e-yes

Yep. No spare 😕

I guess at slow speed on loose surface there is leverage for the screw to turn pointing up and penetrate the rubber surface ? (I do have a lose gravel driveway) At high(er) speeds and formed surface the screw cannot win and any number of things can happen ie can break into at least two pieces, or depending on the weight of the vehicle might even embed it into the road surface or ... ... ... OR someone intentionally is doing this because they specifically wanted me to change my front left tyre 😕 Like John said above... tough luck 😕 --E

Thanks John for the prompt reply. Do I need to get the tyre replacement done at Lexus due to the TPMS sensors OR this is something which the likes of Kwik Fit mobile can do it as well ? I understand that sensors get calibrated after a Reset from dashboard and about 5 miles of driving. But don't remember if any other special juju is needed ? Thanks, --E

Hi, A couple days ago got the TPMS warning. I topped up the tyre pressure to 2.4 on all four tyres. Front left was way under inflated (2.15 Bar) Checked the pressure again earlier this evening and the pressure had dropped to 2.3 on this one where all other were 2.5. On very careful scientific observations, noticed there was a screw 😕 The tyres have not even done 8000 miles so far. Should I get it repaired OR bite the rubber and get a new tyre. I don't drive often (yet) but every other week I have a 200 mile round trip... sometimes twice a week. --E

Mine is 2020 built ES + Premium Pack and I am able to send a destination or a route to the car via the Lexus App and also can see the location as well as fuel level and also where exactly on my last trip I braked hard or accelerated too hard ! Remote start apparently is enabled in the US (not sure if it is also on the Hybrid but definitely on non hybrids) even though it is not advertised, however not in the U.K.

The only thing that can be changed with the Premium Edition is the colour (or maybe some protection packs or floor mats etc can be added) With the Base ES you can add the Premium Pack which adds on a few more bits. With Takumi the only option available is the digital door mirrors (Takumi includes all options so not much to add on really) Edit : Spoke too soon ! Just went on the website and can see that even with the Base ES, the Premium Pack is no longer available. Also there is a Tech and Safety Pack which cannot be selected. I guess this must be a "glitch in the matrix" aka some software issue ? HTH --E

Just curious, doesn't your ES have the same thing too ? (I personally love that sound tbh 🙂 ) --E

I got half a tank when I picked up mine. --E

This must be new for 2022 which is a good addition. Don't have it on mine and I think previously this was only available on the LS500. --E

Mine is a 2021 ES + Premium Pack and I have noticed the following that when on Cruise, any input to the steering beyond a certain point will cut power. After straightening the car, wait for anywhere up to ten seconds for normal power to come back on. Quite useful in town driving I must say. There is also supposed to be faux Torque Vectoring ie when negotiating a curve rather quickly, the inner wheel break is applied. Can't say for sure I have noticed this feature but if on a curvy road and making rapid progress (within the speed limit ie) the car feels planted and not reluctant to change of direction. Body roll is well controlled.

FWIW, I have been able to plug in my phone and then actually store the phone in the 2-way opening cubby. It doesn’t “bite” the cable when closed. I use a cable which is just long enough to allow me to route it from the left side of the shifter and also not obstruct the touch pad. I keep the phone on the charging pad (if plugged in, the wireless charging doesn’t kick in) The worst part of plugging the phone and then storing it in the narrow phone storage next to the USB socket was that the phone and cable twists would rattle. With this arrangement of being able to store the phone in the 2-way opening cubby, the rattling is pretty much eliminated. —E

As @ColinBarber mentioned above, there could be errors and some things might be lost in translation as well. This one made me chuckle "LED rear lamps and active brake lights" . I'd very much like ALL break lights in the entire world to be active... good thing on the ES they are indeed 😄

It has to be... there is no other possibility 😄 --E

I hope you managed to get a test drive as well to be 100% sure it matches your expectations ? --E

That's not a characteristic of CVT, it is the characteristic of any ICE engine. The difference with CVT is that there are no fixed ratios. Revs stay at the point where peak output (as per the load) is. The best acceleration will occur at a certain RPM (and definitely not low RPM). The classic fixed ratio gearboxes most people are used to only sound different (and very likely waste fuel during shifts whereas CVTs do not waste fuel. Some of the newer manual shift boxes do the contrary, they hold on to revs even after clutch is engaged and surprisingly that is due to meeting emissions regulations... direct injection engines are complex) Over time I have noticed that it is very much possible to use too much throttle on the ES... old habits basically 😕 . The same amount of progress can be made with easing off the throttle. If some very rapid progress is needed then simply use kick down... this I think only works well in the Toyota/Lexus eCVT due to electric assist. (Highly recommend to watch Prof. John Kelly's video posted by @peniole above, the MG1 can spin up to 17000 RPM in about three or four seconds) Also, to get some context, I would recommend if possible try other cars and see for yourself how bad a racket all those cars make. I tried Volvo V90, had experience from a similar (slightly lower powered) BMW and just before the ES I had Audi A6 2.0 TDI. Volvo V90 I think is the worst offender in terms of high rev noise under load. Turbo in the Volvo definitely helps but by providing torque earlier in the rev range... however acceleration only happens at high RPMs (at least, rapid acceleration only happens at high RPMs). None of the cars I have owned or driven have been as refined as the ES. It does take some time to understand how to best operate it. In my experience, when operating in town, try and keep the Hybrid Power indicator in the lower half of the Blue Zone. When moderate acceleration is needed, modulate the throttle so that Hybrid Power indicator is making a semi-circle with both Blue and White (i.e. it is in the Power Zone). Anything else, simply kick down and watch your speed climb into high two digits with ease. And yes, the paddles and ECO mode are useless. It is not a sporty car. Definitely the slowest accelerating car off the line but very well within the range of it's competitors. None of it's competitors are under 5s 0-62mph.. all of them are within 7s to 9s which in everyday practical driving conditions is too small a range to make any real difference. On the motorway though, it is no slouch for sure and I would argue definitely not slower than it's competitors between 55mph to 75mph but so much more quieter and with a planted confident ride. Just need to learn how to modulate the throttle. HTH, --E

Agree on the VED 😕 Found this one though, seems like OK in terms of price though. The colour may not work for everyone though. Also, there are some older Premium Packs as well. They will be under the VED threshold and get you the Memory Seats too. (Sorry, just had my coffee and opened LOC website… ideas are floating :)) HTH, —E

How about a used Takumi ? — E

Thanks for the update @CY Leung . A friend is considering RAV-4 Plug-In and I had recommended the 450h+ instead to them... so just wanted to know how has it been going. Thanks, --E

@CY Leung Just curious, if you were able to get this resolved ? --E

What is left out of Premium Pack from Takumi ML Audio Head-Up Display Memory Seat for front passenger Semi-aniline leather Wood inlay (more areas covered than Premium Pack) Noise suppressing alloy wheels Electric boot with kick sensor Heated and reclining rear seats I guess the Takumi suspension is different from Base + premium (might be wrong on that though) Premium Pack is lacking more than just 10% of Takumi. Having said that, given that Pre-22 Premium Pack costed what it did, it was a great value. For e.g. the 3-Led setup is noticeably smoother than simple on-off for the high beam and turn illumination. However, the current 22 Premium Pack is a Blade Scan 3-Led which is even more smoother transitioning illumination system from the previous Premium Pack (and very expensive to replace out of warranty, it is a very similar system as on the LS and high spec RX). Most additions on the current Premium Pack are nice to have if the price was the same as previous generation. However, that is not the case thus Premium Edition is the most optimal option if Memory Seats are not needed. If Memory Seats are needed however then one has to bite to bite the bullet. OR consider a Jaguar XF 2.0 Diesel which can be configured with all the nice stuff and still be under £40k. (I personally would happily pay the extra VED than get a Diesel Jag in 2022... but that's just me, if the ES 350 with V6 Petrol was available in U.K. I'd have gone for the Takumi itself tbh) HTH --E

If there is need for memory seats, there is no other cheaper way. However, with the premium pack you also get the “enhanced” driver seat which has an extending thigh cushion. I had never been able to find a comfortable seating position in my previous cars or other cars I had rented out test driven, except a US spec Toyota Sienna. I think what the Premium pack is still missing (for the price) is electric closing boot lid. Other than that everything else is covered by Premium Edition while still sitting under the VED surcharge threshold. Even the Base ES comes with BSM which I think is essential in a car of this size which before MY22 was only available under Premium Pack. But then pre 22, the Premium Pack + Metallic Color was still under £40k threshold. In short, if you don’t need Memory Seats, you won’t miss out on anything essential. HTH —E

"The chief bugbear is the ride quality. Over broken surfaces, there’s a disconnect between the seat and the suspension, so one part of the car is reacting in one way and another is moving at a different rate. It means it all feels a bit fussy and flustered, as if the dampers don’t ever really know what they’re meant to be ironing out. Cross axle bumps upset it the most." That's how I would describe the A6 S-Line I had before the ES. Also, the leather seats on the A6 were very hard. Could also go on how bad the steering was as well but... When the Lexus dealer asked my what I didn't like about my A6 I told him about the ride quality (amongst other things) and he just simply said it would be a waste of time to have a test drive in the F-Sport and asked me to take the standard ES (the one with 18" wheels due to the Premium Pack) away on a test drive for a few hours. --E

Have to say, the review in general seems pleasant 🙂 I tried the configurator and also looked in the brochure and it seems that FWD 350h + Premium Pack + colour of choice can be had under £40k. The only thing I could not find if memory seats are in the Premium Pack or not. I also saw savagegeese review of the new NX and they don't seem as impressed as they were with the ES however. Also now, it seems there is Piano Gloss Black as well (even on the new ES 😕) --E

Will they say the same for the electric Porsches or Audis ? This madness about Toyota/Lexus hybrid "CVT gearbox" is getting hilarious every time it is repeated. The stepped ratios of conventional gears are actually a limitation not an advantage. The eCVT of the hybrid actually gets the advantage of a CVT without the belt/vane of a traditional CVT. --E