2026 Lexus ES review

It’s been almost five years since I last drove a Lexus ES, and while the mid-size luxury sedan was updated shortly after that, the range is soon to be replaced by a new-generation ES – making this something of a goodbye.

Given the ES is essentially the Lexus-ised version of the Toyota Camry – though heavily upgraded – this model ended production in December, following the release of a new Camry in late 2025.

But as night follows day, you can be sure that the new Lexus ES will bring with it a price increase. Which also means there may be some deals to be had for this outgoing model, depending on what stock Lexus has left.

I’d previously spent time in a pre-update ES250 F Sport, which sat in the middle of the model line-up, whereas this time around I was thrown the keys to the hybrid ES300h Sports Luxury – the range-topping variant. All ES250 variants have been dropped, with the ES300h now only available in three grades: Luxury, F Sport, and Sports Luxury.

For those who refuse to follow the trend of driving an SUV, the Lexus ES has a lot going for it – particularly if you’re willing to fork out for the ES300h Sports Luxury.

The fact that it’s based on the Toyota Camry is only a positive in my mind, since it's one of the most comfortable, efficient, and reliable sedans left in showrooms. There’s a reason it’s still the number one choice for taxi and ride-share drivers – and their passengers.

So, as we bid farewell to the seventh-generation Lexus ES, we want to know – is it still worth considering, or should you wait for the new one?

How much does the Lexus ES300h cost?

The entry-level ES300h Luxury is somewhat of a bargain in 2026, starting at $65,540 before on-road costs.

But while the F Sport may look cool, the sporty add-ons don't really suit the character of the ES. For those with the means, the range-topping Sports Luxury is certainly the pick of the bunch.

With production of the ES range ending in December 2025, buyers may be able to pick up an attractive a runout deal.

To see how the Lexus ES300h lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

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What is the Lexus ES300h like on the inside?

When I mentioned earlier that the ES range had been updated since I last drove it in 2021, technically speaking the model has actually been updated twice by Lexus in those few short years. Nothing major, just a nip here and a tuck there – all with the intention of keeping the model fresh.

The first thing that strikes you is just how beautiful the interior is. We’re talking beautiful design, beautiful materials, and high-quality, thoughtful touch surfaces. The whole bit.

This is, frankly, where Lexus excels. The straked pattern on the steering wheel buttons, the trim pieces, the high-quality buttons, the wraparound dashboard… It’s a very nice place to find yourself, and makes you search for excuses to spend more time on the road.

And while that’s all good and lovely, it’s not actually the best part. The best thing about the cabin of the ES is that it’s still a conventional car, which is to say almost all the buttons and controls are predictably where they should be. And there are still real buttons for features you will want to access. Praise be!

If you haven’t been in a brand-new car in the past five years, that may sound a little odd. But I’ll tell you, automakers seem to have run out of things to do, so they’ve taken to reinventing the wheel – quite literally in some cases – removing things like indicator stalks and transmission selectors, and whatever else you can think of, including buttons.

Sure, that all looks cool and interesting in photos, but it’s a downright pain if you’ve spent the past few decades behind the wheel, only to find yourself having to re-learn how to operate even the most basic of tasks.

With the exception of the electric parking brake, which is somewhat annoyingly located at the left knee, everything in the Lexus ES is as predictable to use as… well, a Camry. Funny that.

Yet, the designers at Lexus still spent their precious time improving the car. For example, the shape and position of the shifter is absolutely perfect and falls easily to hand.

Unfortunately, the engineers didn’t always hold up their end of the bargain, with the thumb button on the shifter wiggling around when you use it, like in an old taxi.

Similarly, there’s too much deflection in some of the climate temperature toggles, and too much of a gap with the steering wheel controls.

Then there’s the pleather, which frankly feels like the same quality as that found in the Toyota HiLux. I’ve always been a little disappointed by the quality of leather used by Lexus, being too thin and cheap. At least it's consistent.

Am I nitpicking? Sure am. Overall, this is a beautiful cabin space, but it’s just slightly let down by a small number of things that don’t quite befit a luxury sedan. Most owners won’t notice or care, but I’m paid to care.

Then there’s the Mark Levinson stereo, which is very good for the most part, but suffers from some flabby bass. Having just stepped out of a cheaper vehicle the week before, offering a stereo with punchier bass, the difference was noticeable.

Also, sometimes as I was driving along, the stereo would fade down for a second or two – as if the car was about to announce something to me – but then nothing would happen, and the music would fade up again. Like when you have to turn down the music to concentrate on parking, but it was the car doing it itself.

The seats are very comfortable, even for a larger gent like me, and the ergonomics are basically perfect thanks to a wide degree of adjustability. As you would expect, there are acres of space in the back seat for passengers – along with their own controls for the powered backrest, heated outboard seats, climate control, and stereo. There's also a big 454-litre boot, which matches that of some mid-size SUVs.

Both the seat heating and ventilation worked well, and, thanks to Melbourne’s bipolar weather, meant both were used frequently. Sometimes on the same trip.

But regardless of any minor niggles, the Lexus ES offers a wonderful space to spend some time in, thanks to high levels of predictability and comfort.

To see how the Lexus ES300h lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What’s under the bonnet?

The Lexus ES300h uses a hybrid powertrain, combining a 2.5-litre non-turbo four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor to make a total of 160kW of power.

A 6.5Ah battery powers the electric motor, while the front wheels are driven via an e-CVT, all helping the Lexus reach 100km/h from a standstill in a claimed 8.9 seconds.

Thanks to the hybrid system, Lexus claims a combined fuel consumption figure of 4.8L/100km.

To see how the Lexus ES300h lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

How does the Lexus ES300h drive?

I had a lot of complaints about the 2021 Lexus ES250 F Sport, but most of them related to the wheezy, underpowered engine, and the sleepy, poorly-tuned transmission. All of which made me a little apprehensive to get back behind the wheel of another ES.

But it’s amazing the difference a couple of model updates can have. And about $10,000.

The addition of Toyota’s well-used hybrid system on the four-cylinder engine means the powertrain now works the way it should.

Lexus says the hybrid ES300h has a total power output of 160kW, while the engine’s 221Nm of torque is aided by the addition of a 202Nm electric motor – all driving the front wheels through an e-CVT. It's a transmission type I normally hate, but in this vehicle it actually works well and suits the character of the car.

Which isn’t to say the powertrain is anything to write home about, but my previous annoyances have at least been addressed, making the ES a true pleasure as a commuter car.

But that ain’t even the best part. After my time with the ES300h, I was averaging 4.9L/100km. Despite the company’s claim of 4.8L/100km, and considering the size, luxury and technology of the ES, that is still a very impressive number. Particularly so when you consider that, while it's not a powerhouse, the ES300h isn’t really lacking in usable performance.

Lexus lists a 0-100km/h time of 8.9 seconds for the ES300h, which is frankly a little slower than I would have expected. But sprint times only tell part of the story, and the car offers a degree of practical performance that isn’t reflected in the numbers, thanks to all that available torque.

The steering is also about as perfect as I’ve ever used in something that isn’t a sports car, while the chassis offers very decent handling for a luxury sedan. It’s a good reminder of what we’ve given up by switching sedans for SUVs.

Maybe it's just the extra torque from the electric motor, but the ES300h isn’t anywhere near as heavy as I remembered it to be. Sure, its kerb weight of 1740kg isn’t exactly light, but by today’s standards, it's certainly not overweight – helping the Lexus to shine when it comes to on-road dynamics. And assuming you're not pushing it to the ragged edge.

Even with its decent handling, the ride comfort is absolutely sublime, and really elevates the ES300h to being so much more than just a tarted-up Camry.

The ES250 F Sport I drove years ago I found to be too firm, but that wasn’t remotely the case with the ES300h. The Sports Luxury moniker given to the variant is right on the money, and I wouldn’t change a thing about it in terms of the way it drives.

Don't misunderstand me: the Lexus isn't exciting to drive by any stretch. In fact, it's downright boring – but in the best way. For those wanting to keep their blood pressure at an absolute minimum by the time they arrive at the office (or back at home), the ES is certainly fit for purpose.

To see how the Lexus ES300h lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What do you get?

The Lexus ES300h is very well appointed, and it’s hard to imagine wanting for anything more than this range-topping features list.

2026 Lexus ES300h Sports Luxury standard equipment highlights:

• 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment display
• Wireless Apple CarPlay
• Wired Android Auto
• DAB+ digital radio
• Surround-view camera
• Mark Levinson 17-speaker audio including subwoofer and amplifier
• Cloud-based satellite navigation with live traffic information
• Wireless phone charger
• Selectable drive modes
• Active Cornering Assist (ACA)
• LED headlights with BladeScan adaptive high-beam
• LED tail-lights
• Keyless entry and start
• Tri-zone climate control with humidity sensor
• Tilt/slide moonroof
• Lexus Connected Services
• Alarm system
• Tyre pressure warning system
• Self-dimming interior mirror
• Head-up display
• Smart Key Card
• Rear privacy glass
• Type-C USB chargers (2x rear)
• Rear spoiler
• Power-adjustable steering column
• Hands-free power boot lid
• 18-inch alloy wheels
• Heated steering wheel
• Semi-aniline leather-accented interior trim
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• 12-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with memory
• Power-adjustable reclining/heated outer rear seats
• Rear armrest with air-conditioning, audio, rear heater, rear reclining and sunshade controls
• Sunshade on rear window (power) and rear doors (manual)
• 8.0-inch driver display

To see how the Lexus ES300h lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

Is the Lexus ES300h safe?

While the Lexus ES300h is technically unrated by ANCAP at the time of writing, this is only because its previous five-star rating has expired due to the test being conducted back in 2018.

With ANCAP constantly updating its rules and assessment criteria each year, its 2018 score doesn’t guarantee that the ES would (or wouldn’t) get a five-star rating today. It's impossible to know without the car being retested, and that is unlikely to happen given there’s a new model on the horizon.

Standard active safety equipment includes:

• Autonomous emergency braking (City, Interurban and Vulnerable Road User)
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Lane-keep assist
• Lane-departure warning
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Adaptive cruise control
• Traffic sign recognition

To see how the Lexus ES300h lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

How much does the Lexus ES300h cost to run?

The ES300h comes standard with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty from Lexus, with an additional five years of coverage for the battery – provided a health check is performed at the fifth year.

Lexus also offers five years of capped-price servicing, and while its website wasn’t showing current pricing, our 2024 article listed each 12-month/15,000km service as costing $495.

To see how the Lexus ES300h lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

CarExpert’s Take on the Lexus ES300h Sports Luxury

Given my disappointment with the older Lexus ES250 F Sport, I wasn’t especially looking forward to my time with the ES300h Sports Luxury. But it’s a lesson – because a few small changes to a car’s powertrain and chassis can make a world of difference, and I came away very impressed.

The Lexus ES300h is almost a perfect car. It doesn’t excel in any one area compared to its rivals from Germany and South Korea, but the overall package is one of style, luxury, and quality, while delivering a perfectly lovely on-road experience. For most, it’s all the car you could ever want – and a little bit extra.

It’s interesting to me that the Lexus LBX Morizo RR is about the same price as the ES300h Sports Luxury. On paper – because I’m young and cool and an enthusiast – I would have picked the LBX Morizo ahead of the ES300h.

But the ES is more spacious, more comfortable, more relaxed, has more tech and a better stereo, and offers a much higher experience of luxury.

And it uses less than half the fuel of the LBX, without losing any of its driving enjoyment. It’s just a different kind of enjoyment compared to the fizzy Morizo, with the ES delivering you to your destination in relaxation and luxury.

Given the rave reviews of the latest Toyota Camry, I’m certainly looking forward to experiencing the new Lexus ES when it arrives this year. But for those after a bargain without compromising comfort or enjoyment, an outgoing ES300h could be just the ticket.

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