New 2009 Lexus

Vehicle Overview
Lexus revamped its midsize ES sedan for 2007 with a larger engine and a new look. In keeping with Lexus' naming conventions, the numeric portion of the ES name reflects the size of the engine: 350 stands for a 3.5-liter V-6 engine. The ES 350 competes with the Acura TL and Lincoln MKZ.

New for 2009
The ES 350 remains relatively unchanged for 2009 other than the addition of a new exterior color.

Exterior
Even after its 2007 redesign, the ES 350's basic teardrop shape was still familiar to the brand's faithful. The sedan is about the same size as its predecessor, although the car gained 2 inches in wheelbase and more than an inch of track. Standard features include: moonroof, 17-inch alloy wheels and dual exhaust tips. The ES 350 is available in a new paint color: Matador Red Mica and a panoramic glass roof is optional.

Interior
The ES 350 has 42.2 inches of front legroom and 35.9 inches of rear legroom. Hip room is 52.8 inches in back and 55.9 inches in front. Push-button start, dual-zone automatic climate control and 10-way power-adjustable front seats come standard, while a 14-speaker, 300-watt Mark Levinson audio system and navigation system with rearview backup camera are optional.

Under the Hood
The ES 350's 3.5-liter V-6 drives the front wheels through an automatic transmission. A 3.5-liter V-6 making 272-horsepower and 254 pounds-feet of torque engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with clutchless-manual mode is quite impressive.

Safety
An available Adaptive Front Lighting System allows the headlights to swivel when rounding curves. Standard options include: all-disc antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability system, driver and front-passenger knee airbags, side curtain airbags, side-impact airbags for the front seats, available rear side-impact airbags, while Lexus' Pre-Collision System is optional.