Lexus ES 300h F Sport: Assessing the Value of the Extra Features

The Lexus ES 300h F Sport is a mouthful, and it’s a bit overkill for what this luxury sedan should offer. Drop the F Sport, and you’ve got a great Lexus.

Lexus seems to provide an F Sport package of some type for nearly every vehicle in its lineup, but it could have skipped this one. The ES 300h is an impressive hybrid luxury sedan with plenty of trappings and trimmings to make it a comfortable car on any road. There are two F Sport treatments for this car, neither of which really improves the car.

What are the F Sport treatments for the ES 300h?

If you select the F Sport Design package, all you’ll add to the mix are the visual aspects of the F Sport packaging. If you want your hybrid sedan to have a more aggressive style, go ahead and put this upgraded package on your car and let it offer a bit more visual appeal.

The second is the F Sport Handling package which gives this car a set of adaptive dampers that adjust the firmness of the ride based on the driving mode selected. The ES has never been a car that’s easily tossed in and out of the corners, which makes this package even more curious than the first.

You can’t make this Lexus sedan sexier

If you package the Lexus ES 300h with the F Sport treatments, you’ll have a sharper-looking car with a bit more handling prowess, but you’ll still lack the power required to make this car fun to drive. The 300h utilizes a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder hybrid powertrain with two electric motors to produce 215 horsepower.

That’s not a figure that makes you excited to get behind the wheel. It doesn’t really matter that this car brings a set of sharp 19-inch black wheels, a rear spoiler, aggressively-bolstered front seats, and a movable gauge cluster bezel.
The F Sport features make much more sense in the ES 350, which uses a V6 engine and offers 302 horsepower.

Does the F Sport Handling package do the job?

The adaptive dampers and addition of Sport and Sport+ modes provide a stiffer ride and reduce body roll in this Lexus sedan, but that doesn’t make it any quicker around the corners. The ES 300h has a numb steering feeling and lacks the wheel control required to enjoy some aggressive cornering fun. This means the F Sport Handling features are wasted on this car and make a lot more sense in the Lexus IS350, which is much sportier and more fun.

Is the ES 300h a bad Lexus?

Actually, it’s just the opposite. The Lexus ES 300h is a smooth, comfortable, and quality sedan that fits perfectly in the lineup as the midsize sedan from this luxury brand. The Normal mode provides a soft and comfortable ride, making it easy for you to have a wonderful feeling on the road. You’ll enjoy the combined 44 mpg, which makes this a fuel-sipping sedan that can drive for nearly 600 miles between fill-ups.

The latest version of this Lexus sedan features a new infotainment system, which takes it away from the touchpad controller of old, and into a package with a functional touchscreen. This means new software across the brand and a system that’s easier to use. If you want a smart option for the ES 300h, the 12.3-inch touchscreen is worth the step up to enjoy a larger screen with crisp, clear graphics and easy-to-use features.

What else does this Lexus offer?

In addition to a smart upgrade to the 12.3-inch touchscreen, the Lexus ES 300h brings a 10-speaker premium audio system which sounds great. This system is easy to control with the touchscreen, which features wireless connectivity, giving you the right tech blend.

If you live in cooler climates, the heated seats help you stay warm and cozy while on the road. You’ll also enjoy the comfort of the climate control system, which works great wherever you go.

The bottom line

The Lexus ES 350 and ES 300h both reside in the $40,000 price range, which makes them affordable luxury cars. The ES 300h is an FWD sedan with a CVT, which means it’s not really built for performance. Adding the F Sport packages to the mix, you’ll spend more than $54,000. For this price, you can easily find an RWD sport sedan with real performance chops.

If you want a luxury hybrid cruiser, the Lexus ES 300h is a good option, but when you want actual performance, look for a different car. The F Sport packages for this midsize Lexus sedan aren’t worth the cost.