2025 Lexus ES

The ES is a best-seller for Lexus and it’s easy to see why. As well as being a relative bargain among midsize luxury sedans, it has plenty of space, and a smooth way of moving through the world. On top of that are the usual Lexus qualities of exemplary build and reliability. There are many Lexus owners who don’t even bother looking at other makes. Imagine how jealous some car makers must be about that level of loyalty.

We’ve logged hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of luxury sedans, including the Lexus ES.

The Black Line Special Edition package is available for the 2025 ES 350 F Sport. Limited to 1,000 units for North America, it adds black exterior elements along with a few tech additions.

The Lexus ES is priced and equipped like a small luxury sedan, with roominess approaching that of much pricier midsize sedans. We recommend the ES 350. It’s the most popular choice and rightly so, bringing some decent engine power to the overall plushness. If it has to be a hybrid, we would support your choice of the ES 300h wholeheartedly.

Before buying a new Lexus ES luxury car, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should be paying. Like virtually every other Lexus, resale values of the ES are among the best in the class. Recouping more money when selling a vehicle can mean a bigger down payment and lower monthly payments on the next one.

We feel quite strongly that the luxury experience is better when there’s a decent amount of power to exercise. So unless all-wheel drive is imperative, the front-drive ES 350 (priced identically to the ES 250 AWD) is nicely muscular, with 302 horsepower created by a refined 3.5-liter V6. This variant can hit 60 mph in 6.6 seconds.

The lower-emissions alternative is the ES 300h. It has to be said that 215 horsepower is not especially impressive. This model turns in the same leisurely zero-to-60 time as the ES 250 — 8.1 seconds. Regenerative braking energy systems in hybrids sometimes result in a weird pedal feel, but that’s not an issue here.

The ES is for drivers who don’t want to know how rough the road surface is and would rather have an easy commute than a demanding one. That’s the whole point of a luxury car, right? The ES 350 and ES 300h both offer an F Sport Handling treatment with an adaptive suspension. By all means, check it out if that sounds intriguing. But we believe the ES excels in a different direction, where comfort and tranquility are prioritized, rather than trying to be a sport sedan, so we would give this option a miss.

Fuel Economy

The hybrid ES 300h runs to an impressive 44 mpg combined. Fuel efficiency of the gasoline-only Lexus ES models is more tolerable than remarkable. The ES 350 achieves 26 mpg in combined city/highway driving. There’s only a slight upside to the ES 250’s lackluster power: 28 mpg combined. Regular gasoline is acceptable with any variant. Most rivals require premium.

Calm and spacious, the Lexus ES puts an emphasis on comfort, as well as quality materials. And for a touch of the exotic, the aluminum accents that come with the F Sport treatment are inspired by traditional Japanese swords.

Rear legroom of 39.2 inches is excellent, and the backs of the rear seats are angled to optimize headroom. A powered rear shade is standard in the Luxury model.

Just one gripe — the rear seats are fixed. They don’t split and fold to provide extra cargo-carrying versatility. Trunk space, however, is ample at 16.7 cubic feet. That’s the same for the ES 300h hybrid as well.

This year’s Black Line Special Edition package brings a 12.3-inch touchscreen, head-up display, 360-degree camera system, SmartAccess Card Key, and a Mark Levinson audio system. These items are also available in other ES models.

LED headlights are standard on the Lexus ES, with triple-beam premium versions available as an option across the lineup. The ES 350 also offers the option of a panoramic moonroof. Special alloy wheels designed to reduce road noise are standard with the Ultra Luxury, optional with the Luxury.

The ES 300h hybrid has a drag coefficient of 0.26 (with 17-inch wheels), which is quite impressive for a midsize luxury sedan. An earlier generation of the Prius slipped through the air with a drag coefficient of 0.25.

The Black Line Special Edition package adds side mirror housings, rocker panels, and a rear lip spoiler all finished in the color of a goth’s favorite nail polish.

Value
Despite all their attractive qualities, luxury cars in general have an unenviable reputation for losing their value. The Lexus ES steers away from that rut by being relatively affordable in the first place, and doing a great job of retaining its worth over the years.

Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
Smartphone integration without the inconvenience of fishing your device out of a pocket or purse and connecting it to a cable. We’ve found that it’s little things like this that make a difference every day. And it’s standard across the ES lineup.

Hybrid drivetrain
A hybrid makes a lot of sense, in our experience. The ES 300h is a roomy and plush luxury car, yet it can achieve 44 mpg on the highway. There’s also the reassurance that Lexus and parent company Toyota have completely mastered the hybrid art.

Adaptive cruise control
This radar-based system is standard, works at all speeds, and is enhanced with a lane-tracing feature adding small steering corrections. We’ve found that it works exactly as it should.

Premium package
In many instances, it’s a good idea to skip the base vehicle and look at the next one up. But even the entry-level Lexus ES has a generous amount of standard equipment, and the optional Premium package is a way of gaining extra features — like a heated steering wheel, driver’s-seat memory settings, heated/ventilated front seats, wireless charging, and rear parking sensors — without stretching to the Luxury trim.

Mark Levinson surround-sound system
A Mark Levinson audio system is a highlight of Lexus ownership. The one available in the Luxury and Ultra Luxury models delivers 1,800 watts through 17 speakers.

It’s a mixed bag in the most affordable Lexus ES sedan, the 2025 ES 250. On the one hand, all-wheel drive is standard. On the other, the 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine makes just 203 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. The other, more powerful drivetrains don’t offer all-wheel drive — they’re front-wheel-drive all the way.

A more appropriate amount of muscle for a luxury sedan comes in the ES 350, propelled by 302 horsepower and 267 lb-ft from a 3.5-liter V6.

Both the 250 and 350 models deploy an 8-speed automatic transmission. The ES 300h hybrid drivetrain uses a continuously variable automatic transmission attached to a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder gasoline engine and two electric motors generating a total of 215 horsepower.

4-Year/50,000-Mile Warranty

The new-car warranty from Lexus lasts four years or 50,000 miles, whichever happens first, and is typical for the luxury sector. The standard powertrain warranty does a little better than usual with six years or 70,000 miles. Genesis improves upon both of those arrangements. Hybrid systems are covered for eight years or 100,000 miles, with the hybrid battery protected for 10 years or 150,000 miles. The first two scheduled services are also included. Intervals are six months or 5,000 miles and 12 months or 10,000 miles.

Safety Ratings

This generation of Lexus ES is a Top Safety Pick according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). It also earned a maximum 5-Star overall score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Among the standard safety features are forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, and lane-centering assistance.