from the competition. We continue to love these older Lexus models, and think it's fantastic that they continue to run without any real issues decades on.
Perpetual Radio Networks Great video! Not many channels out there comparing a nice solid 2 decade old version of a car to its current form, nice to see these types of comparisons IMO
We really hope we can do more episodes like this. Now that we're getting access to new vehicles we're hoping we can continue to find owners with older generations to feature along side.
lol oh god that reminds me of what a nightmare my ford contour was... so many problems... eventually the transmission exploded at 74,000 miles and I was free from the curse.
My wife just gifted her '98 ES 300 to our son and his wife. With only 142K miles of trouble-free driving, she cried when she saw them drive the 1,200 miles to Denver from our home in Indianapolis. (They made it without a hint of a problem.) Her question now is...buy another ES or look for another suitable luxury sedan? Your great comparison video helps her make this decision even easier! THANKS!!
Glad you liked it, and it's great to hear your ES 300 is staying in the family! We're still fascinated by these older Lexus models, there's a lot going for them even if they're ignored by the larger enthusiast communities. We'd definitely buy a Platinum with that sleek black paint.
I have 2 es 300 1997 and one 430 ls 2001
I have a 2016 ES and one feature I like from the 1999 ES is how the door inserts are padded better with actual leather. Most cars these days have gone to using hard plastics. At least, the ES still has vinyl padded inserts.
Hard plastics are unfortunately the standard for today's cars. Another reason we really love featuring these classics!
Just bought 2005 ES330 in excellent condition with 68200 miles fully dealer maintained and looks like brand new inside and out. Even the plastic on the front lights looks brand new with no UV radiation damage. Drives great. Transmission fluid is pink. Brake and steering fluid looks good having been changed every 30000 miles. Had timing belt and water pump changed at 60000 2 years ago, battery over one year old and new tires. Wine colored and black interior. Has heated and cooled seats. Front console and everything inside looks brand new including the leather seats. Paid 5900$. Drive to me looks OK cause I bought a 2004 LS430 a year ago with 86000 miles for 9900$, one owner, dealer maintained with only regular maintenance at dealer, now at 112500 miles and no problems (previously had 2005 LS430 bought in 2011 at 69000 miles (single owner, timing belt changed, dealer maintained) that I drove to 200000 miles (with no engine work, original struts and all the parts including the bushings, rubber etc). The LS430 is a beauty in terms of handling, feels to the ground, quietness, more comfortable and softer seats etc etc thus said ES 330 seems OK. But if you have not driven LS 430, then you will feel it's a great car which it is. Only problem I found is that transmission in low gear sucks especially when you have to go uphill with a steep bend (I have a small area where I drive to work where its extremely steep and with nearly 180 degree turn and ES 330 just sucks. With the LS430, I have no problems. ES 330 does not feel safe and sturdy connected to the ground as the LS 430 on steep roads and makes me feel insecure especially in winter. Just my thoughts
One more thing. The ES350 now is not made in Japan anymore which sucks as quality control and materials made in Japan are just great compared to one made elsewhere even if made in the US
Glad to hear you've found a great ES 330! A lot of people feel that the luxury cars from all manufacturers were better before today. We'll have to try to find one of these to feature to see if we experience the same sort of low-speed concerns you're having.
I have 2 1997 es 300 one with 68 Miles and one 2001 LS 430 ultra with 264 miles runs like new
1998 Lexus ES 300 310,000 miles and still runs and starts like a champ
That's awesome to hear! These cars are essentially un-killable, unless they get into a wreck.
I have that same 1997 Lexus ES 300 model and color. I originally bought it in 2006 w/ 151K miles for college. Now it is at 296K miles. No timing belt change, water pump, etc. Just regular 5K oil change intervals and go. This is one of the best reliable cars ever made.
That's awesome! 150k mi in just over 10 years is pretty darn good too, that's a good amount of use out of it. This generation ES is still one of our favourite cars for enthusiasts looking for reliability and premium feel all in one car.
Yes they are 😊
The old one has much better vision and easier to get in and out of due to steeper windscreen. It also looks better than the new tubby styled one.
We didn't have any issues getting in/out of the new one, but I can definitely see your point!
The 1999 es is just clean and beautiful. The new one is very busy, and has replaced luxury with tech.
There's certainly a lot of tech going on with the new one, that's for sure. The older models definitely relied on design over gadgets.
For me, tech is luxury
So, somebody will likely choose a Tesla over a Rolls Royce?
Im driving a 97 es300 with 225k km, still drives great..i have the one with adjustable ride suspension.
Very nice! Those don't seem to be common at all, definitely want to hold onto it!
I have a 1998 Lexus ES 300 and it still drives very good to have 300,000 miles on it
Glad to hear it, I hope it keeps on serving you well!
That 1999 design is sharper than that 2018 Lexus with that wide predator grill the 2018 has more features and technology but that 1999 design was years ahead of it's time that car is a classic I would rather have the 1999 that car is the real deal.
Lexus design language has certainly taken a radical shift in recent years. Nothing beats these classic cars though!
I have the 1999 Lexus ES 300 , It's in mint condition 🚘
I got a 99 es 300 whit only 154 000 milles and she run Like a beast she is my Queen !!
Very nice! Hold onto it if you can, the ES 300 is one of the few cars we recommend to buyers who want a reliable, affordable, comfortable daily driver.
@@PRNTestDrive oh i Will plus she is all black ..pretty rare i havent seen one in Montréal so far
Black is the way to go for this one! Around the time I filmed this episode I found a mint black on black in Ontario for about $3,000, seriously good deal on a fantastic car.
everyone in north america is so obsessed by cup holders, i never see anyone use cup holders for hold a cup in italy, just very few time an half liter bottle of water
Very true!
You use cup holders to hold cups, I use them for water
My 98 LS400 has the tiniest most ridiculous cup holders ever put in a car.And as a 'Mericun,I need something to hold my refreshment,Just how it is,so I bought tall skinny cups to fit my Lexus.But I giggle every time i use it,they are sooo funny.So they missed that,do the maintenance and my 244K miled Lexus still runs fast,clean,and reliable,fair enough trade off.
Yes, cup holder seems unused in many country like us
Because we use it to put our phones in
Great content, cool to see the two cars side by side. I feel like there is something off about your interior audio on the 99 review. It got much better in the 2018. You could hear a lot of road noise and your voice was hard to focus on. Is that due to the noise isolation in the newer car or did you adjust some microphone settings?
Unfortunately something bumped into our recording equipment during the second half of our drive with the 99, once we started editing the video we noticed everything after we left the Honda office in Ste-Julie (at the start of the test drive of the 99 in this video) the audio was unusable. We couldn't salvage any of the audio off our recording device for that segment, so the audio is off our GoPro's internal mic.
My favorite generation of the ES line
Both are great cars, we still see a lot of the XV20 on the road, they're unstoppable!
I kinda like the look and simplicity if the 90's era Lexus interior better than the new one.
There's definitely something about the older models that just works. Some think it's boring but we find that Lexus was working very hard with their interiors in order to make things functional. Using the Acura Vigor we just published as an example, many interior buttons were added as an afterthought, whereas with the Lexus' we've featured everything feels like thought and care went into ever element.
I agree Tony.I have a 98 LS400 and the interior is fine as it is.Exterior I dont need that monster grill of the newer Lexi either.
You really remind me of Matt Farah not making a joke the show is awesome Nobody Compares cars like this it's very outlandish but you put it together well
We certainly appreciate that! We do like to add some humour into the videos when we can, but often we end up writing the scripts to get the most information out as possible with little room for anything else.
Good to see you wearing a Flanders Poppy at that time of the year.
We always do, it's an important part we do. Many members of our family have served in the armed forces.
As a very proud owner of a very beautiful 2017 Eminent White Lexus ES350 with that same tan/chocolate interior of that 2018.. and it's a great car! I have enjoyed very nice BMWs and Mercedes over the years but I want to keep this long haul and I don't want to pay thousands and thousands in repairs!!! Anyone know that interior color of that tan/chocolate interior of the 2018 Lexus?
I can attest to the 1999 Lexus....I have seen many of these still around. Almost unbreakable. About Lexus getting it right, Toyota has the largest R&D compared to ANY other car maker in the world. Example if the Germans put in a new idea into their cars and Toyota does not. It means the Toyota has already tried that idea and thinks it's not necessary.
That certainly makes sense. So far we've been very impressed with the Lexus models we've had the chance to feature.
I have a 99 es300 coach edition i.maculate with 120k miles on it. Best car ever
Awesome car to own! Hold onto it if you can.
Why dont they give the es an awd option like the rest of their sedans
That is a fantastic point, and I think it's to help separate it from the mid-size GS. It seems to be the only non-luxury/non-premium mid-size car without an AWD option, and also one that's only FWD.
Old is gold.
We think so too!
I have a 99 es300 and I love the car so much
Hold onto it! We hear from people all the time on this episode and the spotlight we did on the 99 ES 300 and everyone loves theirs. Best classic luxury car you can buy today on the cheap and have it reliable.
The 99 ES will outlast the MB and BM from that era handily..............................with reliability, maintenance, and longevity.
I can't disagree with you there, these cars will continue forever!
I have a 1999 ES300, has over 300k miles with one or two major repairs, but otherwise runs like new (with regular maintenance)
That's great! These are certainly some of the most reliable cars money can buy, we still see a lot of the XV20 Camrys on the road here.
There's like so much camrys out there that are from like 1993, ans are still running well
You say the E class is smoother than the ES 350? I beg to disagree. I haven't driven the new gen e class yet but I have driven the previous gen and been driven in it as well and it's not as smooth as the ES 350. Even so many other reviewers say the same thing about the new e class as well, saying it is really hard to say which is smoother. Till I drive the new e class or be driven in it I won't make any assertions but the old gen e class isn't as smooth and refined as the ES 350.
We've driven a few W211s but none very recently. We're hoping to get the chance too, but the main difference with the E-Class and ES is the drivetrain, since the ES is only FWD it makes it hard to compare.
And with the ES, in my opinion (protected speech in the U.S.) you're far more likely to reach your destination without being stranded on the way.
As much as I love Toyota/Lexus, it's crazy to think the ES 300 was a 50,000 dollar Fancy Camry back then haha.
Agreed! Well maybe with adjustment. We briefly talked about the differences with the Camry/ES and Accord/Vigor with our 92 Acura Vigor Spotlight. Both cars were significantly more than their non-premium brothers.
Lexus should've made the ES300, with A Rwd Drivetrain. They literally downgrade, by making it Fwd. This is my next car though, as a winter beater.
I think the strategy for Lexus was to upmarket their existing Camry on the cheap and fill a segment of buyers who weren't worried about which wheels did the driving. It's unfortunate that the GS is ending production, Lexus seems to be committed to this drive setup.
I have a 97 es300,not possitive what packages there were but it had to be the best version with the super badass stock audio system that still till this day sound crisper and cleaner than my 2-600watt amps with Sony explode deck and 2- 10's subwoofers, 6x9's in the doors and tweeters in the front of my 02wrx,anyways😂,I've never had a problem ever with my ES300,it's probably the most reliable car I've ever even heard of,the fact that I can go online and see more than handfulls of them for sale running good with more than 500k miles says allot about the reliability of the 1mz even before the valve timing upgrade in the following years.I really don't even see the new models outlasting the 97-2002 es300's,I can't think of any car off the top of my head that could potentially outlast these cars,it's still quiet, comfortable,handles alright for being a 97 having Monroe electronic suspension,I put a cheesy Secret WeaponR dragon somethin or other cold air intake on it😂😂😂Sounds amazing and runs beautifully still and I've been abusing this car for years like this.I just can't say enough good things about it.Its not a badass supercar or anything ur gonna smoke people with,but it's still very sexy looking even 20+years later and mechanically sound wich I find very very amazing for any car.Im still impressed by the better wheelbase and 30% stiffer framework they did for this year over the previous years,and the projector lights look awesome even in 2018 if they aren't oxidized.Ok I'm done 😂this has gone on too long all ready.I bet my car will outlast the new ones still,I would put big $ on that.😂👊👊👊
There's no doubt the 90s-era Lexus ES is a solid reliable car, it's one of the reasons we were really excited to take a look at it. It's still a car we'd want to buy for ourselves as a daily driver, we did find a nice black on black a little while ago, maybe we'll be able to find something like that again when we're ready to add something new to our garage.
The best car I've ever owned my grandparents gave it to me cause they upgraded to the 2018 es 300 thank you for this wonderful car it's the number one sound and looks incredible stock gracias my godparents much love
interesting comparison
Thanks! We like to try to film different things like this.
Great review, but did you record the intro with the Onboard Camera Mic? So much background noise. Unforgivable for a Radio Network ;) I'd have dubbed that if I had to..
The location we filmed in was right next to one of the busiest highways in the province, so that's road noise from our lav mic. We also aren't Motor Trend, so we have an incredibly limited budget for gear.
I have a 2000 es Lexus it's the Platinum edition with 149 on dash
Very nice! Hold onto it if you can.
How much was the price when you first bought it. Looking into one getting one myself.
I paid thousand
You should try out the 94 LS400 (UCF10 or -11) against its current generation.
That's something we'd really like to do. We filmed a 99 LS 400 this past weekend, we'll be publishing the video on it early December with a Showdown episode on the BMW 7 Series. If that car was closer we'd have setup a similar film shoot with it like we did here.
It will be quieter and more reliable. The 94 also looks a lot better.
Nice Informativ Video
Thanks!
Foreseeing the need, one day, to replace my lovely 1999 ES, I’d been considering the 2013+ model. Of all of the new features in the 2013, the only one I’m truly missing is the cooled ventilated seats. They became standard in 2015 - the year before the front of the car became truly ugly. I am NOT a fan of the current Lexus front grill. I will NOT buy an ugly car. So, Lexus is no longer an option for me (at least until someone at Lexus straightens out this clear mistake - in Lexus’ quest for uniqueness, they’ve achieved it by doing something no one else would do, and no one else would do it because it’s so obviously ugly). So, years ago, I considered a used 2015 and almost got one until I asked myself why I’m replacing something that doesn’t need replacing. After 150,000+ km, nothing is wrong with my 1999 ES. Everything still works. Even the AC still blows cold, and I’ve never changed a light bulb. Why would I spend a lot of money replacing something that still does the job incredibly well just to get ventilated seats? So, I’ve kept my 1999 hoping that it lasts long enough for Lexus to mend their ugly ways and make available a good looking (or not ugly) replacement. I expect that it will.
Lexus has seemed to turn off a lot of their loyal customers with their designs recently. They seem to be sticking with it, but design language changes and perhaps they'll come up with something down the road that's still unique but works for more buyers.
A loaded es300 in 1999 for 37k adjusted for inflation today would be 57k
Not a bad deal when you consider how much more tech you get on the new one by comparison.
Beautiful interior, mundane exterior styling. Doesn't really have a soul but that interior is great looking
Most new cars don't anymore, and even the older ones are hit or miss. The Lexus is definitely a great, reliable car, but doesn't have much personality. The new one is very nice on the inside, but also feels just like a car.
Nice review precisely put BTW do you work for Lexus
Thanks! We don't, we just contacted the local dealership to see if we could film one of their vehicles for this episode.
Perpetual Radio Networks i see thats awesome i am a bigtime automotive freak basically car enthusiast i wanted to get a job there thats why asked you
Toyota/Lexus seems pretty tough to get in with, but there's always opportunities!
Had a 2000 Camry le that shared more than a few interior parts with that Lexus...Can't believe they're still using the cruise control stalk in the lower right side of the steering wheel in the '18??!!??
If it works, it works! No need to change it up. I think Mercedes might still use a lower stock like that for Cruise Control on some vehicles also.
Why would they change it? I can set and modulate the cruise with my middle finger and ring finger without ever taking my hands off the normal driving position. It works better than any other vehicle I've owned.
Very good point! It also keeps the steering wheel clear for other controls.
Lol not as smooth at the Mercedes 4Matic? Try MORE SMOOTH
4:16 almost got rear ended
Almost!
to me, the 90s ES is by far more attractive and driver friendly.
new cars of today are a mess.
on one hand, they are filled nanny gimmicks that manufacturers claim will make you a better driver and protect your safety.
on other hand, all those gimmicks are just there to distract you from driver, thus making you a worse driver.
The older ES is one of the best used cars we've ever featured! We're always hearing from owners about how great they are. I wish I had the chance to find one myself.
New one doesn't have ash tray
Most new cars don't outside of full-size luxury vehicles.
It’s a Camry
Compare the Lexus ISs!!!
Dude, give some space when speaking in the mic. Its sounds and feels like you are licking ears....lol....Nice review though.
Check out any of our recent episodes where we aren’t filming along a windy corridor, should be much better.
first
The 350 Lexus is a 2017 car.
This ES 350 is a 2018 model year.
Its both actually. The 350 was around since 2006. You are probably thinking of the years and the different looks it has changed throughout the years.
My grandma had 1997 es 300 with 74000 miles
Nice! Very low mileage, I'm sure it was a pleasure to drive.
Would she like to sell? please get back to me.
I just got the same one with 80k miles
how much and what's the condition?
Someone ran a red light and t boned her