(first posted 5/25/2015) Toyota’s luxury brand Lexus made a huge splash when it arrived in North America just in time for the nineties. The LS luxury sedan was such a compelling product, with superb refinement, a silky V8 engine, and excellent build quality. Very quickly, the LS400 gave the German and American luxury brands notice: there was a new Sheriff in town. Lurking in the Sheriff’s long shadow, though, was a quiet and unassuming deputy who quickly proved he was out of his depth in the wild world of luxury law enforcement.
That incompetent deputy was the ES250. Sure, the concept of the ES250 was sound: offer a cheaper means of entry to the Lexus experience, and maintain the new Lexus ethos of high quality and refinement. To call the ES250 “incompetent” perhaps sells the car short: it wasn’t a bad car. However, up against both the LS400 and the Toyota Camry, the ES250 didn’t measure up.
We know that the entry-level Lexus story has a happy ending, of course. The 1992 ES300, known as the Toyota Windom in Japan, offered mini-LS styling and looked utterly different to the Camry it maintained a kinship with. The ES series and later the related RX crossover have sustained Lexus in North America even after the Germans and Americans fired back at the cocky upstart brand. The ES’ success has perhaps become a crutch that Lexus has leaned too heavily on, its conservative styling and FWD layout seeming at odds with the wild styling and RWD dynamics of its IS and GS siblings. But the ES300 was a crucial part of Lexus’ ascendance to the luxury car sales podium.
The Lexus brand’s arrival came at a fortuitous time. Mercedes-Benzes and BMWs were aspirational luxury cars, but their high prices and running costs made some consumers balk. Cadillac was concluding a decade of decline, marked by disasters like the Cimarron and the V8-6-4 and HT-4100 engines. It and Lincoln were struggling to connect with more youthful buyers. Audi had become the victim of a lengthy unintended acceleration scandal right as it was gaining traction in the market and bit player Alfa Romeo was on its way out of the North American market. Volvo and Saab were performing acceptably, but there was still room for another luxury brand. There were consumers jaded by German parts and maintenance costs and by American reliability and/or style, and for whom an Acura Legend just wasn’t fancy enough.
But those middle-class Acura buyers were also a segment Toyota wanted to go after with its new brand. Like rival Japanese brand Infiniti, they had poured much of their development funds into a flagship luxury sedan. But what good is a flagship if there are no smaller ships in the fleet? Infiniti had assembled a rag-tag team of cars, including their European mid-size offering and an aging Japanese-market coupe, to mixed success. Lexus’ “smaller ship” would echo Infiniti’s execution and success.
The Cadillac Cimarron had been a rebadged Chevrolet Cavalier. The Lexus ES250 was a rebadged Toyota Camry Prominent/Vista. A better base, yes, but it was still a conservative, mid-size sedan from a mainstream marque with a luxury marque’s badge on it. The ES250 screamed stopgap, despite Lexus using the JDM hardtop bodystyle to differentiate it from its Camry relative. Although this was not the last time a formerly overseas-only product would be rebadged for domestic consumption – see the Cadillac Catera – the Camry Prominent, despite its frameless windows and different sheetmetal, looked very much like the regular Camry. French Vanilla Bean ice-cream instead of store-brand Vanilla, you could say.
Soarer (top), Corona EXiV (bottom)
Like Infiniti’s smaller ships, Lexus had plucked a JDM model to use rather than develop an all-new offering in conjunction with the LS. Although the Japanese market has always been a smorgasbord of unique offerings, at the time Toyota didn’t have much else they could use. The RWD Soarer coupe would make the trip with the new generation-model in 1991, and although it bore some superficial resemblance to the LS in its hindquarters, it was as aged as the Camry Prominent/Vista. The Mark II, Chaser and Cresta were scarcely differentiated from their Cressida sibling, and were simply variants of that car tweaked for sale in Toyota’s different dealership networks. The only other possibility was the Carina ED/Corona EXiV, a front-wheel-drive (AWD optional) hardtop sedan. But its generic nineties styling didn’t look prestigious enough to sell alongside the LS.
The Lexus treatment for the Camry Prominent consisted of little, really. It was available only with the uplevel Camry’s 2.5 V6, with 156hp and 160 ft-lbs. The V6 was smooth, but 0-60 was around the 10 second mark so it was no sprinter and it was slower than a Legend. The ES250 undercut the larger Legend’s MSRP by around $3k, but the base ES250 came with a standard 5-speed manual – an odd choice for a thoroughly unsporting sedan – and a buyer had to pay extra for niceties like leather trim, a power driver’s seat or a CD player. The base ES250 did have the gamut of power accessories, as well a standard driver’s side airbag and six-speaker stereo. Of course, with a base price of $21k, the ES250 was priced around $5k higher than a Camry V6.
Even after adding those features, and despite the use of real bird’s eye maple trim, the ES250 cabin resembled the cheaper Camry’s interior a little too closely. The transmission shifter and instrument binnacle, for example, were unchanged. The ES250 did add a lot of sound deadening material, but the added weight of this and the other features further blunted the car’s performance.
Amusingly, Lexus billed the ES250 as the “luxury sedan of sport sedans”. But it used the same suspension as the Camry, and the front suspension set-up was actually softened for a plusher ride. Handling didn’t suffer greatly, and the basic Camry platform was competent enough, but this was no sport sedan.
The considerably more expensive (by about $12k) LS400 outsold the ES250 by more than 2-1, and overall sales of the lesser Lexus were grim: around 19k units in 1990, 17k in 1991. Its much more unique ES300 successor would go on to sell more than twice as many units in its debut year.
Clearly, consumers desired a well-equipped, refined, smartly-styled mid-size sedan with a luxury nameplate. But the ES250 wasn’t it. Instead, the ES250 was a car that looked like a Camry, drove like a Camry, but sold for several thousand more. The Camry was a solid car, but the ES250 just wasn’t differentiated enough. There’s a reason the ES250 is almost completely forgotten today: it was eminently forgettable as a luxury sedan.
Related Reading:
Curbside Classic: Infiniti M30
Cars of a Lifetime: Infiniti G20
Curbside Classic: 1988 Toyota Camry
Here in NZ we received the first six year old Windoms ex the JDM from around September of 1996 onwards. I had one of the earliest ones to arrive (courtesy of an Air NZ pilot who bought it a local auction during a stop-over in Japan). He bought a top spec’d ’91 ‘G’ model in the mandatory dark green livery. This was fitted with the 24 valve 3 litre V6 engine and I did not find it was short on power! It was a smooth quick family car that was exceptionally pleasant to drive actually. There was a keen demand for them here as secondhand vehicles whilst the Lexus brand was still relatively new. You could buy a very average one here now for five hundred dollars, perhaps even less. Back in the day they were selling here 6 years old and 90kms for 22 to 25k!
Only Japan and NZ ever got that early Camry 3L V6 it was detuned for world Camry consumption, I mean who would want a Camry that does 145 mph out of the box.
What’s the point of frameless door glass on a 4 door sedan . This is not a hard top. All the problems with a hard top ,water leaks ,air leaks and with all the windows down its a sedan with a post
It was marketed as a hardtop in Japan, which was very keen on four-door hardtops into the ’90s. Some were pillarless, like the Toyota Carina ED and most of the ’80s Nissan hardtops, but others, like the Camry Prominent, were pillared designs with frameless glass and concealed B-pillars. It was about style.
Well written article, as always, William. Very insightful.
I always liked the ES250(Windom), even though, like the ES300, it was a tarted up Camry. I prefer the JDM styling of the ES250, a lot more than its slope-nosed successor.
That faux hardtop theme was lame, very poserish. The Acura Vigor also had this early 90’s feature. What’s the point, what a let down for the hardtop fans… Myself included.
Once, in awhile these cars come up for sale on Craigslist, in immaculate shape every time. Not bad for surviving in MA/RI.
I think that ad is VERY inflated… The most powerful sedan? My 91 Alfa 164s would leave that thing wheezing on the freeway. What does that thing top off at 120, on a good day? My Alfa is good for 160+, and still wants more. 🙂
Your 164, and yes I am jealous, is a stylish, unique vehicle. It also was much more expensive, and if it goes 160 souped up?. These would probably keep up with a 2.5 Milano while providing a smoother, quieter ride and more features.
Souped up? John, stock the 164S was good at 160+. The 164S is a 3.0, and has an acclaimed engine with sexy chrome intake runners and an exhaust note to die for.
The 2.5 in the Milano was to me cruder and lethargic. My 89 Milano was good because, I love RWD… but didn’t seem as fast my 164S.
Still, John, whichever model you prefer, cruising on the highway is playtime for an Alfa Romeo.
Thanks, for the compliments. No need to be jealous, I bought my Alfa cheap, because the dealer didn’t what it was. Lol
Sorry; not buying it. Car and Driver managed 142 mph top speed out of a 164S. That sounds about right given the power and aerodynamic drag. There’s a huge difference between 142 and………………..160. Probably at least a hundred more hp or more.
About the the only sedan that could do 160 (mph) back then was an AMG Hammer or such.
It certainly wouldn’t be unheard of for the speedometer to read high on an Italian car.
160+ is a bit of an exaggeration for a 164S. I had a UK spec 164 24v Super, which had a later 24v head, that supposedly topped out at 149mph. Awesome car though, if only it hadn’t tried to boil me alive!
The ES250 was not the Windom — the Windom was the JDM version of the subsequent (1992–95 and 1996–2000) ES300, although the Windom *was* available with a 2.5-liter V-6 as well as the 3.0. The ES250 was based on the V20 Camry Prominent/Vista hardtop.
The ES250 was never referred as the windom. Only after 92 which then came the 2nd gen ES300, thats the og windom.
I remember the first time I saw one of these, it was probably around 2005. By that point in my budding teenage obsession with cars, there were very few models on the road I couldn’t identify. I distinctly remember thinking “the taillights on that Camry look weird” as a I walked up to a battered white example in a parking lot one day. I was very taken aback by the Lexus badge. A subsequent web search revealed that, yes, in fact, they did sell a Lexus version of the Gen 2 Camry!
Since the vast majority of these sold on the east and west coasts, I had always assumed the 1992-1996 model was the first ES series Lexus made. There are tons of those in the Midwest (to this day, actually). But these? They may as well have not existed.
It’s funny you show the Infiniti M30 because that was another “what the hell is that?” model when I saw a white convertible top down in traffic on a hot summer day. I remember staring at in for the entire duration of a long left turn frantically thinking “Is that a LeBaron? Or a Mustang? A Mercedes? What other 1990-ish convertibles even exist!?” I still think I’ve seen about 3 in my entire life. Lots of obscure Japanese luxury cars made around that period…
Thanks for the writeup on this interesting model. Check out the subdued, tasteful lines compared to that modern Civic in front of it. When there are not a million Camrys around it, there is no mistaking it for anything but the luxury car it is. The frameless glass looks good and identifies it as Japanese. This is important because Lexus was speaking loudly to import buyers, now you can have luxury with a Japanese ownership experience. The 2.5 V6 was smooth and appropriate. The wood was real and the interior tasteful.
Why didn’t it work in the marketplace. I think it is a similar story to the Olds Ciera the other day. When there are just too many similar looking cars on the road, the attributes will not be sought out. Now that numbers have thinned, we can appreciate what the manufacturer had in mind. In the ES250’s case, a refined, elegant, long lived car.
Then there was the Acura Vigor. As I remember It was poorly received by the public and had a somewhat problematic five cylinder engine and lacked the reliability that Honda was famous for. There weren’t many around here when new but a few showed up years later as “ratty” used cars.
Speaking of the Vigor, I think the one thing that was neat about it was it didn’t look like another front wheel driver even though it was. There was a rear wheel drive proportion to the front fender, between the wheel well and the door. If you look at pictures of 1940’s Packards, they offered different wheelbase with the extra length ahead of the firewall. The short wheelbase cars looked stubby but the added length between the door and wheelwell gave them a very elegant look. I wish today’s stylists were more aware of this.
+1
The Acura Vigor was a fantastic looking car. As you said, that considerable space between the front door/windshield touchdown point and the front wheel wells really did give it rear-wheel drive proportions. The short front overhang and long, low hood also contributed to this look.
I really feel that if the Vigor had been released in the U.S. at the same time this generation was in Japan (1989/1990), it would have fared better. Toyota was still selling this arguably inferior ES250 and Infiniti hadn’t released the G20 yet. Of course, the reason Acura waited until 1992 was because they wanted to release the larger 2nd generation Legend first. Still it’s something interesting to think about.
+2
I liked the Vigor, debuting in 1992 and sold till 94/95… with a 5 cylinder engine, it was a well built car. My friend had one in the later 90’s and never had a problem with his.
There was a white Vigor, in our area, Brendan that was going for $1250 on Craigslist… I saved it to my Favorites on my computer. For two months it didn’t sell.
I have to check the status now, at the time I was broke. 🙁
I assume Brendan is talking about the five-cylinder CB5 Honda Vigor and Accord Inspire, which were introduced in Japan along with the 1990 Accord line. (The Vigor badge actually dates back to 1982, but was a four-cylinder car through its first two generations.) The CB5 was smaller than the CC2 Vigor we got in mid-1991 and had only a 2-liter five, not the 2.5-liter.
Excellent point on the proportions. It was a good looking car. I think the fact that it was a 5-cylinder didn’t do it any favors, and also the “Vigor” name was a dud for the U.S. market. Somehow , a guy showing off his new luxury car and saying “I have a Vigor” just doesn’t sound right…
William, thanks for giving this car the full-writeup it’s been waiting for. I always find these interesting whenever I see one (which is very rarely), but even when I was a little kid in my pre-internet days, I knew this was a tarted up Camry.
One thing I have to wonder is how many ES250 buyers were previous Camry owners as opposed to new Toyota/Lexus buyers.
It seems Toyota’s whole range is mostly “tarted up” Camries–Avalon, ES350, Highlander, RX350/400, all ride on Camry platforms. If Toyota wonders why sales are underwhelming, they might consider the fact that their mainstay has 15 year old bones. It seems Toyota has focused its creative energies on Prius, while the rest of their line ages, and Scion dies.
Toyota’s parties have been boring for awhile now, they need to invite Supra, MR2, Celica and the RWD Corolla GTS back, to liven shit up.
They need to stop having Lexus and Scion be their designated driver, when it comes to exciting products. Even though, I find both of those brands to be a snoozefest.
Toyota seems to have a lot of trouble keeping their way. The Scion xB has been discussed at length here, but then look at the Matrix – at launch it was a game-changer, the first compact wagon that successfully pulled off a sportier image than the sedan.
Besides the usual wagon virtues it did a lot of other things well that a Corolla did poorly, and did everything well that a Corolla did.
So what did Toyota do as a followup? Stagnation with a dose of weird, toadlike styling, followed by more stagnation and discontinuation without replacement. Finally, next year, the 11th gen Corolla hatchback will arrive over two years late, wearing a Scion badge and the single-spec that implies (mandatory Fast-and-Furious bodykit to put off one pool of potential buyers, no leather or sunroof options to put off the other).
+1 to your summation of the Matrix/iM. Toyota is sure mucking up what could be a successful car. You can “build up” an attractive Auris (which is what the iM is in Europe) on Toyota’s UK website, but we get some juvenile “ricer ” wannabe with a dying nameplate. Well played.
While I partially agree with you, I would say that they are making efforts to improve the dynamics of Lexus’ rear-wheel drive models, the IS and GS, as well as the new RC. They will never drive like BMWs, but that’s not what Lexus is about. By offering a combination of good handling and comfort, as well as top-rate interiors they are a lot more appealing than the ES. Of course, the problem is that 75% of all Lexus sales are still the ES and RX.
Exactly, you have those points, spot on, Brendan. To me, Lexus deserves kudos, for freshening up the GS, LS and IS lines, even adding an IS coupe and convertible.
Although, I lament the demise of the SC coupe… To me, it marked the end of an era, along with the Supra, of Toyota “muscle cars.” I am of course speaking of the 1st gen Z30, from 1991-2000, not the blob that came after.
Now, the ES, though I never felt it was a real Lexus, at least it was differentiated in the 1st two generations… after that, it was just a Camry with Lexus badges.
Love it or hate it, in reality, the ES is Lexus’s cash-cow and volume seller.
I praise Infiniti for eliminating the I30s from their lineup, for their push to all RWD/AWD.
Afterall, no one wanted a lazy attempt at a Maxima with Infiniti badges. It didn’t work for the Lincoln, with the Versailles.
Now, Acura, they were the originators of the premium Japanese car lineup. I am a fan of the Integra and Legend. It seems like Acura has lost their way, and that corporate face shield “beak” on all their models isn’t helping.
Once, Acura got rid of the TL and fun to drive TSX, and nimble RSX coupe(does Acura even make a coupe, anymore?), they lost out on the driving equation that made Acuras, Acuras.
My mom just bought a new 2015 Acura MDX, although I will say, I like it. Just sitting in it, gives me the “quality feel”, that only a Honda/Acura provides.
I’ve driven a 2014 MDX SH-AWD, and it’s easily the best-handling SUV I’ve ever driven.
Acuras had no differences in them than the regular Honda cars Acura is only a badge for US consumption.
Like it or not.
That may have been true once, Bryce, but most Acuras sold today do not have a corresponding Honda equivalent in other markets (TSX, MDX, RDX, ILX)
I know one person who bought an ES250 new: the mother of one of my best friends. Mrs. T had been a domestic driver for her whole life, but like so many of that generation, got pretty disenfranchised with the evolving domestic offerings of the 1980s. For a “premium” buyer, there wasn’t much to like from Detroit at that time: the quality was sporadic, ranging from acceptable (at best) to horrible, details were often unrefined, the styling and performance were uninspired and the dealer body was dismal for the most part. She had mainly driven Oldsmobiles, and so wanted a conservative “nice” car. She was willing to pay a premium for the car versus a “value” brand, but not too much. Lexus had swept into town, and seemingly everyone was aware of the upstart brand, included late middle-aged moms. She crossed shopped Lexus with Olds, Buick and Lincoln/Mercury, but was dazzled by the new, nice dealer and that’s what did it. My friend Sean and I told her it was just a Camry and she could get virtually the same car for less from Toyota, but she wanted no part of that. It was a “prestige” brand with excellent dealer service and she bought into it hook line and sinker. She was very happy with the car (much better than the ’86 Buick Electra she traded for the ES) and had it for about 6 years. She’s driven nothing but an ES since then, and has a 2012 ES350 today. So mission accomplished for the Lexus brand, getting former Buick/Olds buyers happily into the family.
This post plus Paul’s post below really speak to the success of the ES250 in accomplishing its goals. I had friends who bought one new and they loved it and became an exclusive Lexus household. The additional sound deadening, distinctive roofline, luxury nameplate/badging and level of service, and high quality and reliability sold them. I’m guessing a good number of these were sold here in SoCal as they were a common sight back in the day. The other perspective not to be lost in the discussion is that Lexus was a new contender in what was becoming a very competitive field so while the sales figures were somewhat less than the corporate goal, they were impressive in that context. I did not remember that the car was ever marketed as a “sports sedan,” as noted in that interesting ad included by William.
LS400= Game changing innovator.
ES250= Badge engineered Camry Brougham that set the stage for the “old fart’s car” image of current day Lexus.
Actually, when did you last see a big Lexus that wasn’t an SUV?
I haven’t seen a new LS for ages. Can’t even think what the current LS looks like. Here Google…..
I think this car gets a bit too much hate. Admittedly, it was…what it was; a JDM car based on the Camry. But it had a distinctive greenhouse, and didn’t look any more like a Camry then subsequent generations of ES models looked like the Camrys they were based on.
The difference between the first ES300 and its generation Camry is about the same: different roof line, and modified front and rear sheet metal, but the Camry in it is still very recognizable.
These cars were certainly not sports sedans, but they did their job with grace and aplomb; find another car in its general class back then that had such a smooth drive train and felt so solid and tight. These things were built like a brick shithouse.
And like the Camrys of their time, they have held up over time, a testament to the quality of materials and construction.
They were what they were: a nicer Toyota Camry. I think they didn’t sell well because it looked a bit out of date already, especially compared to the new LS and some other cars of the time. And it was a bit petit, being built on the original Camry platform. The second gen ES solved those issues, looking more like the LS, and being bigger and roomier.
But these make great used cars if one can find a clean example. I drove a Camry V6 of this generation a couple of years ago, and it felt as tight as brand new.
It may not have been a big seller, but it solved the problem of selling something cheaper alongside the LS, and I doubt that anybody who ever bought on regretted it.
Just like when you had done the story on the FWD Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera/FWD GM A-Bodies – The Official Car of the Chelsea Housing Projects a while back, wasn’t this in the same area as well? I especially recognized the West 25th Street and 9th Avenue area in that lower West Midtown Area.
Living in the NY metro area/NJ suburbs, I still see these from time to time, particularly in white.
Sure is, Pedro! I used to work at this amazing immersive theatre show called Sleep No More on 27th and 10th, so I’d take the A from Washington Heights, transfer to the C and get off at 23rd. I spotted quite a few interesting cars during my many walks from the train to work!
Whenever I walk through this neighborhood I feel like I’m constantly tripping over former CC articles!
And yet…..everything from Mercedes to Hyundai look like today’s Camry. Whatever happened to car stylists?
I dunno…. I saw a new Hyundai Elantra last week. With all that swoopy tortured metalwork, it made me feel seasick to look at it. That sure was distinctive and un-Camry!
We’ve discussed this on the site before. Every generation seems to feel their generation’s cars were more distinctive than modern cars. While there is less of a difference now between, say, a Citroen and an Alfa Romeo and a Chevrolet, you can’t really say a new C-Class looks like a Camry anymore than I could say a ’72 DeVille looks like a ’72 Imperial.
Oh, that’s my big pet peeve about many of today’s sedans – they look way too similar, especially from the back, with their oval “eyebrow” shaped taillights.
Hard to tell apart a Camry from a Fusion, Sonata, Avalon.
Even the Jaguar XJ sedan looks too much like an Avalon from the rear view.
Nice that this car is getting a CC piece!
I’ve always loved the ES250, I know it was unabashedly a Camry but the styling was so sleek, so trim that the design has held up as well as the original LS400. Side by side, the cars are almost twins down to the wheel design and those delightful yellow foglights.
I owned one back in 2011, a 91 found from a man who had brought it from Missouri. It was a black car like the featured CC but it had tan leather. The sticker price, fully loaded was $24,467 when new.
What a classy car! The thin pillars and hardtop design allowed an expansive greenhouse that looked so right with the OEM gold tint, and I used to get compliments on my ‘classic Lexus’. I spiffed it up with 16″ wheels from an Impreza which gave it more of a sporty stance. That 2.5L V6 engine was smooth and had a very attractive design that was sadly lost in the 92 redesign, it was like a baby version of the original Duratec 30. What really struck me was the thickness of the wood trim in the interior. It was easily 3/8 of an inch, same as the LS and thicker that the veneers Acura was using.
Alas, mine was equipped with the automatic transmission which had a higher than usual failure rate in the cars equipped with it and I slowly witnessed the car lose reverse gear and decided to sell it after buying a ’97 Integra GS.
I have a very soft spot for this car and I still browse craigslist periodically for my preferred example, a black one with the black/grey cloth interior and the 5-speed manual.
This was a picture I snapped shortly after I bought it, parked next to an early LS to demonstrate the similarities in design.
Awesome photo — not a common sight to get those two together these days!
If the ES had had a smaller rear window wraparound and thicker C-pillars, it would’ve looked quite similar to the LS.
Yes it was a Camry but not a Camry sold outside Japan. So you would never run across the plain jane Vista in the US.
I have a feeling engine appearance was an important part of the original design brief. The JDM car on which the ES250 was based had a smaller 1VZ-FE version of the V-6 (same stroke, smaller bore) that was actually slightly smaller (1,992cc) than the four-cylinder. The 2-liter V-6 wasn’t any more powerful than the four and was thirstier, so I have to assume the main selling points were smoothness and being able to say that you had a six, not a four.
My aunt bought one of these new. She had it for almost 20 years until the tin worm set in due to Alberta (Canada) winter roads. She sold it to my father for cheap and he proceeded to bondo the rusty wheel wells and got a few more years out of it until a bunch of minor issues sent it off to the wrecker. It must have had North of a 1/2 million kilometres by then. She replaced it with an Audi 4 with quatro that she got for a good deal from a friend. I still remember her being shocked by the price of tires for the Audi, but she did like the all wheel drive in the snow. I was surprised she didn’t get another Lexus after the years of great service she got out of that car.
A small correction: The Toyota Corona EXiV did not debut until the 1990 model year. (It arrived in October 1989, about a month later than the LS400/Celsior.) The Carina ED was introduced in late 1985, but for the T160 generation, the Corona line instead got a two-door coupe, which was essentially the U.S-market Celica notchback (not otherwise sold in Japan) with a different front clip. Japanese buyers liked the four-door hardtop a lot more than the coupe, so the Corona EXiV replaced the coupe for 1990. I don’t know that the T180 Corona EXiV would have gone over well as a Lexus (although it was a genuine pillarless four-door hardtop), but it was a new design.
I believe neither the ED nor the EXiV was offered with 4WD.
The final generation ED and Exiv were indeed offered with four-wheel drive, and paired with the 3S-GE, no less.
Okay, you’re right, there was a GT-4WD grade of the T200 series (although curiously not at launch). I haven’t seen any indication of a T160 or T180 4WD hardtop, though.
Had a quick look at a Toyota Vista for sale the other day, Fairly tidy ol dunga but auto so thats when my interest ended it had a 2C turbo diesel engine but no not an auto thanks all the same even Lexus badging wouldnt help.
I’d still love to have one of these with the V6/5-speed. I really dig the fake hardtop and super JDM-style face of these things and already liked the basic Camry underneath quite a bit. A nicer interior and a Tokyo businessman suit it just fine, IMO. The Acura Vigor is even better.
I remember the LS400 and the ES250. And looking at these cars and the cars that came afterwards I prefer the original LS400 and ES250.
My biggest memory of these is when my neighbor replaced a Cimarron with one, around 1991 or 1992. I remember thinking it was a big upgrade for him, but I also thought there seemed to be a huge gap between the LS and this ES (hopefully the price reflected that!) I seem to remember my neighbor’s car having electric seatbelts (and maybe no airbag), but I can’t see that on any of the cars here. Is my memory faulty?
The ES had motorized belts and a driver’s airbag. The steering wheel was identical to the LS’s. We had a used LS400 for a few months and while that car had top notch quality, the ES was a solid stablemate that sported many nice touches that at least mimicked the build quality of the LS. I guess to buyers back in 1989 that the then two year old Camry was engrained in their minds already, but 25 years later I think the ES aged better than its Camry counterpart.
I have to say that I really liked the ES250. A girl that I went to college with had one and I always coveted it. Just a nice clean design.
I know it was a sales flop but I still very much like this car for the way it looks. The fact it´s based on a Camry is plus – the Camry is a fine car and the Lexus adds a bit more plush. Forgive me but my critical faculties run out the door when I see a sober, clean-lined saloon with frameless windows and …. bird´s eye maple! I will take two, please.
It’s Toyota as an GM badged brand, like a Lexus Cutlass Supreme.
OOOH, a “Lexus” – LOL!
Glad it wasn’t around very long.
In some ways this wasn’t as good as an actual Camry. It must have had a lower or slicker roof, as rear legroom was tight whereas the Camry’s back seat was roomy. The ES250 had similar trunk space, but the liftover was high in the Lexus and bumper-height low in the Camry. The Camry had a nice draft-free vent on the dash that the Lexus omitted, even though the rest of the dash was similar except for the wood trim. Overall, I remember thinking when these were new that a 90-91 Ford Taurus LX was more luxurious, full-featured, and modern and for less money.
Poor Lexus. It was dwarfed by the Honda Civic just parked in front o if. Every day I see myself impressed in how the cars have grown these days. But at the end of the day, that tiny little Lexus looks much better and well proportioned than the fat, tall and bloated piggy Civic.
Japanese automakers don’t always get it right at first. However, instead of giving up, they retrench, re-examine, refine and improve. The result is continually improved products that eventually approach near perfection in reliability and build quality. It’s a long term approach where Japanese auto executives look years down the road, not just at the next quarter’s sales and profits. David Halberstam’s fine book, The Reckoning, explains this culture.
The ES 250 evolved into today’s ES 350. While its styling and personality are subjective issues that are not everyone’s cup of tea, it’s a ES 250 that has be refined to near perfection.
I’m sure these were well-made high feature cars that lasted hundreds of thousands of miles, but the styling didn’t appeal to me. While it was true that the LS400 may have been the best car in the world by far, it also had styling that seemed to be a marriage of W126 Mercedes-Benz and E32 BMW. The ES250 seemed to marry a Mercedes radiator shell with an E30 BMW hood, making for a mismatch of contours where the hood and grill met.