ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Wanting on the 2021 Lexus ES sedan, one couldn’t be faulted for pondering it unchanged from the earlier mannequin yr. There’s a vital new factor, nevertheless, with Lexus providing an all-wheel-drive ES for the primary time. The ES 250 AWD is a bone tossed to clients dwelling within the Snow Belt, lots of whom discover the boldness of all-wheel drive a better funding than a set of snow tires for his or her front-drive automobile. With our first drive of the brand new AWD mannequin, we’d have the chance to take it on an extended journey to Northern Michigan and, as luck would have it, a terrific storm was headed our means full with snow and bone-chilling temperatures. Except for pushing lateral grip and stability to its limits on a race monitor — and, actually, who tracks their ES? — it appeared the proper alternative to check the ES lineup’s latest enchancment.
The brand new characteristic comes with a caveat, although, which might be a deal-breaker for followers of the ES 350’s 3.5-liter V6: All-wheel drive can solely be had within the also-new-for-2021 ES 250 designation, which signifies the sedan’s naturally aspirated, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. Not like the I-4 within the ES 300h — ‘h’ standing for ‘hybrid’ — the 250’s mill doesn’t come linked to any electrical motors. The engine and drivetrain go hand in hand. You possibly can solely get all-wheel drive with the I-4, and you may solely get the non-hybrid 4 with all-wheel drive.
Curiously sufficient, the ES 250 AWD prices precisely as a lot because the V6-powered ES 350 in every of its trim ranges. Each begin at $41,025, and go up from there. If all that sounds acquainted, maybe it is as a result of the mechanically associated Toyota Avalon has the identical value and drivetrain scenario happening. It too is locked into the mixtures of FWD/V6 and AWD/I-4, with equal value tags for each and for finally the identical cause: the also-related Toyota Camry AWD. Due to the minuscule numbers the V6-powered Camry sells in, Toyota noticed no must put money into engineering the all-wheel-drive system to work with a V6. And for the reason that lower-volume Avalon and Lexus ES are actually solely getting AWD as a result of it may be primarily pulled off a shelf and plugged into the TNGA platform shared by all three, effectively, that is how you find yourself with this uncommon ES 350 and ES 250 AWD scenario.
ES 250 AWD, left, ES 250 AWD F Sport, proper
So what do the 2 further pushed wheels really value? Your soul? No, however shut, relying in your priorities. Choosing AWD relatively than the V6 forgoes 99 horsepower and 83 pound-feet of torque, because the ES 250 AWD provides 203 hp and 184 lb-ft, versus the 350’s 302 hp and 267 lb-ft. The ES 250’s output falls under that of the ES 300h, with its 215 whole horsepower. The 250 can be the slowest to 60 mph, at 8.6 seconds in comparison with 6.6 for the V6 and eight.1 for the hybrid.
AWD isn’t the one factor you acquire in commerce from the sacrifice, although the opposite comfort prize is almost negligible. The ES 250 is rated at 25 mpg metropolis, 34 freeway and 28 mixed. In comparison with the ES 350’s 22/32/26 mpg score, you’d should put a number of miles in your ES earlier than you’d possible discover the gas financial savings’ affect in your checking account.
When you shake the hp-vs.-mpg tradeoff equation out of your head and take a look at the ES 250 AWD by itself, the naturally aspirated 4 isn’t all that dangerous. It feels slightly sluggish the primary couple instances you get on the gasoline, however you get used to it rapidly. On the town on moist and snowy roads, we weren’t topic to launches delayed by the stability-control system looking for traction. The AWD system, which might direct as a lot as 50% of torque to the rear wheels, meant the ES fortunately marched forth with out grievance or suspect wiggling. In the meantime, the eight-speed computerized transmission stored the revs within the acceptable vary.
On our lengthy drive up north, we didn’t have second ideas about passing slower autos on two-lane highways the way in which we did in our many journeys with our long-term Subaru Forester. The Lexus even felt sure-footed crossing the still-snowy lane markers at full freeway pace. Actually, the one factor that stored us from traversing a number of the unplowed roads as snow reached a number of inches in depth was the sedan’s lack of floor clearance, however we had been completely satisfied to comply with within the tracks blazed by way of drifts by my spouse’s small crossover down the gravel lanes terminating at our cottage.
And it actually was a pleasing journey. Even with the F Sport trim’s sportier suspension tuning and bigger, 19-inch wheels, the trip was remarkably clean. It was quiet, too, making for simple dialog with my son within the again seat, and serving to us to obviously comprehend the audiobook we performed to go the time. Adaptive cruise management labored effectively after we used it, though on multilane highways even the closest setting left a spot massive sufficient to encourage others drivers to fill it — a minor nitpick not distinctive to this trim, mannequin or model.
Whereas we preferred the look and structure of the infotainment display and its menus, the Lexus Distant Contact touchpad on the middle console shouldn’t be all the time the simplest interface to make use of. The ES doesn’t get the touchscreen performance added to the RX and LS. Fortunately, most of the audio controls are repeated with laborious buttons each on the middle stack and the steering wheel to take a few of that ache away. We had no points with the Bluetooth connection, and the wi-fi cellphone charger was a welcome contact. We particularly preferred the placement of the charging pad, inside the middle console, holding the cellphone each safe and free from the temptation of distraction.
So, again to that tradeoff of about 100 horsepower and a couple of seconds from 0-60 for the peace of thoughts of all-wheel drive plus a pair further mpg. Do you drive within the snow or on slippery pavement so much? Do you actually care about energy? In the event you reply no to both query, your selection is straightforward both means. But when, like us, your reply to each is sure, it’s tough, and the tradeoff is one thing you’ll have wrestle with. On this check, we discovered the 203 hp of the ES 250 AWD to be completely agreeable, and largely didn’t miss the additional oomph right here. After all, not everybody will agree. If solely there have been one thing that would sweeten the lower-power AWD deal — like, say, an precise, noticeable enchancment in gas financial system.
Toyota — and, by extension, Lexus — has a wonderful resolution at its disposal in its e-AWD expertise. We’ve tried it out within the Prius, and it really works fairly effectively with a negligible sacrifice in gas financial system. It’s a intelligent system, during which the electrical motor driving the rear wheels can disengage when not wanted with the intention to save gas, a lot because the coupling on the rear axle on this all-wheel-drive however all-gas-powered Lexus can disconnect to the identical finish.
For now, you’ll should wrestle with the selection. Fortunately, the stakes aren’t that top. You should buy the less-potent however not considerably underpowered automobile, and be high-quality other than perhaps pining for a bit extra punch once in a while. You should buy the V6 and be high-quality other than perhaps pining for a bit extra traction within the winter. Perhaps sometime, if we’re fortunate, you may make a unique powerful selection, between a less-expensive, all-gas all-wheel-drive automobile, or a costlier all-wheel-drive hybrid that prices much less to run. Both means, you’re driving a reasonably pleasurable Lexus. Choose your first-world drawback.
