At best, the new ES 350 is an inoffensive design with conventional sedan flanks capped by the new face of Lexus at the front – essentially an Audi grille pinched in the middle to resemble an hourglass. Or a catfish, depending upon one’s perspective. The powertrain is equally inoffensive: A 3.5-liter V6 backed by a six-speed automatic transmission, notable during a period when Lexus’ competitors are rapidly moving toward 7-, 8- and 9-speed gearboxes.
