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IntelliChoice Value Rating
The chart above shows the purchase price versus ownership cost for each car from a specific vehicle class. The cars with better than average ownership cost/purchase price correlations are the best values, and these best value cars are represented by the dots below the curve. (i.e. the cars that have a lower ownership cost compared to its purchase price.) Those cars, which are worse than average or poor values, appear above the curve.
One way to view the graph is to draw a vertical line through any purchase price. You may see several dots that fall on this line - each of which is a car with a similar purchase price. However, notice the difference in ownership costs of each car represented by the vertical position of the dot. Two cars with the same purchase price can have thousands of dollars difference in ownership costs. This is what separates "good value" cars from "poor value" cars.
What is a good car value?
A "good car value" is one whose cost to own and operate is less than expected. The lower the cost to own and operate a car compared to what is expected, the better the value of that car.
But how do we know a car's "expected cost"?
For each car in the class, IntelliChoice plots the car's purchase price against the total five-year cost to own and operate it as determined by IntelliChoice research. Each dot on the above chart represents a specific car. Generally, we find that as the purchase price of the car increases, the cost to own and operate that car increases. This is why the dots on the graph tend to rise upward and to the right. This phenomenon also makes intuitive sense - as the purchase price rises, financing costs tend to rise, as do insurance, depreciation, taxes, and most other car ownership costs.
This is an important concept. It's normal for car ownership costs to rise as purchase price rises. Therefore, we can't just establish one "average" ownership cost number for each class, since cars in the class have different purchase prices. (This is why the "Relative" shown on each chart is different for cars in the same car class.)
Using statistical techniques, IntelliChoice "connects the dots" to form a curve that defines, for this car class, the relationship between the car's purchase price and car's ownership costs. This curve is our "expected cost" curve. The curve defines, for any car in the class, the five-year ownership cost that we would expect to see at each possible purchase price. If every car in the class were an average value, then all the dots would fall exactly on the curve. However, it's rare that any dot is exactly on the curve. Some dots are a little higher or lower, and some are a lot higher or lower. The dots that are a little lower are better than average car values, while the dots that are a lot lower are excellent car values (A dot that is a lot lower than the curve has ownership costs much lower than expected for a car of its purchase price). Conversely, a dot a little higher than the curve is a poorer than average car value, while a dot that is much higher than the curve is a poor car value.
Value is a relative term, not an absolute term. It is performing better than the logical expectation.
So is a Mercedes-Benz E320 expensive to own and operate? Certainly in an absolute sense. Most other cars cost less. But, when its cost to own and operate is plotted against cars with comparable invoice prices, the E320 costs less. So the E320 is not expensive to own and operate - it is a good car value. The Mercedes does not have low ownership costs, but it has low ownership costs for its invoice price.
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2007 Lexus ES350 Review
All-new, more powerful, more luxurious than before.
2007 ES350 Review Summary & Specifications
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The all-new 2007 Lexus ES 350 is a prime example of what Toyota and Lexus and can do when properly motivated to take a car upmarket. Unlike its predecessors, the 2007 ES 350 is quick and quiet at the same time, screwed together better than a Swiss watch, and actually has some sex appeal for the first time in its life. In light of the new design and all the new standard equipment, there is every reason to believe that the ES 350 will be among the fiercest competitors in the entry-luxury segment in 2007. We think it's an excellent choice among luxury sedans. New Car Test Drive correspondent Jim McCraw filed this report from Hawaii.
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| Vehicle Category | Luxury Cars |
| Editor | Jim McCraw |
| Model Lineup | Lexus ES 350 |
| Engines (standard) | 3.5-liter dohc 24-valve V6 |
| Engines (optional) | 3.5-liter 24-valve dohc V6 |
| Transmissions (standard) | 6-speed automatic |
| Transmissions (optional) | 6-speed automatic |
| Safety Equipment (standard) | front airbags, side-impact airbags, curtain airbags; electronic stability control, ABS, EBD, traction control; tire-pressure monitor system |
| Safety Equipment (optional) | dynamic radar cruise control; pre-collision system |
| Basic Warranty | 4 years/50,000 miles |
| Assembled In | Fukuoka, Japan |
| Manufacturer Phone | 800-255-3987 |
| Manufacturer URL | www.lexus.com |
| Base Price MSRP | |
| Model Tested MSRP | Lexus ES 350 |
| Standard Equipment | air conditioning, power steering, power disc brakes, power windows, power locks, power mirrors, power sunshade, console, cruise control, message center, trip computer, fog lamps, AM/FM/CD/MP3 sound system |
| Destination Charge | |
| Options as Tested (MSRP) | none |
| Gas Guzzler Tax | |
| Price as Tested | |
| Layout | front-wheel drive |
| Horse Power | 272 @ 6200 |
| Torque | 254 @ 4700 |
| Fuel Economy | 21/30 |
| Wheelbase | 109.3 |
| Length/Width/Height | 191.1/71.7/57.3 |
| Track Front/Rear | |
| Turning Radius | 36.7 |
| Seating Capacity | 5 |
| Front Head/Hip/Leg room | 37.4/55.9/42.2 |
| Middle Head/Hip/Leg room | |
| Rear Head/Hip/Leg room | 36.8/52.8/35.9 |
| Trunk Volume | 14.7 |
| Payload | |
| Towing Capacity | |
| Front Suspension | independent, MacPherson strut, coil springs, stabilizer bar |
| Rear Suspension | independent, MacPherson strut, multi-link |
| Ground Clearance | 6.0 |
| Curb Weight | 3580 |
| Stock Tires | P215/55R17 |
| Brakes Front/Rear | vented disc/solid disc with ABS, EBD, Brake Assist |
| Fuel Capacity | 18.5 |
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2007 Lexus ES350
Lexus has given its most popular sedan a makeover for 2007. Based once again on the Toyota Camry, which itself was just redesign
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