The 2011 Lexus ES 350 is a front-wheel-drive luxury sedan that appeals to buyers looking for reliability and comfort rather than sportiness in their $35,000 sedan. The 2011 Lexus ES 350 is designed more for comfortable driving than the sporty handling characteristic of the similarly-priced Lexus IS or the German sports-luxury sedans like the BMW 3-Series or Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Starting at $36,025, the 2011 Lexus ES’ front-wheel-drive means it will handle snow or other inclement driving conditions more easily than the rear-wheel-drive competition, without the need for an expensive upgrade to all-wheel-drive.

The 2011 Lexus ES 350 rides on the Toyota Camry’s drivetrain, so buyers have the peace of mind that comes with a track record for reliability and knowing that repairs won’t be astronomically expensive, as can often be the case with luxury cars. The 2011 Lexus ES is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine with 268-hp and 248 lb-ft of torque mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. No manual transmission is offered on the ES. Fuel economy for the 2011 Lexus ES is rated at 19-mpg city and 27-mpg highway.

The Lexus ES 350 is packed with available luxury features like wood and leather trim, 10-way adjustable seats, a premium sound system, Bluetooth connectivity, an automatic power rear sunshade, push button start, dual automatic climate control and voice activation for the climate, audio and navigation systems.

The 2011 Lexus ES has a lot of competition in the entry-level luxury segment, even from its stablemate, the Lexus IS, but main competition will come from the other front-wheel-drive luxury cars, the Acura TL, the Lincoln MKZ and the Buick Lucerne. The 2011 Lexus ES gets the best fuel economy in the bunch, but not by much. The 2011 Lincoln MKZ and Buick Lucerne are both rated at 18-mpg city and 27-mpg highway. The Acura TL gets 17-mpg city and 26 highway. The 2011 ES 350 is competitive in the horsepower ratings, beating the 263-hp Lincoln MKZ by 5-horsepower but losing to the 280-hp Acura TL by 17. The Buick Lucerne has just 227-hp.

The Lexus ES has the least amount of head room in the segment by a full inch. With just 37.4 inches of front headroom, tall buyers will want to think hard before picking the ES over the Acura TL with 38.4, the Lincoln MKZ with 38.7 or the Buick Lucerne with 39.5 inches of front headroom. The ES is also at the bottom in the front leg room measurements, though it’s a lot closer to the pack this time. The ES has 42.2 inches of front legroom to the MKZ’s 42.3 inches. The TL and Lucerne both have 42.5 inches of front leg room. The 2011 Lexus ES has a 14.8 cubic foot trunk, right in the middle of the Acura TL with 13.8 and the Lincoln MKZ with 16.5 cubic feet. The larger Buick has 17 cubic feet of trunk space.