2018 Lexus ES300h Interior

Getting in and out of the new ES is easy. The driver’s seat moves backward and the steering rises each time you switch the car on and off. When you switch on the ignition, the seat and the steering come back into the same position you last left it at. Once you get inside, look around and you immediately notice the top notch quality of materials used in the cabin. On the flip side, some plastic bits on the dash along with the power window switches lack finesse that you expect in a car at this price point. Moving on, the steering wheel finished in leather and wood feels nice to hold. The instrument cluster features a large digital speedometer and the panel covering it gets stalks on either side that operate the drive modes and toggle the traction control. There is a large Heads Up display that looks crisp and is easy to read. The 12.3 inch screen for the infotainment system is a non touch unit and is operated by a track pad on the centre console. It isn’t the easiest to use and takes a while getting used to. There is no Android Auto or Apple CarPlay either. Sound from the 1800 W 17 speak Mark Levinson audio system is fantastic and easily one of the best around. An electric sunroof is also standard. No panoramic roof on the ES though.

The seats of the ES300h are fabulous in terms of support and cushioning. The front seats get electric adjust with memory. They also feature heating and cooling functions. The surprising thing is that the rear seats only get heating. Funny considering most Indian buyers will be spending their time in the rear. That said, there’s loads of head room and legroom at the back. The sloping roof line doesn’t play spoilt sport either. For more space, the front passenger seat can be moved all the way forward via buttons on the backrest that are easily accessible to the rear occupants. The backrests of the rear seats can also be reclined up to 8 degrees, a feature that was missing in the earlier generation car.

The ES comes with a spacious 454 litre boot and gets a full size spare with the alloy wheel. The boot comes with the hands free function and works flawlessly once it detects the kick underneath the rear bumper.

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