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First Look: Remade Lexus goes from blah to wow!

First Look: Remade Lexus goes from blah to wow!

Lexus ES350 suddenly has gone all sexy on us. While pleasant enough in appearance, previous models couldn't exactly be considered head turners. Often, their Toyota Camry bloodlines showed a bit too much.

But, oh my, how that has changed! The all-new model, designed under Lexus' new styling theme, is one of the sexiest sedans I've seen, with a beautiful semi fastback roof line, a lower overall profile that gives it a "crouching cat" kind of demeanor as well as smoother flanks, an aggressive grille, and an altogether European flair.

This sedan, long considered Lexus' entry level model, is now one step further up the price rung. Our test car was a 2007 ES350, with a base price of $33,170 -- not much more than a well-equipped Camry. But now the fun, and the money wheel, begins -- picking options. By the time our test car was equipped with an intuitive parking assist, a luxury package with leather, memory seats, power tilt, telescoping wood steering wheel, rain sensing wipers, top-of-the-line audio system and more, it came to $43,989. A lot of money, but certainly well in the range of its competitors.

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As you might imagine, this car is unearthly quiet, whether it's on the road or sitting at a stoplight. You simply can't hear anything running at all. It has a velvety smooth ride, but not so much so that you feel the car losing any sense of control.

I do think that the steering is over-assisted, which means you spend a bit more time making slight corrections when driving. That can be disconcerting, and I prefer more control because it gives me a greater sense of confidence behind the wheel.

Power comes from a 3.5-liter 272-horsepower V-6, which is rated at 21 mpg in the city and 30 on the highway. The acceleration is definitely more brisk than the prior ES model, but it isn't a hot rod -- and frankly, doesn't need to be one. It's more than up to the task, however on the highway and in heavy traffic.

First Published: September 28, 2006, 4:00 a.m.

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