Lexus ES 300h or Toyota Avalon -- Which Hybrid to Choose?

It's a well kept secret in the auto industry that many car are based on shared platforms For example, until recently, at GM, it was common for a Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac and Chevrolet to share what was under the slightly different sheet metal. Chrysler marketed separate Plymouth, Dodges and  Chrysler minivans. Today, even companies share, for example the recent Subaru BRZ and Toyota FR-S sports coupe collaboration.

In any case, one easy way to create a luxury car is to take a regular one and load it with extra features. The Lexus ES was one of the two original Lexus vehicles that debuted nearly a quarter century ago. It was a slightly nicer Toyota Camry. Today's sixth-generation ES is not a Camry sibling, but it does have a lot in common with Toyota's new flagship, the Avalon. I had the unusual opportunity of test driving them back-to-back, which made their differences and similarities stand out.

Lexus has earned its luxury credentials now, so my expectations were high. My Deep Sea Mica ES 300h arrived looking premium. The new grille design, known around the industry as the "spindle" look, gives the face a more aggressive appearance. This overt styling is helping to distinguish the brand, surely, putting memories of the old laid-back, restrained Lexus of yore into the dim past.

Over the last few years, Lexus has developed a look that's sleek and edgy, and now the ES floats in the center of this balance, and looks right. Without trying to sound like an advertising copywriter, it's beyond the ordinary. And that's just on the outside.

Inside, the ES is clean and subtle, with matte metallic trim, simple seams in the leather-wrapped chairs, and "wood" trim that looks thick and applied rather than integrated. It feels gracious as well as spacious. Sitting in there provides blessed isolation from other cars, sound, the road, and any unpleasantness. The steering wheel gives you wood at the top and lower sides, with leather where you grip, if you're using the proper 9 and 3 hand position.

It's all fully realized, including the two console cupholders that are both covered and out of sight until you need them. Even the way you handle information is genteel and understated. Down along the center console is a firm resting spot for your wrist, with a small joystick ahead of it. Use it to navigate the console-mounted screen. It's not a problem to seek out areas of interest, since the cursor tends to seek out and stick to different rectangles and squares on the screen. Once you get accustomed to it, it's easier than trying to reach out with an extended arm and touch a spot as you cruise along.

The hybrid version of the ES 300, the h model, shares its drivetrain with the Toyota Avalon Hybrid, despite a huge difference in styling and design. The two cars are very close in size and weight, both riding on the same 111-inch wheelbase, although the Lexus is 2.5 inches shorter nose to tail, half an inch narrower and .4 inches lower. Its luxury accommodations give it a 75-pound weight penalty. Its trunk is nearly two cubic feet smaller, too although I'm not sure why.

The real difference between these two cars may be philosophical. It certainly isn't financial. When all was said and done, these two highly comfortable, luxury-filled, premium sedans came out less than $1,000 apart. The Lexus cost $940 more. That's barely more than the shipping charge.

So, why pick one over the other? Toyota makes Corollas--the most popular car ever made. It's the car of the people--unpretentious, unspoiled, neither a slug or a rocket. Toyota makes pickup trucks. Toyota sells a lot of cars, to a lot of differenc kinds of people. Driving one says, I deserve a good car but I'm not a show-off.

Lexus has been competing with Mercedes-Benz since the day the LS full-size sedan arrived wearing the German maker's clothes. It was a Benz at a discount and a lot of people went for it, beginning the new brand that's a known quantity today.

Both of these hybrids take about 8 seconds zero to 60 with their matching hybrid powerplants. With official U.S. Government fuel economy numbers of 40 City, 39 Highway, and  39 overall, I got 37.1 miles per gallon in the Lexus. The week before, the Toyota Avalon delivered 37.9 mpg. That's close.

So, why buy a Lexus instead of a Toyota? You get to visit the Lexus dealership for service, probably a good thing. Keeps you from rubbing shoulders with those annoying owners of 20th-century hatchbacks. I don't know if service is more expensive, but I would expect it is. Surely they have finer coffee in their more richly-decorated waiting rooms, too. Neither Toyotas nor Lexi are known for needing much dealer attention, anyway.

Where the 300h goes soft and subtle, the Avalon blings. The Avalon dash features lots of plastic chrome trim, which can be challenging when the sun hits it. It's overtly styled, which gives Toyota something to get excited about, and also a way of being un Lexus like. The ride, handling, and quiet are remarkably even.

My test ES 300h came to $45,159, from a base price of $38,850. It had Blind Spot Monitoring, with Cross Traffic Alert, a worthwhile feature that it shares with, yes, the Avalon. It also had the navigation system package that upgraded the entire electronic interface. Hard to believe, but the heated front seats were an add-on--you'd think they'd be standard in a Lexus. Intuitive Parking assist helps you avoid hitting or scraping anything when you're forced to get close and personal with other drivers.

How would you choose between these two cars? Who are you trying to impress? Are you a shiny or a matte finish kind of person? How close is the Toyota or the Lexus dealership to you? Maybe you should just test both and then decide.

Lexus ES 300h - When a Prius Won't Do

Many drivers are searching for the compromise between comfort for five and fuel economy. Often, they opt for a Toyota Prius -- the most efficient and well known of the numerous hybrid options on wheels. But what if you want a more luxurious ride? Well, Toyota/Lexus is more than happy to offer their newly redesigned 2013 ES 300h.

Although Lexus has offered a range of hybrids over the last several years, this is the first time a gas engine and electric motor have joined forces in an ES. The ES was one of the two founding models of the brand, way back in 1989, when it  was little more than a dressed-up Camry.

This sixth generation car is much more than that. The non-hybrid version comes as the ES 350, with a powerful six-cylinder engine under the hood. But my Silver Lining Metallic hybrid tester combines a 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine with a high output permanent magnet motor to generate a total of 200 horsepower. It effectively moves the 3,660-pound sedan along very quietly and smoothly.

How quickly? Lexus' figures say an 8.1-second zero-to-sixty time and a 16.8-second quarter mile. Top speed is electronically limited to 112, but that should be enough.

The new design uses Lexus' "spindle" grille treatment, which is more handsome than beautiful. It is certainly more emotional than the subdued styling that typified early Lexus models, which were modeled after Mercedes-Benz products of the time. Today, the Mercedes cars are as wild looking at the new Lexus designs.

While they were remodeling and restyling, they added a little extra length to the ES. Not that your eye would know, but your knees will appreciate the extra room in back. I occupied the driver's chair the entire test time, but it definitely feels roomy in there. The new dash panel is a little more dramatically styled, but, is still a bit restrained compared to some out there.

The materials, as always in a Lexus, are top drawer and the places where they meet are perfectly rendered. My tester had the Ultra Luxury package, which brought "semi-aniline" leather (is this only half as nice as "full-aniline" I wondered). That$2,435 package added heating and ventilation to the seats, a trick power sunshade for the rear window (manual ones for the sides), ambient lighting, and a bamboo wood trim that was nice enough to make me wonder if it was real. The seats are newly configured and my driver's throne was a splendid place to be on my usual grinding commutes.

Also a pleasure while sitting in traffic was the optional Mark Levinson Premium Audio Package. With 15 speakers and 835 watts of power, it could make you want to simply move into the car. It's certainly better than what's in my house. Naturally, there was Sirius XM satellite radio, which is becoming common now.

The ES 300h drives like a normal car, of course, but it does show you where the power is coming from and where it's going. There's the larger center-dash view that is familiar to Prius owners, but there's also a tiny, simplified graphic in the center of the dash that conveys a lot in a straightforward way. The actual numbers are less than a Prius, as in every car on the road. The EPA says 40 Combined, made up of 40 City and 39 Highway. I got 34.5 mpg. The Smog rating is a 7 while the Greenhouse Gas is a perfect 10.

You can select how your ES drives with a simple dial on the center console. Driver Mode Select gives you a choice between Normal, Eco, and Sport. I tried them all, and Normal is just fine. Eco will keep the revs down to reduce fuel consumption, which is the opposite of the Sport mode. If you're out on some attractive back road, Sport's fine, but better to keep it in Eco and save fuel if you're just commuting or running errands.

Many cars, but the luxury ones in particular, love to flaunt their screens full of high tech wonders. The ES has Toyota's big screen with the Remote Touch Interface controller. While BMW and others like dials and buttons, this is more like a joystick with an armrest. You move the cursor around onto different squares for a range of features. When you approach a screen object, the cursor is attracted to it and grabs it--so you don't need to fuss over it. It gets to be fairly natural with practice.

My tester had the App Suite, so I had detailed traffic and weather information, stock market reports, and much more. You really have to try to avoid getting excited and looking away from the road.

The ES has been a big part of Lexus' success during its long lifetime, and it is somewhere in the lower areas of pricing. The ES 300h base price is $38,850, but you don't have to stop there. My tester, with goodies like a power trunk closer ($400), rain-sensing wipers with a de-icer ($500), leather shift knob and very fancy wood/leather steering wheel ($450), as well as the aforementioned packages, came to $48,114. That's a luxury car price, but this is not your average ride.

There's so much more to say, but you get the picture. While not being billed as a midsize sports sedan (let the IS take care of that), this Lexus offers subcompact car fuel economy with midsize luxury sedan accommodations, Toyota's nearly perfect record for reliability and safety, and a wealth of safety, entertainment and performance equipment. If a Prius leaves you cold, let Lexus take care of you.