Alsbou Motors Expert ReviewThe 2013 Lexus ES 350 remains the standard-bearer for a relaxed, luxuriously insulated form of transportation. The competition has narrowed the gap over the years, though, so it's hardly your only option for an entry-level luxury sedan.Vehicle overviewThe Lexus ES has always been a car whose loyal owners simply trade in one for another when it's time to buy another car. Each generation has been designed to a familiar formula of ample midsize proportions, solid reliability, simple controls, a comfy ride and enough luxury features and ambience to justify its price over the mechanically related Toyota Camry. Well, the 2013 Lexus ES 350 represents a new generation. Does it carry on the family line?There are no worries here, because the new ES 350 maintains that familiar formula. Even its exterior styling is an evolution of the previous car. Lexus has adopted some styling cues from the new GS, but the ES's silhouette is instantly familiar. The interior is a more radical departure, however, as the anonymous design of the old car has been replaced with a far more modern and visually interesting one. The controls are a little more complicated than before -- especially with the love-it or hate-it Remote Touch electronics interface -- but that's simply a result of the increased number of electronics features that must be controlled.Mechanically, the new ES 350 is once again related to the latest Toyota Camry, but is now closer in size to the also-related Toyota Avalon. All three cars share various engine and other mechanical similarities, but the differences are sufficient enough to disprove the common refrain that the ES 350 is just a Camry with a Lexus badge. More importantly, the ES 350 boasts a more structurally rigid body than before as well as suspension and steering changes. This makes it feel more buttoned-down and solid, while also more responsive to driver inputs. The ES 350 has always been both appreciated and admonished for the isolated way it goes about its business, and we doubt that will change. However, the new car makes the driver feel a little more in control -- especially when the new Sport mode is engaged -- and that should always be considered a good thing.In total, the 2013 Lexus ES 350 should continue to please its loyal customer base while being updated enough to remain relevant in this competitive entry-level luxury sedan segment. The old car was getting very stale, and those willing to look around a bit were likely to find the Buick LaCrosse and Hyundai Genesis provided a similar formula with plenty of advantages -- price being the primary one. The new-for-2013 ES 350 has caught up in most respects, but those aforementioned rivals and the Acura TL should still be considered. Whether you're on your sixth ES or a first-time shopper, the ES is no longer our automatic pick in this class, and this has everything to do with the strength of the competition.2013 Lexus ES 350 modelsThe 2013 Lexus ES 350 is a midsize luxury sedan that seats five people.Standard equipment includes 17-inch wheels, LED running lamps, foglamps, a sunroof, heated mirrors, keyless ignition/entry, cruise control, dual-zone automatic climate control, eight-way power front seats (with two-way adjustable lumbar), a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, vinyl upholstery, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, Safety Connect emergency communications, Bluetooth phone connectivity and an eight-speaker sound system with a six-CD changer, satellite radio, an auxiliary audio jack and an iPod/USB audio interface.The Lexus Display Audio package adds a large central screen, the Remote Touch electronics interface, a rearview camera, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, and HD radio with iTunes tagging. The Navigation package includes all of the above items plus a navigation system, voice control, real-time traffic and weather, and the Lexus Enform suite of Internet-based apps. A 15-speaker Mark Levinson surround-sound audio system can be added to the Navigation package.To the Display Audio and Navigation packages you can add the Premium package, which adds a power-adjustable steering wheel, driver memory functions, leather upholstery, real wood trim and a wood-trimmed steering wheel. Or, you could add the Luxury package, which includes all of the Premium items plus xenon headlamps, parking sensors, extended leather trim, heated and ventilated seats, and a power rear sunshade. The Ultra Luxury package goes one step further by adding a panoramic sunroof, a power-closing trunk, automatic wipers, a 10-way power driver seat, passenger seat memory functions, manual rear door sunshades, a heated steering wheel, ambient lighting and the Mark Levinson system. This package requires the choice of either special 17- or 18-inch wheels.Stand-alone options include adaptive cruise control (includes the pre-collision system), a blind-spot warning system, a lane-departure warning system, a power-closing