Car UK May 2019

74 CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK | MAY 2019

3-series vs the world

It’s hard to imagine Dragons’ Den backing a new posh saloon car pitched

at the Germans. The sector’s static, SUVs are booming, everyone wants a

BMW, Merc or Audi... The hapless execs would find themselves in a blood-

bath cruelly prolonged for viewer amusement, their humiliation halted

after the sweaty mental arithmetic becomes too embarrassing to watch.

Thankfully for us, some companies are still brave enough to offer

non-SUV alternatives to the predictable 3-series, and because they know

competition is fierce they make sure there are some damn good reasons to

buy. Two of the latest to stick their headlights above the parapet hail from

Lexus and Peugeot.

The Lexus ES has never been sold here before, but it’s now into its

seventh generation. Based on the front-wheel-drive GA-K architecture,

this one effectively replaces the rear-wheel-drive GS in the UK.

This is a substantially larger vehicle than the 3-series, and at 4975mm

long it’s actually longer than a 5-series. No other car in this test provides

so much space behind the driver, and popping the bootlid isn’t so much

like opening a luggage compartment as accidentally opening a cargo bay

in the International Space Station. I swear the boot’s larger than the car.

Although it’s a much bigger car, on price and philosophy the ES absolutely

merits inclusion: our F Sport sits at the centre of the three-tier range, is

pitched as most dynamic of all, and lands bang in 320d M Sport territory at

£38,150. Game on.

Long, low and pointy, fitted as standard with 19-inch alloys, the ES looks

like an arrow about to be shot from an archer’s bow. It’s attractive and

dramatic. Nice interior too. The 10-way sports seats are excellent, although

they could go a little lower, and there are lovely materials – soft leather,

shadow-chrome finishes, aluminium trim inserts inspired by shogun

warriors’ katana swords.

Our car also gets the £4k Takumi pack, with 12.3-inch infotainment

screen and a second-generation touchpad by the gearlever that highlights

functions on the screen in response to finger movements. It’s okay to use

while stationary, but still requires too much attention on the move.

Purely petrol models are sold elsewhere, but only the ES300h Hybrid

reaches the UK. This has a 2.5-litre naturally-aspirated engine making ⊲

The free radicals

GROUP thR ee

Serious temptation from Peugeot and Lexus

The cheapest

car here has

one of the very

best interiors