Used 2014 Lexus ES 350 Sedan Consumer Reviews

Rumble and grumble, never fixed and @Lexus never

I bought my ES Feb 24 on the 26th it developed a shake/rumbling when in Drive or Reverse. The noise and shake are absolutely not what Lexus should be. The dealer tried and said nothing found on the first visit. The second try they had the Lexus rep/engineer from Atlanta look and he replaced one of the engine mounts. It was improved but still not right. Now at 4k miles the vibration and sound is getting worse. The service Mgr rode with me and called The Lexus rep in Atl who said it was normal. BEWARE test drive any ES and watch for the shake and noise. Do not buy the Lexus. I hate my Lexus and will be out of it as soon as I'm not upside down. Update- @Lexus never provided help or a solution. I traded the Lexus and am much happier.

On my fifth ES

Bought my first ES way back in 1994. Loved the car then and still love the car. In fact, I have been buying and driving Lexus for more then 20 years and I have bought each one from the same dealership and salesperson! This 2014 ES has tons more features than my first one in 1994, yet really has not increased that much in price, compared to other inflated items. You get a lot more car for a little more money. You just cannot beat Lexus when it comes to quality of workmanship and support. Japanese reliability is second-to-none. The dealer network is unbeatable. I only have a couple of "complaints", the seats are just not comfortable for extended periods. Also, bring back radio buttons! The menu system may be "cool" but is clumsy and unnecessary. Now that we have owned and driven the 2014 for 18 months, my opinion of the ES has not changed too much. We did suffer a rear-end collision and I have learned that the Starfire Pearl (077) white paint is nearly impossible to match. Our rear bumper had to be replaced and we had to have it re-painted three times to get close to the factory paint. My only complaint with the car continues to be the frustration with the radio control. It is way too complicated. But, the car has an incredible ride and is buttery smooth and quiet. My best friend has a 2016 Camry and the difference between the two cars is substantial. The Lexus is a MUCH more refined vehicle.

Well-Rounded Comfort, Performance & Value

Traded my 2014 Camry SE for the 2014 ES 350 Base & couldn't be happier. Overall excellent purchase including price (value for $ spent) & dealer experience. Have been eyeing this model for some time & was very familiar with the platform via my Camry, which I also was very happy with (SE model only; didn't like other trim levels.) The seat comfort & adjustability is excellent while lumbar support is better than the Camry's. At 6 ft, 1 in, have no problems with ingress & egress. I have the base model car with dark grey / light grey colors. I love it. The NuLuxe (read: vinyl) material is perfect for me as I go to gym daily & play tennis 3-4 days per week & meticulously care for my vehicles; one less maintenance item to contend with servicing the leather several times each year as I do for my wife's Murano. Have HID headlights but no Nav or B/U camera. No worries for me as I have never had those in any car. Use my TomTom & iPhone for Nav. Paid $21k for 1-owner, no accident vehicle from Mercedes dealer in Pampano Beach, FL with 10k miles of warranty remaining. Like the push-button diagnostics that includes air pressure volume per tire to help maintain proper wear & safety. Can hardly purchase any super-nice vehicle at that price that even nears the luxury, comfort, reliability & performance of this car. As stated above, excellent experience with vehicle & dealer. Have only pressed the gas pedal hard twice & WOW this thing really accelerates but is smooth & quiet at the same time. Purchased a Lexus SUV for my daughter last year & that is how I caught the Lexus bug. At 52, cannot imagine owning anything else.

Lexus equals excellence

I owned Cadillacs for most of the last forty years. Six months ago we leased a 2014 Lexus ES 350 and find it every bit as luxurious as the Cadillac and exceedingly superior in other areas such as fuel economy, useable trunk space, interior legroom in back seat, and overall value. The dealer, Lexus of the Palm Beaches , added to the enjoyment by not wasting my time and offering a fair deal in the first place with no hidden costs. This continued when I purchased an extended warrantee for a different make of car from the finance dept. of Lexus and once again received a great value with no wasted time. I traded that Lexus in on a 2017 and Lexus of the Palm Beaches went out of their way to treat me right. We are equally happy with our new car!!!

Not a car, badly integrated collection of features

My wife moved from Infiniti G20 to Lexus ES 350. The new car is definitely an upgrade in most dimensions, and adds a lot of features. But G20 felt like a well designed car that does everything exactly as you want it to do, the ES 350 feels like a poorly integrated list of features - kind of the way (bad) software was done and advertised in nineties. We have feature A and checkbox B and support C - except trying to use A, B or C drives you mad. * E.g.: when the rest of the car moved from daylight saving time, the navigation is still on summer time. So it would show correct current time, but the estimated time of arrival is 1 hour off. * The navigation is horrible and voice command is exercise of despair. It is not even able to find its own nearest dealership. * The radio has satellite and everything, but feels intentionally designed to make listening to plain old FM stations as inconvenient as possible, forcing you to buy sattelite subscription. * The driver seat has memory, but if I get into car when the seat is still in my wife's settings and start car, ES 350 does the following: moves seat forward and makes the back more vertical, simultaneously trying to hit my head to the roof and press my chest against steering wheel. Only after doing this, it moves back-and-down simultaneously - away from the roof and steering wheel. But why did it have to almost kill me first? * The car constantly beeps whenever it finds something it does not like. Like leaving sunroof slightly raised (not open) on a sunny day. Or opening doors in wrong order. Or anything. If you have a sleeping baby in the car - it is impossible to leave the car without waking up the baby. * There is radar cruise control that keeps the distance to the car in front. Works perfect on the long stretch of straight highway. But when you are in the mountains and the road turns - (1) everybody slows down, (2) the radar loses the car in front due to road curve, and thinks it has clear road ahead, (3) car starts accelerating! Right when you are doing the sharp turn! Could they use the signal from the steering wheel to understand it is not a great time to accelerate? They could, but they probably just slapped a feature (radar) designed by third party, and did not integrate it with the other stuff. * This radar is also supposed to stop the car in case of potential frontal collision, but the government data shows it is not efficient at all there. Seems like a problem with many cars, but some (e.g. Honda) do much better. There is also active recall for radar causing breaking in some very rare scenario. * Finally, radar does not work in heavy rain - not due to rain of course, but due to wipers. Quickly swiping wipers block radar! There are tons of features in this car, but when you actually start using them, you find out they are garbage, done without real thought about the usability and comfort. On the other hand, the car drives OK. It is a reasonable compromise between comfort and drivability, great traction control. I think if they spent just a bit money on usability engineering and making sure their features actually work well, rather than spend all the money on stuffing as many features as possible - it could be a great car.

Everything but the "New Car Smell"

This car gives the best ride I've ever experienced. (That says a lot since I've been driving for over 50 years.) Yes, I'm an "old guy", but that doesn't mean I'm looking for a car with the performance of a hearse. This is a very stylish, elegant vehicle that has the 'grip and go' that a fella needs to move through freeway traffic with ease. All of that while providing the quietest ride possible. My wife says that riding in this car is like riding around in musical sound room. Although it is two years old it is free of any squeaks or rattles that usually come with age.

Disappointed

After owning my ES 350 with Ultra Luxury package for 3 months, I am truly disappointed. Several rattles have developed in the doors, dashboard, and sunroof. When washing the car, water accumulates inside of the rear taillights. Overall, I'm dissatisfied in the build quality of the new ES.

Still having love affair with Lexi

I'm going to make this pretty short very satisfied. I'm 55 years old now and luckily I could barely afford this car but I just love the luxury. Some people don't like the base stereo but I have satellite and it sounds amazing when you turn the radio on though it does sound not the greatest long FM fm. I also don't like the air conditioner control where you have to go through the mouse a few pages. I have 65000 trouble-free miles there are no squeaks or rattles or knocks. It is pure blissful driving it and it does have a decent acceleration. I try to do all maintenance myself because Lexus does charge a lot on anything they do. I still have the original Panasonic battery working great six years later. I still have the original brake pads at 65000 miles. I love the trunk storage space which is vast. I love the feeling of the leather. I love rubbing my hand on the bird's-eye maple steering wheel and the winter steering wheel warmer is amazing. HID lights look amazing I don't know if they're worth the $550 option though. Navigation is pretty decent. I got the luxury package which is worth every penny I love the rain sensing wipers I love all the sensors are on the vehicle that are always warning me. To some people it's a very bland boring car. To me is pure beauty and insane reliability. It was built in Japan which I do think makes a difference. I could see owning this car for easily a couple hundred thousand miles. I thought about getting a new Avalon thought I read about all the cars fit and finish are not up to par and there's rattles in the car and I just credit that to being made in America. Japan workers seem to take more pride and concentrate on more detail than we do here.

Falls short

This would be my second ES350. I liked the '07' version better but this one does have many things I like. This one is pretty much loaded. The blind spot / cross traffic alert is great but a lot of vehicles have that now. I like streaming the music from my smartphone. Acceleration is very good but sometimes sluggish from the start. The window design is ridiculous. They slope into the car a fair amount so when it rains, water will drip on your arm, leg and seat when you open the door. There is no 'wow' factor in this car. There is just way to much wind and road noise. Most all road imperfections are felt. I will not buy another one.

Great Car

Best car I have ever owned. Two cars ago I had a Buick Lucerne with a Cadillac northstar V-8 engine. The car was fantastic. Drove as fast as I wanted and ran smooth as can be. The only problem was I was in Buick every month with something new breaking down. I was on a first name basis with everyone at the dealership. As soon as the car came out of warranty I traded it in for a Mercedes E350. That car ran great, great engine, excellent sound system, but uncomfortable as possible. If I drove more than 2 hours I was in excruciating pain. I couldn't get rid of that car fast enough. Traded that in for a Lexus ES 350 and I am in heaven. This car is as comfortable and as fast as the Buick but with PHENOMINAL reliability. I have only been back to Lexus for routine service. Last September I drove 12 hours to South Carolina and got out of the car like I just got in, no pains, no aches nothing. At times when I wasn't paying close attention I was driving at 95 mph and didn't realize it, that car is that solid and that comfortable. I have already decided my next vehicle will be a Lexus. The car is now 7 years old and still as reliable as new. I am 6ft 4 inches tall and there plenty of leg room. I switched my gas to 89 octane and increased my mpg to 23. Best car i have ever owned. Update: I traded in my es and bought an RX350. I am in my mid-sixties and it will be easier getting in and out of an SUV. I have the car 5 months now and absolutely love it. It is as comfortable as the ES and just as fast and I am sure just as reliable. Very happy.

Poor Ride, Noisy and Cheap Finishes!

If you're expecting a quiet smooth ride like the older models forget it! This is my 3rd and last Lexus ... they've cheapened it so much. When you close the door it sounds like a tin can. So disappointed. Air cooling on the ventilated front seats even after the fix is still poor. Use to be a great car ... now it feels like a toyota.

Too firm, too hard, UGH!

When I took this model for a test drive, all of the roads around the dealership were smooth asphalt and of course, the car road fine - big mistake. I negotiated a great deal on a close out, brand new 2014. I quickly became very disappointed with the comfort and ride of this car. You would think a Lexus would be the pinnacle of comfort but not this car. They did a model change in 2013 and made the car "sporty". Now you feel every bump & crack and hear a lot of tire noise on the highway. I feel fatigued after driving it. If you want a taught, sporty car where you "feel" the road then this might be the car for you. I switched to 2015 Impala 1LZ and am in heaven! What comfort!

transmission problems

After owning and loving an ES300 for many years, I purchased a 2014 ES350 and immediately was bothered by transmission problems. If I take my foot off the gas and coast between 45 and 20 mph the car downshifts and feels like my foot is on the brake. Continuing to coast, at some point the car upshifts on its own and feels like I've put my foot on the gas. My dealer acknowledged that the car behaves as I've described, but told me that this is the way it is designed to operate. They told me that if I didn't like the way it drives I shouldn't have purchased it. I wish I had been warned about a possible transmission issue when I researched the car on Edmunds. Now, a year later, I find I am more annoyed by the car's acceleration from stand still or from a very low speed. The car hesitates at times, behaving as if it has stalled. At times the car has trouble accelerating, and moves slowly for two or three seconds until it starts accelerating the way it should

Not like previous ES cars

The current ES350 is not you fathers car. Too bad it is not. I have owed five of these cars and this one does not meet previous expectations. It drives like an Rav4. The road performance could be better. The ride is not as soft and cushiony as previous cars. You will feel every bump on back roads and roads that are not perfectly paved. For that reason, I am disappointed. Overall it is quiet and has plenty of power, although there is a slight delay. Remember this is not the inline six as before. My guess is, the IS engineers got ahold of this car instead of the LS engineers and did it their way. Finally gave up on the cars ride. I tried the 2017 but it drove the same. I then drove a Buick lacrosse. The Buick drives just like the old ES350 did. I bought it and don't think I will go back to Lexus.

2014 ES350 disappointing on the Inside

This is our third ES350. Disappointed in what Lexus did to save a few bucks. For example the CD Changer is gone, replaced by single disc; the holder for sunglasses above the console - gone; the various console cubbies for storage - gone; lighting above each rear seat on each side - gone. Ash tray and lighter (plug) gone - lost that plug. Front seats are narrower. The car just feels tighter on the inside. With the lighting changes and the deletion of the CD Changer Lexus has cheapened the interior. The trunk is not as easy to get stuff into because it is a deeper access. Cargo net is installed with bolts - makes it hard to get to the spare. Shd have just bought out the 2011 lease.

Great upgrade from another Lexus.

Liked the way my HS 250 H performance, but wanted something that was bigger and has driven. Took the ES 350 on a ride for a few minutes, and I decided right there not to test the BMW X1. This is the wheels for me. Have to get use to using more gas, but now I have a really nice sedan. Took no time to connect the Bluetooth, SiriusXM and all the other little toys I have. Acceleration and the smoothness of the ride was worth the price. And since the ES models can go up to 250,000 miles, no need to change cars anytime soon...

My Lexie!

I bought my 2014 ES 350 with 104,000 miles on it from a well to do older couple. It had been well taken care of. I commute 5 days a week over the winding mountains to work. I was wearing out my SUV and wanted to buy a "work car." I was looking for a used Camry or Avalon because I loved Toyotas but couldn't find one for a reasonable price. The joke is really on me, but I made a fabulous discovery! While doing research I came across the Lexus ES 350 and read repeatedly that this car is bulletproof. Long story short, I ended up purchasing this car and I absolutely LOVE it! I have only had it several months but I am a huge fan now of Lexus. Turns out Lexus is the high end Toyota. How did I not ever know that? Anyway, my review.... It drives like a dream, has lots of power, never struggles to get up the mountain passes. Very responsive, quick and secure, handles well. Very comfortable and smooth. And great gas mileage to boot. Driving mountainous roads in a big car and getting 28 mpg. At 10 years old handles as well as a new car in my opinion. It ruined me on driving my SUV, which I used to adore. The previous owners had only done maintenance (oil, battery, tires replaced etc) and replaced the whole head lights that had gone dull. When I purchased it, I had the transmission fluid replaced, front end aligned, oil change, filters replaced. The mechanic checked it over well and said he didn't think I'd need to do a thing except maintenance items for another 100,000 miles! I get compliments on my car often. There's just so many things I love about it. I can't imagine driving anything else now, I'm spoiled. My husband is a truck guy but every chance he gets, he drives the car now too. He loves it almost as much as I do. I have owned alot of cars and I can honestly say this is one of my favorites, Camry doesn't even compare. This is just a quality built car. I expect it will last many, many more miles. I even gave it a name, that's how much I adore my Lexie! ( :

Enjoyed my ES a lot - gave 4 yrs of excellent svc

Highly dependable, reliable, economical to run, regular gas, very comfortable ride and low noise levels.

Great car

Easy to keep clean. Gets better gas mileage than I thought it would. Averages 28 mpg. Enjoying it ever time I get in it.

Great car.

Just get it, you won't regret.

Quality is horrid

After taking my 2013 RX into the dealer for a NYS inspection I asked for a ES 350 as a loaner car for the day. No problem. As soon as I sat down I could tell that cheap was the order of the day with this interior. Cheap- cheap and more cheap. Also no room and hard un comfy seats. I mean hard and narrow and I 'm not that big. The ride was ok but not that firm quality experience one would expect from this car. My neighbors new IMPALA was fantastic in comparison. Lexus has really missed the beat with this ES 350. They should re-think this whole car. On the positive side--- my RX is the best ,high quality car I have ever owned. Nothing CHEAP--- high quality and beautiful interior.

Wonderful car

This car has standard and extra features that you wouldn't find on other cars in this price range.

Goldie Locks

Bought as a newer replacement for my 05 Avalon. Same running gear but a better soundproofed car. Comfortable seats, nice pick up. So far the car drives and runs as if it were new. No problems to report. The sad part is that the Lexus doesn't have features that were on the Avalon. Remote start, and the power thigh extender. Otherwise a very nice driving car. Currently at 79000 miles.

Just leased 2014 ES350

I can tell you that HID headlights are not standard, so if you want that make sure it's included. Thus far, the car has been good. Will have it for a few years on lease and so far I'm impressed. I generally only buy BMW but this Lexus has been of similar build quality and styling.

Be careful with leather seats

Awesome car but poor quality leather seats.

Awesome Ride!

Lexus 350ES GREAT BUY

Lexus 350Es is big, comfortable, quiet car. Have owned 3 of them & will probably buy a 4th

Nice car

It's a very nice car, I definitely recommend it.

Purchased a low mileage lease vehicle

-My last car was a 2002 Maxima GLE . A " lower tech " vehicle but outstanding in its time I don't like all of the new dash controls & menus seen through the display screen. Haven't figured out yet how to operate more than the basic controls so far. The owners book is well illustrated but is almost two inches thick. Backing this vehicle up would be treacherous without the rear camera & screen plus the side mirrors ( High rear glass line ) . The Lexus is very quiet on the open road. Mine is black / black . Love the way it looks.

Very smooth ride. Quiet. Reliable. 31 mpg highway.

The best car I've owned. This is a luxury ride without the luxury cost. Lots of bells and whistles. Very roomy. Only normal maintenance costs.

Goldie Lex

Seating is nice. Not as comfortable as my 2005 Avalon Limited. A very quiet car and nice on the highway. Power steering wheel needs the ability to extend about 2 more inches. Almost 79000 miles. Runs and drives like new. Satin Cashmere in color. Appears silver many times but is growing on me. So far no issues, but sure wish for remote start like the 05 Avalon.

Reliability as it Best.

If you want the most reliable automobile then buy Lexus. Simply best. Change the oil, oil filter, Air filter, Cabin filter, and drive worry free..I also have a Toyota Venza with high miles and still runs like a dream. No big issues same maintenance and drive. American automobiles are nothing but issues, German issues with high costs to buy and maintain. , Koreans are somewhat better than Americans, Germans, Italians, and British, In Japanese Toyota/Lexus tops every brand in the market, and then Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Suzuki, and at the end Nissan/Infinity