Used 2019 Lexus ES 350 Consumer Reviews
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Great Ride - Stereo and Technology Unusable!
Still one of the quietist and smoothest riding cars out there. However, Lexus's idea of technology is a joke and virtually unusable. I've heard better car stereos in cars that cost a third of the ES350. Lexus should be ashamed of themselves for putting a stereo so flawed that you don't even want to listen to it. My last ES350 (2016) had a stereo that wasn't great, but I could at least center the music in the car. This new model (2019), I have the fade and balance all the way to the back left of the car and I can still only hear the music coming from the front windshield. And, "no", there is nothing wrong with it. This is the way they built it. I can only imagine the audio genius that put this stereo in the car only listens to talk radio. Between the weak tech and the awful stereo system, this may be my breaking point with Lexus moving forward.
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Beware of Stereo (even the upgraded one)
We purchased this car without having had an opportunity to listen to the stereo (long story). Unfortunately, even with the upgraded stereo it is absolutely un-listenable at low or normal conversational volume levels. There is no sound coming from the back speakers - everything sounds like it is coming from the center dash speaker only. Now you may be thinking: "you need to adjust the fader and balance". No go. Even adjusting the fader all the way to the back and the right, the sounds will still sound to the driver like it is coming directly from the front center speaker and is terribly disorienting. There are multiple threads online of people with similar problems. It isn't clear to me if this is a hit and miss issue on these cars, or if it impacts them all. But what is clear, is that our Lexus dealer was unwilling to do anything about it, despite having come back with the car within the first few business hours of driving it off the lot. Here is just one of the several forums where people are discussing the issue: https://lexusenthusiast.com/forums/threads/issues-with-2019-lexus-es-350-stock-audio-system.4819/
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- Luxury SedanMSRP: $25,98845 mi away
- F SPORT SedanMSRP: N/A97 mi away
- Base SedanMSRP: $26,490In-stock online
Listen to THIS
I own a 2017 es 350 and I love the car. The radio in this vehicle has completely changed the driving experience for me. It is outstanding. My lady friend recently test drove the new 2019 es 350. The car is beautiful...however the radio is horrible. Cheap...insulting junk. A deal breaker for me. They raised the price of the car but that wasn't enough, they took away the sound system. I had every intention when my 2017 came off lease to get another es 350 but unless these cheap corporate greedy mongers elevate that radio to what I had in my 2017 I won't consider it. I hope the idiots that made this decision saved a buck on the cheap radio and realize they lost thousands from me. Greedy jerks.
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unhappy buyer
I was one of the first to buy the new 2019 Lexus ES 350 with the 10 speaker premium sound system. Like many others the ES 350 and other models always had a decent sound system so I concentrated on the rest of the car. During delivery I said the sound system does not sound right, it was very late at night so we went home with the car with the sales manager saying bring it back if you need help and we'll make it right. That statement was so far off but I don't think they even knew or could fathom that Lexus would have such a crappy sounding no surround surround system that just has no fade capability at all! We already have a hybrid car so this would be used for comfortable trips etc... so it sat for a couple weeks in the garage unused due to bad weather so it took this long for me to be able to pull it out of the garage and really discover what a really crappy sound system this was. I tried everything and even took it to work and let everyone else play with the adjustments. It still sucked! I took it back to the dealer and started getting the same run around everyone else is and has been getting, they don't have a fix and all the remaining 2019 Lexus ES 350's on the lot sound as crappy so they say it must be normal. A TSB was submitted and they said they have heard this problem before. Since this was totally unacceptable to me paying this kink of money for a no surround surround system I contacted the customer satisfaction department and said I wanted Lexus to buy this car back. That went to Corporate where some moron could only say it is performing to specifications. I asked him to take the time, get in one and tell me he would be happy but he just kept reading off of his 3 X 5 card what he was probably only allowed to say, it is performing to specifications, what do you want me to do. I asked again for Lexus to buy back the car which took another 3 weeks to get what was required for the package. I submitted it immediately but it sat over two weeks due to XMas and New Years. Now from Headquarters I was told 4 to 6 weeks to get and answer. 6 weeks came by and nothing with many e-mails and voice mails from me starting at the 4 week period from the time they received the buy back package, I started getting next week maybe again and again. I has now been 9 weeks when I called in and said this has gone on long enough when I was told the case was closed. Never one bit of communication from Lexus, only someone who sits at a desk deciding that the $50k I spent on what I planned to have for a retirement car was a waste to me and the worst experience from a car purchase ever. I have had other Lexus models, my family has had several. All with great sounding audio systems . I traded in a 2016 IS 200T that I would kill to get back! Lexus has sacrificed one of their most popular models and so far stood behind this crappy system. Lexus customer satisfaction moto has been completely thrown out the window. My entire experience with this model has been horrible. I dislike it so much it sits in the garage unused and I have yet to get the official response in the mail of how Lexus refused to buy this back. I have had it since the 4th on November 2018, it only has 1600 miles. Yes I am that disgusted. The only satisfaction I get is knowing that I posted reviews on most major car review sites and see the numbers of people who read it and I'm sure didn't buy one. These were all probably first time Lexus buyers. The rest of us who have been Lexus loyal and counted on their quality and customer satisfaction policy have been severely cheated. I can only hope that more people read all existing reviews and not buy this model and deal with the frustration everyone else has had to deal with.
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Worst stereo I have ever owned in a car.
As others have noted, there is no way to adjust the rear speakers to provide decent sound. The fade option is a joke. You essentially get the sound from the front speakers - just like I did on my 1960 Plymouth. Never dawned on me to "test drive" the speakers. Had I done so, I would never have bought this car. It would have been a deal breaker. I should also mention that the touchpad on the info system is a disaster waiting to happen. It is impossible to use the damned thing without taking your eyes off the road for far too long a period. I hope Lexus has adequate insurance so that when owners start causing accidents due to not paying attention to the road, it can pay off the inevitable claims. I am surprised that the US government allows this car to be sold with that system. Otherwise, the 2019 model is a huge improvement over my 2014 model. Quieter, more comfortable, sportier to drive, faster and just plain better in every way, other than the 2 major concerns I have mentioned. When I reported the radio issue to Lexus the week after I bought it, I was told that the system was designed to work exactly as mine does. How Lexus thought this was the way to go is a puzzlement. Update after owning car for 14 months - nothing has changed my initial evaluation. Car handles exactly like a Lexus would be expected to perform. Very quite, Very comfortable, but unexciting. However my issues with the sound from the entertainment system and the dangerously distracting touch pad not only remain, but have become even more infuriating the longer I drive this car. I detest (is that a strong enough word for you?) the speakers. I listen to music whenever I am in the car and the awful sound is a daily reminder how much I hate this car. I was seriously considering dumping it and taking a loss, but in light of the financial collapse due to Covid, that is no longer an option. And I continue to hope that others who own this model do as I do and simply stop using the built in distraction device called the touchpad, because I fear that someone in a similar model is going to cross a double line and kill my family. Most states have laws against “distracted driving”, but no one seems to address the fact that looking down to use the touchpad is not much different from texting while driving,
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Very poor sound system
Bought the 2019 Es in May. Salesman never offered us to listen to sound system. Wanted us to play with all the other gadgets. On our way home and for the next several weeks did everything to get the surround sound 10 speaker experience. SOUND ONLY COMES FROM THE FRONT SPEAKERS!!!! There is no surround sound. Can’t get Lexus customer service, the salesman or the dealers service manager to get a fix. They know there is a problem, say they have complaints from others but keep selling these expensive, high dollar, Inferior cars. This is my fourth and last Toyota ( Lexus ) vehicle!!!! Sincerely
Stereo and Bluetooth Issues
The stereo system in this car (in my case, the upgraded Mark Levinson), is literally unlistenable due to balance/fader issues, as is the Bluetooth. All of the sound comes directly from the center dash speaker, and no amount of changing the fader and equalizer settings changes that’s unfortunately. There are multiple threads on onl8ne forums of people describing the same problem. Lexus has been made aware, but says this is how the system is designed. I would strongly urge anyone thinking of purchasing to listen to the stereo beforehand. The issue is especially prevalent at lower (I.e. normal conversational) volumes. This issue is especially upsetting, giving that the car in general is fantastic. But for this price point, we should be able to turn in the stereo and use the Bluetooth.
Dont bother!
Cheap materials. Cheap sound system. The center console looks extra cheap. does not belong in a 55k car. Touchpad is horrible to use. Not a lot of space or storage areas up front. Not really impressed with the quietness of the car, maybe its the cheap tires the car came with. Transmission is not smooth, shifts rough. I have loud cracking and popping sounds coming from the rear doors. The misaligned body panels and gaps is unbelievable. Lexus quality and customer satisfaction is no more. My RX 350 that I got rid of after a year had exhaust vibration and droning and transmission issues that Lexus wouldn't fix and is a common problem with that car. Everything about this car is cheap except the price. Look elsewhere!
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Poor sound system
Other than the sound system, this is a great car. Noticed early on that there was no sound coming from the rear speakers. Took the car in to the dealer. They agreed that the system is not working. They pulled an identical car off the lot. Same issue. They told me that they have written a report, sent it to Lexus (which begins the recall process), and that I now have to sit and wait.
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LEXUS BOTCH JOB
Leased the 2019 ES 350 Ultra Luxury With the Mark Levinson sound system after leasing the 2016 same Ultra Luxury model. They botched the stereo in the new redesigned ES 350 by taking the rear door woofers out and therefore there is no full range sound. All you have to do is slide the fader to the rear and it is obvious.This issue is not exclusive to only in the models with the Mark Levinson but all the ES 350 models.Dealer receiving numerous complaints on this issue and after I contacted Lexus corporate about this issue and have not received a stand up answer. Just received a letter from lawyers representing Lexus and they basically said Lexus is under no obligation to redesign the audio system in my vehicle. If you had the previous model ES 350 you will be very disappointed in the sound. Lexus hiding behind the law firms now so what does that tell you. Even some of the people that answer the phones at the Lexus contact number admit they are getting numerous calls regarding this issue. Experience Amazing . Don't be fooled by the 1800 watt stereo system that they are touting. How about me too in not only the front seats but especially the rear seats. Read the rest of the reviews on this subject on Edmund's.com, Cars .com, the Lexus enthusiast and I wouldn't be surprised about other sites
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Premium Sound, I think not!
The re-design is great. I like everything except the 10 speaker premium sound system. The sound from the rear speakers is almost non-existent. When you fade it to the rear to balance the sound out from front to rear you cannot hear the rear speakers. I have taken it to the dealer, it was compered to another new 2019 ES 350 which performed at the same poor quality so I was told it was normal. The dealer did submit a TSB and did tell me there were other complaints but Lexus says this poor quality sound from the rear is normal, I cannot accept this answer. I hope future buyers know that the 10 speaker premium sound system is sub-standard. I hated the sound so much I already traded it in for a 2019 GS350 with the Mark Levison sound system that works great (not redesigned yet) and took a huge loss. The Lexus service department said a lot of ES 350's cars are brought in with this sound system complaint. Before trading it in I tried for months to have Lexus or the dealer buy it back. The dealer said as soon as you sign the paper work it is a Lexus problem. I can only hope more people read these reviews and not buy on until they fix the crappy sound system.
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Very bad radio and the seat memory won't work for
This is my 6th Lexus ES350 and by far the worst of the model and brand. For a $50,000 auto Lexus needs to address a radio that isn't fit for an Edsel or a Gremlin. The sound really only comes out of the front speaker, if you try to adjust the fader after 2-3 "clicks" towards the back the front speaker turns off and the sound from the back is almost intelligible. Check out the WWW, this issue is all over the W.W.W. There's also a major problem with the seat memory that Lexus will not admit to. Their ads say the "feature allows multiple drivers to PERSONALIZE and recall the settings for the drivers seat (except lumber)". If you're short you can't use this feature, it will NOT memorize the seat position. Lexus says it was designed that way. Interestingly, it works on all previous ES 350's and every other Lexus model. The engineers screwed this one up. DON"T LEASE OR BUY a 2019 Lexus ES.
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Terrible Sound System
This is my third lease of the ES350 and likely my last. I enjoyed the driving experience of my two previous cars but the sound system of the 2019 ES350 is a deal breaker. I also dislike the touch pad for using the information system; it is very squirrely and overly sensitive making it difficult to select what I want to select. Very frustrating! But back to the sound system...my son, a bit of a sound enthusiast, owned a Toyota Corolla and he tells me the speakers on his old Corolla were better than the speakers on my $50,000 Lexus ES350. In particular, he is referring to the back speakers which produce almost no sound at all on my Lexus. I have been in contact with the Lexus service department and I was told the speakers are working as designed. I was told the new "improved" sound system is intended to be a concert style sound with the majority of the sound concentrated in front rather than the rich, full surround sound experience. Huh? I do not like the "improved" sound at all and it makes me angry that the change was not pointed out to me during the test drive of the car.
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Sound system terrible, be aware
I just got a new ES Lexus 2019 today, it’s a great car, the only problem is the sound system that sound terrible, yes, terrible...I am not an expert in sound but I already owned about 4 Lexus during the last 10 years and each of them with a great sound without even an upgrade sound system, I still own 2016 rx350 with a base sound system which the sound is great, I just trade my 2016 Is200t without a upgrade sound and also the sound great but with this new es350 I can see the difference in the sound, come on Lexus, you need to do something about it...buyers if you do care about good sound try it first before buying.....sirius radio sound terrible
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Sound system is terrible!
The sound system in this car is absolutely terrible. No sound from rear speakers make surround sound impossible. Grace note cover art does not function unless car is in park. Lexus refuses to address the issue saying car is functioning as designed.
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Wanted to buy but not going to now.
Check out the sound system first. You cannot fade the system enough without still hearing the majority of the sound coming from the front center speaker. Overall a nice car but cant see spending 45K and not being happoy with the sound system.
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Horrible Stereo
The stereo in the new ES is every bit as bad as people say. It sounds like all the sound is coming from 1 speaker in front of the driver. I have a 2014 with the base stereo and it sounds great. Unless Lexus fixes this issue, I would not buy an ES even though I have been driving this model for about 10 years now. What is Lexus thinking??
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idiosyncratic navagation system/flawed sound syste
I generally like the vehicle, handles ok, comfortable, nice look. Enough power, decent but not great mileage. BUT, the navigation system is unusable, unless you know where you are going and then don't need it. I tried driving to a location just across the Bay Bridge in San Francisco. The Nav system insisted on taking me across the San Mateo Bridge and when I didn't follow that it kept directing me off I 580 until I finally got to the Bay Bridge, using my Google Maps to navigate. I tested it around home and it gives very strange directions that send me far out of my way. I looked thru the manual and there appears to be no adjustments that will modify this behavior (that I can find). The upgraded music system is very disappointing, lack of any real fader control and the sound is pedestrian. I probably would have just as well not gotten the upgraded Nav System and the upgraded stereo and saved the money. The large screen is helpful but the controls are very difficult to understand and to use, wish they would have stayed with the previous system with the larger screen. Voice Control has difficulty understanding words, at times, even with voice training. What a disappointment and a waste of money. Lexus is losing their magic, Next time I will shop around and likely go a different direction.
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Terrible sound system!
The sound system in this car is so bad that it ruins the car. Period.
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Not for me
I had the opportunity to live with this vehicle for one week while my GS F Sport had a sunroof issue repaired. I guess I could be biased because of my generic rear wheel Gs. First off nice looking yes. Interior slightly cramped in head room compared to mine. Noticed just by standing along side of it. The dash is a Little cheapened from the previous ES and Gs. They put a toggle to adjust the temperature, really? Now to drive it. If you are used to a front wheel drive vehicle you will like it. Infotainment center is improved. But I’m not a tech guy. The drive is smooth since it’s the luxury as expected. Personally it felt so front end heavy as you accelerate and steer. It felt like it needed sand bags in the trunk to even the weight distribution out. The more I drove it. The more I wanted my car back. Even if they add the rear axle and make it an AWD car. I would look for another car down the road . Nice but definitely not for me.
Lackluster
It's my first time buying a Lexus and I was so excited to get the 2019 Lexus ES base model with premium package, ambient lighting,heated and ventilated front seats wood trim and Mark Levinson premium sound system. I was actually surprised that the car didn't come with real leather for a 45k msrp it came with fake leather. thought I do enjoy the smooth and refined ride highway wind noise is pretty apparent. the shifter looks cheap and again for this price range Navigation is not standard and no android auto. just like what other people complained this might be the worst sound system in the car I ever heard. I grew up driving an Acura from the RSX, TLX, TL and MDX and their ELS sound system is superior compare to this crap Mark Levinson. I am a bit disappointed but I know it is what it is so after all Lexus ain't all that and I thought it's a better buy compare to German cars hope it last longer than the German cars.
Three items to check before you buy one
1. The fade system for the sound is the poorest of ANY car. Check before you putchase. 2. The turning radius is very wide. If you have a tricky entrance to your garage good luck 3, notice that in s $50,000 car your left knee rests against metal on the drivers door. Real bad!
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Great car......radio sounds like an AM radio
If you drive while never listening to the radio.....this is your car. If you like any sound source, BEWARE!!!! There is ZERO sound from the back speakers unless you put the fader all the way to the rear and volume all the way up. Then you will hear some faint noise. Otherwise, it all appears to be coming from one speaker at the base of the windshield, like my 1970 pickup with an AM radio. I am in a fight with Lexus over this. Test drive this car and while sitting in the lot, play with the sound system and try and balance the sound.....you will get out of the car and walk away having never started the engine. Who would know this?!? I will get my pound of flesh from Toyota. I just want to give the car back.
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update....
I recently bought the 2019 es 300h and for the most part like the ride and am getting used to the new navigation controls. What I absolutely dont like is the stock audio system. Being a 3x lexus owner, 2005, 2014 and this 2019, this is the worst audio Ive heard. As other reviewers have said, all of the sound cones from the front speakers and the balance cannot be adjusted or balanced. The surround sound is nonexistent. I would have given this car a 5 star if the audio was halfway decent. Shame on Lexus for this. I have contacted Lexus and am waiting for a response. Update: I had the amplifier replaced in the sound system and I can now say there is decent surround sound coming from the cabin. Shame on Lexus for not informing its Lexus owners about this fix. I found out through a blogger on Lexus Enthusiasts website. It's not perfect, but much better and I am satisfied. I urge anyone who has a 2019 es/300h with a sound balance problem to take their car back to the dealer. There was no charge for this service, it was covered under the warranty.
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If you like music then don't buy a 2019 Lexus
Don't buy or lease a 2019 Lexus ES 350 if you like music. The sound system is the worse. There's no surround sound! How are you surrounded by sound if the rear speaker has no sound coming out of it whatsoever? And how is it surround sound if only one speaker works at a time? When you adjust the front speakers that blast the music at you to the rear, only the rear side speakers work. Why doesn't the large rear speaker not have sound coming out of it? Why don't all the speakers work at the same time? It doesn't matter how good the car drives, it is torture driving with the music on. You might as well have a little hand held radio in your Lexus and you'd get better sound from it. Why? Because a little hand held radio didn't cost you as much as your Lexus and you expect it to sound that way. I expected a fantastic sound system from a Lexus, just like the past six Lexus models I've leased. It is torture and the worse sound system I have ever had in any car I've owned. Even the cheap cars I bought when I was a teenager had better sound systems. When Lexus service told me that it is true that the rear speaker has no sound coming from it and there's nothing they can do about it and that I was stuck with the worse sound system any car could have, that's when I decided that I will NEVER lease another Lexus again. Look at all the complaints on line about the sound system. Lexus owner's complaints fall on deaf ears and every representative from Lexus acts as though they don't know there's a problem with the sound system. This 2019 Lexus was my 6th Lexus and I WAS a Lexus customer for life. Not anymore. Lexus I am done with you.
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Poor music system. Unhappy customer
I leases new Lexus 350 every 3years. Last model of 2016 is the one I miss so much after turning in. Although the new 2019 es350 that I have leased is a luxury package. I am so unhappy with the interior of this car and visibility it offers while driving. It is not as spacious and comfortable . The stereo system of this car was advertised to be top of the line which I thought will be same if not better than my previous 2016 model. But it is phethic. It's no where close to a decent system and there is absolute no surround sound. The back large speakers seems completely silent and the music in this car is mono and not stereo . I have lost all my excitement and interest in my new car .
Sound system is TERRIBLE
I have 3 Toyotas in our family currently, Sequoia, Camry and Avalon. I figured a Lexus would be a better vehicle but, not much better than the Avalon. The ES 350 is sluggish (must be all the gears it has now). Avalon has much more power and responsiveness. Now to the radio, Lexus fix this total waste of a “stereo”. What a joke. The rear speakers are terrible and if you put all the sound to the rear of the car it barely even is heard. What a JOKE!
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Wish I would have passed on this one
This car has a terrible stereo. I have a Sequoia, Camry and Avalon and all have much better stereos. I have the F Sport and it can’t find the right gear to be in. The only time it drives, just okay is in sport mode. Sluggish and gas mileage is 21.5 MPG. Avalon gets 25 MPG! Just pass on this car.... Lexus fix the RADIO already and the hesitation on this ride. Update: Same exact problems as noted above. Took it in for its 5000 mile service and they told me it has more gears so it is going to shift all the time and there is no update to this. I told them that it was garbage and wish I wouldn’t have bought this lemon. I am going to update some of the stars above because I think I went too high on some of them.
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Terrible front seats!!!
I have been purchasing Lexus for my company's cars for the last 7 years, and have been a very loyal Lexus customer. I currently drive a 2016 es 350, it is our 4th ES. I have always considered it the best value luxury sedan. I just drove a 2019 ES as a loaner while my car was being serviced. I can't believe it! Lexus put very narrow and uncomfortable sports seats in the new ES. They are so tight a 15-minute drive to my office was extremely uncomfortable! I had several other people sit in the seats and their opinion was the same as mine - terrible seats I guess for us it is "goodbye Lexus". We are moving to Mercedes. I highly recommend anyone considering the 2019/20 ES350 take a long drive and check out the seats before you decide to purchase.
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Bad stereo system, even the Mark Levinson equipped
Let me first say that I was about to lease my fourth ES-350 this year. I read all of the reviews on Edmunds (thank you folks) and was concerned, since, IMHO, the most important aspects in a vehicle are 1. Ride comfort, 2. Decent stereo system. ES-350 had delivered on these in the past. So, I took it for a spin a couple of months ago! While the comfort still remains, in fact, it is arguably improved some, I found the Mark Levinson stereo absolutely unacceptable. It was ok with my iTune songs, but the HD Radio sounded awful (I had no issues with my previous ES-350s)! There were two other things that may not apply to anyone else, but just as FYI: 1. I really dislike the two oddly placed knobs atop the instrument panel. 2. In my area, if you want an ES-350 with Mark Levinson, regardless of the package, the triple beam headlights ($1,515 extra) would be forced on you! Frankly, that's a total waste for me since most of my driving, > 80%, is during daylight. One other thing that I didn't care about too much was the new lower percentage of residual value that, in turn, would have resulted in greater monthly lease payments. So, after four ES-350s (my wife leased one in 2010, as well), I decided against what I used to think was the only car I would ever drive! For those interested in knowing what I ended up with, while avoiding an apples-and-oranges comparison, I leased a new Tesla Model 3. I've had it for a month and I JUST LOVE IT. So, thank you, Lexus, for making the changes and making me look elsewhere!
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2019 Lexus 350 F-Sport review
I bought 2019 Lexus 350 F-Sport one week ago and have very mixed feelings. The ride quality is good and car has mostly upscale interior design but there are some major design blunders. I cannot understand why Lexus wouldn't have a separate AC button. If you need to turn on the AC outside of already set temperature, you should use the central console which is very unsafe if you drive the car. Another major design blunder - the USB flash player. When you select an album from your USB stick, the player will play the songs in alphabetical order, not in the order you specify! I can play my USB albums on any other car but Lexus. Lexus just acknowledged that this is how they designed the player! I don't know who are those people in charge of design and whether they understand the customer requirements. When I asked Lexus to open an ticket provide software update to fix the problem, they referred to talk with a dealership. I also agree with reviews criticizing the unbalanced Mark Levinson audio implementation. Even when you play a recording which utilizing the surround system, the rear speakers do not deliver. Most importantly, there is no detailed documentation regarding the audio. There is a generic picture on Mark Leviston's site without any technical documentation or information. For the money we pay for Lexus cars, these are inexcusable design flaws. I wanted to follow up in the previous review and update some information. I worked with Lexus dealership technical expert and provided additional information about MP3 player which was nowhere to be found in Lexus documentation. In fact he totally contradicted official Lexus's support explanation. There are certain limitations in current MP3 player implementation by Lexus. The USB drive has a limitation of 16GB (mine was 120GB) and there are limitations on number of files and folders. The flash drive needs to be formatted on a Windows OS. This information was very useful but it still took additional workaround for me to resolve this issue. The problem is that the player is indexing the USB flash drive and if you add any additional tracks in the middle of of your folder(s), it will totally ignore the new addition and mess-up the rest of tracks. This is really bad design but most importantly, this information is not available for Lexus customers. Lexus's support turns out to be totally incompetent. Lexus dealership also explained that once you turn on AC, the compressor will always run regardless of temperature setting. Even if I set the temperature at 80F, the AC will be still blasting to dehumidify the cabin. They can customize the setting to get rid of this implementation but it requires a visit to the service center. As for ML audio system, he acknowledged multiple customer complaints and promised to followup and see if they can issue a software patch. So much for a new car purchase...
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TERRIBLE SOUND SYSTEM
Please beware before you purchase the 2019 Lesxus ES 350. The dealership and manufacturer are aware of the defect in the sound system that is suppose to be top of the line; but they are not notifying consumers when they a purchase.
Speakers
The worst sound system I’ve ever had in any car I even took it back to the dealer because I thought there was something wrong or maybe something disconnected. They told me that’s the way it comes. I can’t believe they would put such a mediocre Sound-system in a luxury car.
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Deceptive car advertising
Long story short. Do not buy a 2019 Lexus ES350 F Sport from Escondido Lexus dealership or any other in the United States. Their much advertised Lexus Safety System+ 2.0 is a fraud on this car model. (“Consumer fraud occurs when a product or service does not perform as advertised”.) The “Road Sign Assist” does not work no matter what you do. Lexus so called “Technology Specialist” and Lexus engineers are unable to fix the problem as of January 9, 2019. I bought a 2019 brand new one for over $50,000 on November 14. 2018 and the system has not worked from day one, even that Lexus advertisement shows a photo showing a red stop sign on the head up. Nice photo shop Lexus. I have been in contact with the Lexus dealership and Lexus Head Quarters since I found out the system just does not work, and all I have gotten is a run around. If you want further information feel free to call me Peter Desser [contact info removed] UP-Date: On January 10, 2019 at 11:12 am I received a call from Lexus Escondido Technology Specialist Rick Barnicort telling me that the 2019 ES350 F Sport they sold me does not have the “Road Sign Assist” I paid for, even that Lexus advertise it does and all my paper work on the car says it does. If this is not fraud, I don’t know what is. I will now file a complaint with the California Consumer Protection Agency and the Federal Trade Commission about the deceptive car advertising Lexus is doing.
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Awful Sound System can't even call it stereo!
I am buying a 2019 ES 350 and there is no sound in the back at all! My 2015 Lexus sounded amazing this one is terrible! Very disappointment in Lexus
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The stereo is crap
I was replacing my 2013 ES300 with a 2019 ES350. Since my old Lexus had a good stereo, I didn't even consider that this one didn't. I didn't turn it on until the way home. I returned to the dealer the next day and they told me that it was functioning as designed! This really sounds like my old pickup with one speaker in the dash!! I contacted Lexus corporate and they would not help. They did offer to document it for me. I told him not to bother as I won't be buying another Lexus.
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Great car all the way around
I have owned seven Lexus vehicles and recently took possession of a 2019 ES350. It is by far the best car I have owned in my lifetime, having had Mercedes, 2 BMW’s, Chrysler, Ford, Corvette, Honda Accord, Acura to name a few. However, the sound system in the new 2019 ES350 is the worst of any vehicle I have had. Shame on Lexus. You sacrificed quality to save money and have incurred many dissatisfied customers.
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Not usable in cold climates
I bought a 2019 ES350 F Sport. In normal winter driving, I have blown out three brand new winter tires in the last 3 weeks (one with less than 200 miles on it). In 33 years of Canadian driving, these are the FIRST tires I have lost to road conditions (potholes). The low-profile wheels are the stupidest design I have ever encountered. Do not buy unless you can afford an extra thousand a month in replacing tires.
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Loudest driving Lexus 350 I've ever owned!
Once you get the speed up to about 40 there is a noise that is extremely annoying. I have had 4 Lexus 350's and for the price this is the worst. The pick up is very average. I have it in the shop and they cannot figure out the annoying noise. I wish I could turn it back in but it is a long lease. NOT HAPPY. Anyone else hear the noise I'm talking about?
Unhappy with the Interior
I was very pleased with test driving this vehicle, but I was very disappointed in the quality of some of the interior components, including the armrests. Also, I found the placement of the two controls on either side of the instrument panel very distracting when driving the vehicle.
Are you buying a car or a stereo
The car is Amazing! I bought the car for car not the stereo!!
2019 Ultra Luxury ES350: Not just "Entry" level!
This is the fourth Lexus we have owned, and the third ES. We had looked at the new LS500, which is an exceedingly nice vehicle, and seriously considered purchasing a 2019 model as we wanted to step up to some additional features not found in our 2018 ES350. Just for the heck of it, however, we drove the 2019 ES350 and were so pleasantly surprised at the quiet (make that very quiet) and very comfortable ride, and the amenities that the Ultra Luxury model offered at a substantially lower cost without comprising the features we first sought in the LS500 (even our neighbors who went to dinner with us last night remarked on their own how very differently the ride in this 2019 model compared to our 2018 model). In addition to using regular gas (it's just an issue with me not to be required to use premium to get the sports feel of acceleration, when needed) the great gas mileage is a plus. We are particularly enjoying the many features in this model: HUD feature, the large (but not too large) navigation/information display, the extra quality leather seating, the climate control that automatically sets temperature, seat heating/cooling, and steering wheel heating (when required) is so much nicer than the manual controls we had in our 2018 Luxury ES350. As advertised, the 2019 is just a very different car in so many respects from the 2018 model. The only gripe I have is that I am disappointed in the radio sound quality of the Mark Levinson audio system. All in all, however, I don't believe you will be disappointed in the 2019 Ultra Luxury version of the 2019 ES350. It represents a solid quality price point for Lexus and offers a very exciting vehicle to drive and own at a significant costs savings from the LS500 model. UPDATE: The car was purchased primarily for use by my wife, and I (hubby) drove little, but when I drove on longer trips with her I noticed that the audio system (Mark Levinson, "17-speaker, 1800-watt, PurePlay Surround Sound") is not as good as the standard/'Premium' audio system I have in my 2016 RX350. I tried working with the Lexus technician, and finally called Lexus Consumer Care on the matter. All this is to no avail, as the Lexus Consumer Care person decided to close my case (the Mark Levinson audio system 'works as designed', she said). Ah, therein lies the issue, as it may work as designed, but not as Lexus holds out the Mark Levinson system in this model to perform. Definitely not Surround Sound, questionable whether the 10 speaker ports operate as 17 speakers, and now (get this, you'll love this...), I'm told the descriptive of the audio system performance is ... wait, wait...here it comes..."Concert facing audio quality", which seems the new term to replace "Surround Sound". So Lexus seems to be digging their heels in on the issue, and where do we go from here??
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F sport...don't mind if I do
Es 350 F Sport...dislikes.. rear seats do not fold...sound system is "forward sounding"...rear speakers and sub can't be heard from front seats...its a 6 cyl so gas mileage is sucky...full tank says only 250 mile range...no touch screen...thenone I bought was scratch free on the outside and no problems on the inside...in sport mode it goes vroom....only thing I wanted it doesn't have is red leather seats...still patting myself on the back for buying it...
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2019 es350 stereo information.
I purchased a lexus es350 certified lease return vehicle 2 or 3 years ago.The stereo sounded terrible so i returned it to the dealer and was told that the inferior sound was normal and i would get used to it by multiple lexus employees.I told the service rep that i wanted the problem fixed or i would return the car and cancell the deal since i had only signed the papers two days earlier.when i returned the sales mgr told me that he had researched the issue and found an outstanding service bulletin and they would order the replacement parts and repair the problem. when i went back to pick up the car he told me that they had replaced the amplifier and installed all new speakers in my car.the stereo sounds great now as all lexus products should.I hope this report is helpful to everyone who had this problem.i have owned a 2013 lexus previously and knew there was a problem that your dealer should have fixed and kept you as a loyal customer.good luck and hope this helps you.
2019 ES 350 sedan (base model)
I got my new 2019 ES 350 sedan (base model) a week ago. I love this car. For a base model I get almost everything I could need or want. Ok, I don’t get heated or ventilated seats. I live Southern California so my car doesn’t get too cold and I’ve never had ventilated seats before so I won’t know what I’m missing in the summer. Lol. I only get an 8” infotainment screen. It’s way better than me looking at my iPhone 7 Plus screen for navigation. Oh yeah, you don’t need the 12” infotainment screen upgrade with navigation to get Apple Car Play. It comes standard on the base model. Awesome! So I got the 17” wheels and tires 215/55R17. I’ll buy some 19” aftermarket wheels in a year or 2 when I wear these these tires out. Besides Lexus wheels aren’t the prettiest in any size in my opinion. Now the sound system is standard (Pioneer 10 speaker 296 watts) and has weak sound from the rear. EVERYONE is complaining about it. I hear a lot of complaints about the upgraded Mark Levinson system too though. I gotta do something about it cause the sound is all up front. If you like surround sound then the new 2019 Lexus stereos are very disappointing. No offense, if you’re on the “seasoned” or “mature” side of the age spectrum then you might be more than happy with the audio. I’m 45 (getting seasoned and maturing. Lol) and I like full often times and sometimes loud surround sound so I guess I got to go with an aftermarket solution. I realllllly don’t wan to put a speaker box in the trunk. I’m not a bass hound audiophile in my 20’s anymore. Oh well, we’ll see. Now what I would’ve liked is the sporty mesh grill on the F Sport! It looks waaay better than the verticle grill on all the other models in my opinion. But to get that F Sport you gotta pay close to $50k. I got mine for $10k less and at 2.4% interest through Lexus financing. Awesome right?! I can’t be happier. My base sedan has the same 3.5L engine and transmission and the same 0-60 times. I don’t have the dampers the F Sport has for better handling but as I said I live in Southern California. When am I going to attack the twistes or carve up canyon roads. We don’t have many and if we did they’d be clogged with traffic. Lol. There’s other nice things the more expensive versions of the ES has that I don’t have like auto closing trunk. Oh my god, I have to put my hand on the trunk lid and push it down to close the trunk. How will I survive? Lol. Hey, if you have the money and want to treat yourself to some niceties, go for it! You are looking at buying/leasing a luxury vehicle. Go luxury with your amenities if your pocket book permits. I just wanted to point out that the 2019 Lexus ES 350 sedan base model is anything but basic. I love this car and will drive it for the next 10 plus years. I had my previous vehicle for 14.5 years before turning it in.
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T. Lewis of New Orleans
I have a 2019 ES350. Over 28 years I've owned 4 Lexus's. Why does the glove box look so big, and you can't get any thing in it. Other than that great car.
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The good outweighs the bad
If you like the styling, great. I find it gee-whiz fussy, and the cowcatcher grill is over the top. That said, the ride is very good, handling for this kind of car is very good, and it is very comfortable and quiet. Fit and finish are very good, and highway mileage on regular is 35-39 mpg. Surprising. The head-up display is great, and voice commands generally work well. The map display is impressive. Rain-sensing wipers and auto headlamp dimming are implemented nicely. The overhead camera view should be on every car. Seat adjustments are fine and real leg room is impressive. The interior is not well designed, however. The peculiar hump over the cluster has two of the least-used controls front and center like horns on a cow. How often do you need to turn off stability control in this kind of car? Or switch from ECO to SPORT? The trip reset is hidden behind the light stalk, the gas cap release is down in the dark where you are as likely to release the trunk. The touchpad is miserable until you get used to it, and then it's merely a dangerous distraction. The USB port for the phone is under a flip-up cover that also reveals the second cup holder. The manual warns about liquids getting in the port. Terrific. If you plug in the phone the wire can be routed into the console box, and the flip-up cover needs to be open so the CD slot isn't accessible and the second port is open to spills from the cup holder. Why not put the ports in the console box? There is no switch to turn off the AC compressor without turning the entire climate control system off. The stereo fader needs to be tuned after you sandpaper your fingers--it is that fussy. Your left leg rests against a metal edge on the armrest (that should be higher). The cluster displays more information than the space shuttle cockpit, most of which is distracting. The adaptive cruise control works well but the controls are small, cramped and have no tactile feedback so you have to look until you are trained. Annoyingly, it always defaults to the longest distance. There are too many switches on the steering wheel--more distractions. The designers need to drive a Honda for a while. Visibility to sides and rear isn't the best, but the blind spot monitors work well enough to compensate, it you pay attention to them. Getting all the bells and whistles for $50k is a decent deal, but if the Genesis G80 AWD got better mileage on regular gas the choice would not have been so clear. Overall, I'm getting used to (if not happy with) the interior quirks and the ride qualities make up for a lot. You need to drive one to see if the same compromises work for you. Update: The trackpad is still a distraction, but once you train yourself to find the click stops without looking (too much) it is more acceptable. Despite the scathing reviews of the sound system (Mark Levenson) I find it acceptable. I listen to classical music and don't want exaggerated surround sound or booming bass; I suspect that the system was tuned more for that than rap, country, or rock. YMMV. The navigation system, however, has become a real annoyance. It will choose routes that are ridiculous, including the ones suggested. It can't be trusted if you don't have some outside knowledge. Google Maps via iPhone is preferable. The owners manuals are a chore given the uncountable "lawyer boxes" peppering every page. Clarity wasn't a priority when the documents were written. I'm still enjoying the car over all, niggling annoyances aside. The Lexus so-called "Dealer Experience" is a crap shoot, and routine service is expensive.
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Good Looks, But Entertainment Console is Terribl
Had the Lexus since 11/18. No problems and it rides smooth and gets good mileage and is still good looking. Wife has yet to learn how to use the entertainment system. Bad design that is not intuitive. Documentation is bizarre. Seems like it was written by Japanese Engineers for Chinese Engineers and then translated by Pakistani Engineers. Also have found that unlike other cars programming the garage door opener is a major task. Got a new garage door and it took at least 8 try’s to get it right. Took only one try with my 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe. Wife is so down on the Entertainment System that this may be her last Toyota product. It is great to have wonderful bells and whistles, but you have to be able to use them. In this car the learning curve is super steep.
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Excellent car!
In December we bought a 2019 ES 350, ultra luxury trim fully loaded including nav & Mark Levinson audio. We put a few hundred miles on the car before driving it on a cross-country road trip. By the time we arrived home in late February we had over 6000 miles on the car. So we got to know the car very well, very quickly. First the negatives; which are few & minor. First, there's not enough storage space in the front seat. The side door pockets will hold few maps & that's about it. They are not even deep enough to hold a water bottle. Also, the sun visors are too small. They don't totally cover the whole width of the window. There's a small opening on each side of the visor and they are not deep enough. This was very annoying driving east into the sun. Cabin lights could be a little brighter and finally, all the buttons on the dash should be larger. They are fine for me but not for someone with larger fingers. Now for the positives, which are many. The car is supremely quiet and comfortable and with the exception of the points noted above, beautifully appointed. We had 10 hour driving days and the seats and cabin were very comfortable. The Lexus dynamic navigation is outstanding with the maps being continually updated from the cloud. It also alerts to upcoming traffic/road issues. We got excellent gas mileage, a solid 33 mpg highway. We don't have good numbers yet for local driving but it looks like it will likely be 23/24 mpg. Contrary to other reports, our experience with the Mark levinson audio is nothing less than outstanding. We love music, listen to everything from classical to country and how it sounds in our car is very important. The fade works perfectly. In our cars, we always listen with the fade set just behind center. That's how it's set in the Lexus and it sounds as excellent. We've also tweeked the bass & treble to suit. In addition, we turned off the surround sound. The difference in sound is not subtle. When the surround sound is set to "on" it seems to flatten the sound. I don't know how else to explain it. So even with surround sound set to "off", we are listening to beautiful, rich surround sound. It's gorgeous sound. We can hear all the speakers, including the sub in the back. We read all the on-line audio complaints when we first started looking at the car. We took our iPod with us to the dealer so we could listen to our music at the dealer. In the course of our purchase experience, we listened in 2 different cars and had no issue with the fader. The touch pad works just fine for us. There was no steep learning curve and we didn't find it finicky. There's a series of logical, nested menus. It could be a problem if you had to constantly use the touch pad while driving but we don't find that necessary. Everything I need while driving is accessed either on the steering wheel or the small buttons on the dash. In addition, the voice recognition is excellent so you just talk to the car. For example, after we brought the car home I carefully set up all the radio presets we had in our old car. However, we've never once used the presets in the Lexus because it's so easy to talk to the car. It's just a matter of learning the voice commands. We made a little cheat sheet. I have just a couple of other notes. We had an excellent Lexus dealer experience. Also, Lexus has an 800 number you can call for technical support. I've called twice with questions & was completely satisfied with the response. I wasn't put on hold & the individuals I spoke with were knowledgeable & helpful. Bottom line, we love our ES 350 & would certainly recommend the car. September 2019 Update - We've had the car 9 months & we continue to be extremely pleased with our ES 350 Ultra Luxury Lexus. It is one fine car! Our only complaint, as mentioned in the earlier review, is the lack of adequate storage in the front seat. It's not an issue when driving around town but it does become a problem on long trips. Gas mileage is excellent. We just returned from a 1500 mile road trip. It was all highway driving (I-40) and perfect driving conditions & we averaged an incredible 40 mpg! Around town we're getting 23/24 mpg. The car is supremely comfortable & fun to drive. In spite of all the negative comments, we find the Mark Levinson audio to be superior. We're pretty fussy about our audio systems, both in our home & our car, & ML audio is outstanding. We've adjusted the fade to 3 clicks to the rear & the other audio settings to suit & it's beautiful sound. We also really like the dynamic nav & the car's voice recognition is excellent. We have no issues with the touch pad; the learning curve was minimal. In summary, we love the car & would certainly recommend it.
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My 6th Lexus
I got the base ES. It rides amazing and the comfort is great. The white paint with black interior looks sharp. I’m also impressed with the safety features. I was slightly disappointed that the interior was missing some features such as the electric steering wheel adjuster but this is the base model. I’m definitely pleased with the car overall.
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