Used 2021 Lexus ES

The 2021 Lexus ES luxury midsize sedan does the usual Lexus thing. That means superb build quality, tranquil traveling, great resale values, lots of standard equipment, and so on. Yet it also adds another element.

After years of being the soft, spacious, and somewhat anonymous one, the current ES (whose newest generation launched for the 2019 model year) wears a bold look and packs on some muscle. The implication is that while this new ES can still be roomy and relaxed, there’s some extra involvement lurking to be accessed whenever a driver wants. Which is exactly what’s happening.

Buyers may choose from a regular gasoline V6-powered ES 350 (with an F Sport variant for even greater engagement), or the hybrid ES 300h. Parent company Toyota has been in the hybrid business for so many years now that there are no qualms about reliability. Or there’s the new ES 250 AWD.

The 2021 ES is also kind of a bargain. This much space and equipment in a German car would cost a lot more. To emphasize how highly we think of the Lexus ES, we put it at the top of our Best Midsize Luxury Cars of 2020 list.

The new-for-2021 ES 250 AWD has an intelligent system. When all-wheel drive is not required, it can disengage torque to the rear axle automatically. Then reinstate it when necessary.

A 302-horsepower V6 propels the 2021 ES 350 and its F Sport variant with a refined eagerness. Progress can be respectably swift, but not to the detriment of comfort. The 8-speed automatic transmission is subtle in its shifting duties, while scrolling between the drive modes brings differences in feel and response.

The F Sport’s adaptive suspension and sportier driving modes ramp up the interest levels even more. But since there’s no hike in power, it could never be an alternative to a BMW M car or a Mercedes-AMG. Lexus doesn’t have those performance credentials.

The smarter option could be to go the other way and consider the ES 300h hybrid. There’s sufficient power to make the ES 300h a pleasure rather than a chore. Acceleration is quick enough for most people. Achieving 44 mpg is also pretty impressive. It’s easy to see great fuel economy while driving normally.

The brakes don’t suffer from the weird feel that used to plague regenerative hybrid-car brakes. And, in common with its ES stablemates, the cabin is suitably serene.

One good reason for buying a 2021 ES is the great expanse of passenger space, especially in the back. Rear legroom comes in at 39.2 inches. For context, the 2021 Genesis G80 has 38.7 inches. Nor is rear headroom compromised by the raked roofline, thanks to finely angled seatbacks.

This roomy cabin is filled with high-quality materials and the tasteful color schemes for which Lexus is renowned. The F Sport also comes with aluminum accents inspired by ancient Japanese swords.

Plenty of luxury features are available, including a 12.3-inch infotainment display that’s the dashboard’s visual centerpiece. However, the system’s touchpad can be tricky to operate, not the ergonomic slam-dunk a luxury car should have. At least Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration is standard, and it’s simple to use.

Trunk space is a capacious 16.7 cubic feet.

The fashion these days is for sedans to have a fastback roofline, much like a typical coupe. The 2021 ES follows that trend while placing the wheels as far into the corners as possible, then adding LED exterior lighting and (for better or worse) the usual Lexus grille.

The F Sport has a rear spoiler, 19-inch alloy wheels, and black accents. Other ES models roll on either 17-inch (standard) or 18-inch alloy wheels.

The new-for-2021 ES Black Line Special Edition based on the ES 350 F Sport comes with dark-finished alloy wheels and a black rear spoiler. Paint choices for this version are blue, black, or white.

ES 300H
Quiet and comfortable, the 2021 ES 300h can pamper as much as the ES 350, but with the added benefit of fuel economy that’s almost as good as the frugal Toyota Prius C and Kia Niro. An extra bonus is that the battery pack is below the rear seats, so trunk space is the same as the non-hybrid ES 350.

INTERIOR AMENITIES
The spacious interior of the 2021 ES is available with luxurious features like heated/ventilated/10-way power-adjustable front seats, rear sunshades, and a panoramic sunroof. A high-resolution 12.3-inch infotainment display and wireless charging are also optional.

Unusually for Lexus, the 2021 ES actually comes in distinct trim levels. The base version is still well-stocked, though.

As well as the Lexus Safety System Plus 2.0 (see the Safety section below), there are 17-inch alloy wheels, powered moonroof, dual-zone automatic climate control, power-adjustable front seats, selectable driving modes, 10 airbags, keyless entry/ignition, three USB ports, an 8-inch infotainment display, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration, Wi-fi, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and a 10-speaker Pioneer audio system.

A Premium Package for the base 2021 ES adds rain-sensing wipers, heated/ventilated front seats with driver’ s-side memory settings, and a power-adjustable steering column.

Those features are standard in the Luxury trim, which adds real leather upholstery, ambient cabin lighting, and sound-insulating side windows. Ultra Luxury raises the game with nicer leather, adaptive dampers, sunshades, and a hands-free trunk release.

The F Sport variant also has an adaptive suspension, plus a rear spoiler, sport front seats, dedicated gauges, and 19-inch alloy wheels.

Other options (depending on trim) include blind-spot monitoring, front/rear parking sensors, a 12.3-inch infotainment display, navigation, heated steering wheel/side mirrors, a head-up display, wireless charging, and a 17-speaker/1,800-watt Mark Levinson audio system.

A limited run for 2021, Lexus will only make 1,500 units of the Black Line Special Edition. It comes with a 2-piece Zero Halliburton luggage set.

Coming in for the new 2021 ES 250 AWD is a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine developing 203 horsepower. This energy goes to all four wheels through an 8-speed automatic transmission. Toyota claims average fuel consumption of 28 mpg.

The ES 350 has a refined 3.5-liter V6 that would impress Swiss watchmakers, linked to the same similarly sophisticated 8-speed automatic transmission found in the ES 250 AWD. The ES 350 and ES 300h are front-wheel-drive with no option for all-wheel drive.

The F Sport variant doesn’t bring any extra power, but adds different drive modes — including Sport S, Sport S+ and Custom — which have an impact on fuel consumption.

The hybrid ES 300h deploys a 4-cylinder gasoline engine, an electric motor and a continuously variable transmission (CVT). It puts the battery pack under the rear seats, allowing trunk space to be the same as the ES 350. Combined fuel economy (city and highway together) for the ES 300h is 44 mpg.

2.5-liter inline-4 (ES 250 AWD)
203 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm
184 lb-ft of torque @ 4,000-5,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 25/34 mpg

3.5-liter V6 (ES 350)
302 horsepower @ 6,600 rpm
267 lb-ft of torque @ 4,700 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 22/32 mpg (ES 350), 22/31 mpg (F Sport)

2.5-liter inline-4 + hybrid electric motor and nickel-metal hydride battery (ES 300h)
176 horsepower @ 5,700 rpm (gasoline engine only)
Total system horsepower: 215
163 lb-ft of torque @ 3,600-5,200 rpm (gasoline engine only)
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 43/44 mpg