Produced from 2004-2006, the Lexus ES 330 was an entry-level luxury sedan that pleased practically everyone, and as such offers the most for the buck for anyone looking for a true luxury sedan at an affordable price.
This was the fourth generation of the ES line, succeeding the ES 300 and followed by a sportier ES 350, but no matter which generation of the ES family you choose you are going to be pleased. Lexus understands what the word “luxury” means as proven by the lush interior and extremely quiet ride of all ES cars. Powered by a 225-horsepower 3.3-liter V6 engine and an automatic transmission, the emphasis was on smooth and silky rather than sporty and aggressive. The ES330 could do 0-60 in the mid-seven second range, a time that was not going to knock anyone’s socks off, but in doing so there was a feeling of distinguished and refined power.
Patterned closely after the Toyota Camry, the ES 330 was not a car to make the driver dream of LeMans. The soft suspension did not handle quick turns in an enthusiastic manner but rather a relaxed one. If you were looking for that special partnership between driver, road, and vehicle where every turn and acceleration was felt down to the bone, this was not the car for you. But if you were looking for a ride around town or to work that could calm your frazzled nerves, then the Lexus ES 330 was the car for you.
Leather seats, supreme quiet, moonroof, larger wheels, seven-speaker audio system, they were all standard equipment on the ES 330; and lest we forget, the feeling of security in knowing that you were driving one of the finest and most reliable vehicles on the road made the ES 330 a winner in the entry-level luxury sedan field. Toyota and by extension Lexus engineers understand quality; in fact, it is not much of a leap to say they are obsessed with making the finest vehicles on the road for the everyday driver.
As a final note, for those interested in buying an ES 330 for a used car, there was very little difference in the three model years that it was produced. Small cosmetic alterations were made but the basic vehicle was rolled out all three years. Considering that one can now find these fine Japanese import cars selling for under $15,000, this is an excellent option for someone looking to enter the luxury sedan market at a reasonable price. Sure the car will be five years old but considering the way Lexus makes their cars five years means nothing. The ES 330 is a great option if you want to impress your neighbors without breaking your personal bank.