The Lexus ES is the cornerstone of the luxury brand’s sedan lineup, and in its latest form, can appeal to the heart almost as much as the head.
New for 2020: The ES added little to its repertoire for 2020, after a full redesign the year prior. Newly standard is Android Auto—Apple CarPlay was already included—with blind-spot monitoring joining the standalone options list for lower trims. Power-folding side mirrors are also standard on most trims.
The ES entered its seventh generation for 2019, riding atop the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA). It’s longer, lower and wider than before, adopting more expressive styling in line with the rest of the Lexus lineup.
It might look more aggressive—especially in F Sport trim—but the ES remains a smooth sailor, majoring on comfort and quality. It’s been the ES’ mission statement since 1989, and it continues to bring the brand success here: the ES accounted for over half of Lexus’ car sales in 2019.
The ES 350 sticks to a 3.5-liter V6. It gained more power for 2019, with the engine now producing 302 hp and 267 lb-ft of torque. Front-wheel drive is the sole drivetrain option here, though the transmission now swaps through eight speeds versus the previous generation’s six. Meanwhile the 300h has a 2.5-liter four-cylinder Atkinson-cycle engine working in tandem with an electric motor. This runs off a 29.1 kWh battery pack found under the rear seats. All in the 300h produces a combined 215 hp, but also achieves a combined 44 mpg fuel economy rating.
Both ES 350 and 300h come in three trims: Standard, Luxury and Ultra Luxury. The gas-powered ES also offers the afore-mentioned F Sport, which packs in unique 19-inch wheels, a special grille, Active Noise Control, a rear spoiler, Hadori aluminum interior trim, and adaptive dampers.
2020 ES pricing ranges between $40,925 and $46,685 before options, including $1025 in destination.