Nuts and Bolts

There’s nothing luxurious about a weak engine, or an inadequately performing car, so descriptions of the 2007 Lexus ES 350 as being all about comfort and nothing about performance is a little misleading. Certainly, this is not a performance vehicle, but there’s simply nothing weak about its 3.5-liter, 272-horsepower V6 engine, or inadequate about the advanced six-speed transmission that sends the power to the front wheels. Sure, with a redline of 6,400 rpm and a horsepower peak at 6,200 rpm, the engine runs hard at high speeds to generate maximum motive force, but there’s certainly an adequate supply of power and torque, the latter of which is rated 254 lb.-ft. at 4,700 rpm. The engine’s performance is helped by a sequential fuel injection system that improves output and efficiency, delivering a ULEV-II emissions standard and a Lexus-estimated fuel economy rating of 21 miles in the city and 30 on the highway. Our short time in the ES 350 netted a combined reading of 19 miles to the gallon. The ES 350’s six-speed transmission features sequential shift and computer-generated gear ratios, which change based on horsepower and torque output, resulting in smoother operation and greater powertrain performance. Lexus claims a 0-60 acceleration time of just 6.8 seconds, substantially quicker than the outgoing model.

The powertrain motivates a car that features a stiffened structure, a MacPherson strut front and dual-link strut rear suspension, and an electric, speed-sensing power-assisted rack and pinion steering setup. Brakes are four-wheel power-assisted disc brakes with ABS, Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist, Traction Control (TRAC) and Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), connected to 17-inch wheels that are clad with 215/55R17 all-season tires.