2000 Lexus ES300 review from North America

Nothing has gone wrong with the car.

This review is for my family's Lexus ES300. The Lexus ES300 is the luxury version of the Toyota Avalon, which is a little bigger version of the Camry. So it's basically a bigger, nicer Camry. If you look in Consumer Reports you see that it is the one of the most reliable cars on the market today. The dealer is great, and will wait on you hand-and-foot. So the car is a good buy, although a little on the expensive side.

Now the driving experience. The first thing you notice when you step into the car and turn the ignition is that you can hardly hear the engine. When the engine is idling you can't hear it at all, no joke, you have to look at the tach to make sure it's on. The 210hp, 200lb torque V6 goes 0-60 in 8.3 seconds, which is pretty fast. Good top end too. The car handles well, and can turn very sharply. We have the 16-inch rims on ours and the Z-rated high-performance tires, both big plusses in handling.

Our interior is leather. We've got the premium sound system with the 6-CD changer, and it is great. Probably the best stock sound system I have even seen. I prefer my own personal one in my Pontiac Bonneville, but that's because of the 15' in the trunk ;-)

Anyway this is a very nice car. My family's last car was a 1992 Pontiac Bonneville (which I now drive), and this is quite different (smaller, more luxurious). I told my dad to get a Vette, but he wouldn't listen. I think he said something about cost-of-ownership or something. Anyway if you want a cushy ride and don't care too much about going fast then get a Lexus ES300. If you want all the above + speed get a Lexus GS400. If you only want speed + handling today get a Vette. Whatever you do, don't buy a Ford Taurus.