The prices of 2013 Lexus ES 350 and ES 300h has just been revealed. The first luxury sedan has a base price of $36 100 and the luxury hybrid sedan has a starting price of $38 850. The ES 350 and ES 300 hybrid will be seen in the showrooms in the beginning of the next month.

Further news is that for the first time Lexus ES will be available with Lexus Hybrid Drive. It will include a 2.5-liter four-cylinder Atkinson cycle engine, thanks to which the expected fuel economy numbers are approximately 40 mpg city, 39 mpg highway and 40 mpg combined. Nevertheless, the ES 300h generates 200 horsepower (147 kW).

2013 Lexus ES 300h

On the other hand the ES 350 is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine with Dual VVT-i which delivers 268 horsepower (197 kW) at 6,200 rpm and 248 lb.-ft. (183 Nm) of peak torque at 4,700. This engine is mated to a six-speed sequential-shift automatic Electronically Controlled Transmission with intelligence (ECT-i).

The latter provides improved driving performance, fuel efficiency and smooth shifts. In addition to this low friction materials further enhance the efficiency and contribute to fuel economy of 21 mpg city, 31 mpg highway and 24 mpg combined.

Both the ES 350 and ES 300h include a Drive Mode selector, which in turn includes Normal, Eco and Sport Mode. When driving on the first one, the car delivers a blend of performance and efficiency, while Eco mode favors fuel economy. The Sport mode increases powertrain and steering responsiveness.

In addition to all three modes, the ES 300h adds an EV mode which allows short distance drives, at reduced speed, utilizing only the power from the hybrid battery pack.

2013 Lexus ES 350

The Lexus models include wide range of standard and optional safety equipment: class-leading 10 airbags as standard equipment, the optional Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Departure Alert, Pre-Collision System, Lexus Safety Connect®, Enhanced Roadside Assistance, an Emergency Assistance Button, Stolen Vehicle Location services, Automatic Collision Notification, etc.

Furthermore the cars are equipped with the standard Lexus Premium Sound System which includes eight-speakers with Automatic Sound Levelizer (ASL), in-dash CD player, USB/iPod® connectivity, and an integrated SiriusXM Satellite Radio receiver.

The cockpit now includes also separate display and operation zones. The instrument panel is longer and shows the important information on a 3.5-inch color TFT multi-information display screen directly in the driver's line of sight.

Source: Lexus