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Lexus is offering luxe for less.

 

The all-new ES 350 costs less than the previous generation. The first-ever ES 300h uses less gas. And when it comes to sales, less should mean more.

 

The two 2013 luxury sedans go on sale in August. The ES 350 has a base MSRP of $36,100, a decrease of 1.7 percent from the previous generation. Its hybrid sibling has an MSRP of $38,850. Both models have an $895 delivery, processing and handling fee.

 

The ES may be an entry-level Lexus, but auto reviewers have likened it to the pricier GS. For example, Torque News writer Patrick Rall cites the similarities between the front fascia design of the ES 350 and GS 350, including the signature spindle grille.

 

“The exterior design of the 2013 Lexus ES 350 does a masterful job of taking the design cues of the current Lexus lineup and applying them to this smaller, front-wheel drive sedan,” he writes.

 

Rall likes the drive as much as the design, noting that the ES 350 “packs enough power to offer that fun-to-drive factor that has become so important in the luxury segment these days.” Not only does the car provide a “nice, smooth ride” on the highway, it also seems “confident on twisty roads.”

 

The ES 300h offers a new twist with EPA-estimated fuel economy ratings of 40 mpg city, 39 mpg highway and 40 mpg combined.

 

“That is incredible in a vehicle this size,” writes John Goreham, also of Torque News. “That is unprecedented in a car of this category.”

 

As far as he’s concerned, the car is a game changer. “The new 2013 Lexus ES 300h will be remembered as the car that was the tipping point for hybrid drivetrains in premium automobiles,” he writes. “From here forward, the elements this car has perfected will become expected in all cars of its type.”

 

Nothing more, nothing less.