An Electrifying Statement

It’ll impress you with its refinement, efficiency, and the comfort it brings to the table. But is it enough to impress the Indian luxury sedan buyer?

- Sarmad Kadiri

IT'S NOT EASY FOR A NON-EUROPEAN car brand to make a breakthrough in the luxury car segment, but Lexus with its unique recipe has succeeded in doing so. Take the ES 300h, for instance. It's a combination of an edgy design, sublime cabin comfort, and an efficient hybrid powertrain along with proven Japanese reliability that has helped create a niche for this luxury sedan. It's been almost four years since the seventh-generation ES reached our shores as an import and local assembly began within just a couple of years later, making it more affordable. Lexus have now introduced an updated version of their best-selling model to keep things interesting.

To start with, the changes on the design front are rather subtle, but they do manage to make the ES 300h look even more elegant. Look closer and you'll notice that the signature spindle grille has textured slats now, which beautifully reflect light. Adding more character to the face are the new flared-up headlamps. They are still all-LED with three distinct beams, but now the far edges have been raised slightly to add more character to the face. Another addition to this facelift is the new 18inch alloy wheels which have an interesting floral-type chrome treatment to the spokes. The changes might not be dramatic, but they manage to retain the distinct Lexus character which stands out in a crowd.