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2005 Lexus ES 330
Date Published: 7/31/08

2005 Lexus ES 330
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MSRP:
$32,175 -

Invoice:
$28,528 -

Class:
Premium Midsize Car

CG Award: (What's This?)
2005 Lexus ES 330
Expert Rating Summary
Category Base w/adaptive susp., 17-inch wheels Rating (See All
Ratings)
Premium Midsize Car Average Rating
Acceleration 6 6.6
Fuel Economy 5 4.6
Ride Quality 6 6.9
Steering/Handling/Braking 6 7.1
Quietness 7 6.8
Controls 7 6.7
Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (front) 8 7.4
Room/Comfort (rear) 6 5.6
Cargo Room 4 4
Value within Class 8 5.9
Total Score: 63 61.6
Ratings: Maximum 10 points per category
2005 LEXUS ES 330 BUYING RESOURCES
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2005 Lexus ES 330 Review
Lexus' best-selling car gets minor styling changes and several first-time features for 2005. The ES 330 comes with a 3.3-liter V6, 5-speed automatic transmission, and antilock 4-wheel disc brakes. Also standard are front torso side airbags and head-protecting curtain side airbags. Antiskid/traction control is available, as is Lexus' Adaptive Variable Suspension with driver-selectable shock-absorber settings. Sixteen-inch wheels are standard, but 17s are a new option, as are heated/cooled front seats. Newly standard for '05 is a memory system for both power front seats, not just the driver seat, plus power door mirrors that automatically tilt down when selecting Reverse. The extra-cost navigation system gets more-detailed screen graphics and a larger DVD database. It also now offers optional voice control, activated by steering-wheel buttons, for its navigation, audio, and climate functions. And the audio system is now preconfigured to accept dealer-activated satellite radio service. Returning options include power-adjustable pedals, premium Mark Levinson audio, CD changer, power rear sunshade, and xenon headlamps packaged with rain-sensing windshield wipers. The ES shares its basic design with the Camry from Lexus-parent Toyota.
Competition
Consumer Guide® Automotive places each vehicle into one of 17 classes based on size, price, and market position. Premium Midsize Cars sport interior dimensions similar to Midsize Cars. Premium Midsize Cars offer more luxury, performance, and prestige when compared to Midsize Cars. This segment is one of the industry's fastest-growing categories.

Our Best Buys include the Acura TL, Cadillac CTS, and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Our Recommended picks include the Acura RL, Infiniti G35, and the Lexus ES 330.
News
The ES 330 is set to be replaced by a clean-sheet ES 350 in spring 2006. Few specifics are available, but we can confirm a 3.5-liter V6, as the new model name suggests. It's basically the same engine used in the redesigned 2005 Toyota Avalon, though the Lexus version may tuned for a bit more horsepower than the Toyota's 280. Lexus hints that all-wheel drive may be a first-time option, though maybe not available from launch. Sleeker new "Lexus only" styling is also promised. In other respects, the next ES should be an underskin cousin of the redesigned Toyota Camry expected for model-year '07.
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