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1997 Lexus ES 300 Overview

ES 300

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Avg. Price: $5,494

Lexus ES 300 Experts

#1 Tom Demyan
Tom Demyan
Reputation 170
#2 Scott Vetter
Scott Vetter
Reputation 140
#3 LouB
LouB
Reputation 70
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Average User Score

4.55 stars

Based on 8 reviews

Luxury, Sporty, And Power All In One. A Good Status Symbol ;-) by Apollo_26
 — I have only one complaint about owning a Lexus... They are not known for sturdy cup holders... They break really easily, so you have to be gentle with them (hard when you have kids in the back seat wh... Read More
Great Car by Bryan
 — The car is of amazing quality. While driving down the busy loud streets of boston, I just roll my windows up. and it's quiet. I don't even hear the engine on idle or light acceleration. It has a su... Read More
My Dad's Old Car 1999-2005 by Justin
 — This was my father's old car. It was great. I learned to drive on this car and it was a blast to drive. It had an impressive V-6 that really moved when you needed it to, it was incredibly reliable,... Read More

1997 Lexus ES 300 Overview

Overall User Score

4.5 out of 5 stars4.5 out of 5 stars4.5 out of 5 stars4.5 out of 5 stars4.5 out of 5 stars4.55

Based on 8 reviews

1997 Lexus ES 300

The arrival of the 1997 ES 300 signified the beginning of the third generation of the Lexus entry-level sedan.  With the debut of the GS 300 sports sedan in 1993, the ES had been put in an awkward place.  The ES was initially conceived a sports sedan, but it fell short of its German competition.  When the GS took its place in the sports sedan niche, questions arose about whether the ES 300 was simply a re-badged Toyota.  In 1997, a totally redesigned ES 300 aimed to cut all ties between itself and its Toyota counterpart, and to stand on its own as true luxury car.
The ES 300 had expanded in all dimensions: height, length, width, and wheelbase.  About seventy pounds were shaved off the vehicle's curb weight.  Some refinements to the 3.0 liter V-6 allowed for more power, boosting horsepower from 188 to 200.  Engine torque was bumped from 203 to 214 pound-feet.  The ES's 0-60 dropped to just over eight seconds, and the quarter mile time snuck under 16.  Despite steady power increases, the fuel economy had changed little since 1989.  This year, efficiency increased to 19/26 mpg.  No matter how much additional horsepower was added, nothing seemed to interrupt the silenced ride.
Although these ESs are under a ten years old, many owners complain about electronic failure for the interior displays.  Lighting for both the radio and the instrument cluster dims or disappears.  This was an occasional problem throughout the second generation as well.  While noteworthy, it is still an infrequent problem.  The consensus on the new ES was that it combined comfort, luxury, performance, and safety into one attractive and relatively affordable package.

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ES 300
Looking for a Used ES 300 in your area?
CarGurus has 1,523 nationwide ES 300 listings starting at $3,250.
ZIP:

Similar Cars Compared to a 1997 Lexus ES 300

1997 Lexus ES 300 1997 Lexus GS 300 1997 Toyota Camry
1997 Lexus ES 300 Base, 1997 Lexus ES 300 4 Dr STD Sedan picture, exterior
1997 Lexus GS 300 Base, 1997 Lexus GS 300 4 Dr STD Sedan picture, exterior
1997 Toyota Camry LE, Picture of 1997 Toyota Camry 4 Dr LE Sedan, exterior
Cost $5,500 Average Instant Market Value $46,195 Original MSRP $4,520 Average Instant Market Value
Gas Mileage (highway) 24 22 29
Horsepower 200 220 133
Crash Test Rating 3 4
Cargo Volume (cu. ft.) 13.0 13.0 14.1
Front Leg Room (inches) 43.5 44.0 43.5

Lexus ES 300 Questions

tvillar1181
0

Difficulty Starting My 97 Es 300

I recently had the head gaskets replaced on my lexus- now emissions codes are popping up? Is this related? Also since I got the car back when I try to start it, the engine turns over but the car wo...

35 views with 2 answers (last answer about a month ago)
TAWNI77
0

Power Steering Issues On 1997 Es 300, Whining?

MY POWER STEERING IS WHINING WHEN TURNING, JUST STARTED LAST WEEK, PUT MORE FLUID IN, STILL MAKES NOISE TURNING.

84 views with 1 answer (last answer 4 months ago)
greggk
0

Engine Light On

the engine light comes on every now and then, I had it serviced a few months ago and they changed my gas cap and a hose. It came on again a few weeks ago?

1,084 views with 4 answers (last answer 8 months ago)
Cynthietoo
0

How To Turn Off The Brake Diagnostic Light

Brake diagnostic light is on. Parking break is off. Brakes are o.k. This has happened in the past and I was able to do something simple to turn off the diagnostic. Can.'t recall exactly what that...

204 views with 1 answer (last answer about a year ago)
luvluv
0

How Many Miles Can You Expect To Get Out Of A Lexus Really? There Is One Th...

763 views with 1 answer (last answer about a year ago)