The "Top Safety Pick" is the highest safety designation awarded by the IIHS. To qualify for the award, a vehicle must earn the highest rating of "good" in the IIHS' front, side, rollover, and rear impact evaluations and be equipped with electronic stability control. The announcement was released on the IIHS website www.iihs.org. The IIHS is an independent non-profit research and communications organization funded by auto insurance companies.
All Lexus models meet or exceed the requirements of all U.S. and Canadian safety standards.
The ES 350 and 300h feature a segment-leading 10 airbags as standard equipment, including driver and front passenger knee and front air bags, as well as front and rear seat-mounted side and curtain airbags. Whiplash Injury Lessening (WIL) front seats are designed to limit excessive head movement in certain rear-end collisions helping to decrease the severity of whiplash-type injuries.
The vehicles also offer drivers an array of other valuable safety features, including available Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) to help detect vehicles in side blind spots. The RCTA alerts the driver to rear cross traffic when backing out of a parking spot. In addition, available Lane Departure Alert (LDA) is integrated with automatic high beam dimming technology, while available Pre-Collision System (PCS) uses sub-millimetre wave radar to detect obstructions and prepare the vehicle for a potential collision.
The new 2013 ES 350 and all-new ES 300h Hybrid represent the sixth generation of Lexus' popular luxury sedan since its introduction over 20 years ago. Featuring the signature Lexus spindle grille, a progressive new design and enhanced handling, the vehicles define comfort and elegance as they build on Lexus' rich history of progressive luxury with a revitalized smart design and exceptional efficiency.