Lexus ES Saloon Review 2023
The Lexus ES Saloon is a stylish saloon car that provides a great alternative to the more premium German manufacturers. Coming with a unique exterior, an economical hybrid engine, and a well-built interior, the ES Saloon would be a good choice for a long-distance cruiser.
Rivals to the Lexus ES Saloon include the BMW 5 Series, Audi A6, Mercedes E-Class, and Jaguar XF.
Lexus ES Saloon Pros:
- Well-built interior
- Plenty of legroom
- Low running costs
Lexus ES Saloon Cons:
- Underwhelming performance
- Only one engine is available
- Technology is not as good as its rivals
- A big front grille and sloping rear end
- Well-built interior with plenty of legroom
- 430-litre boot that can't be extended
- One petrol-hybrid engine is available
- Four trim levels: ES Premium Edition, ES Premium Pack, F Sport, and Takumi
The Lexus ES Saloon is now in its seventh generation and looks more dramatic than ever. The recent facelift has added a massive new grille, creases in the bonnet, and slimmer headlights. The ES Saloon will certainly make you stand out from the crowd.
When sitting inside the ES Saloon, you shouldn't have too many issues with space. There's plenty of leg and headroom for those in the front, and even though headroom does decrease in the rear thanks to the sloping roof, legroom remains generous.
For storage, you'll find cupholders between the two front seats, an average-sized cubby in the centre armrest, and door pockets big enough for a water bottle.
Boot space comes in at 430 litres which is quite generous for a hybrid, but you cannot fold down the rear seats thanks to two metal braces between the interior and the boot. Regardless, the ES Saloon beats the plug-in hybrid versions of the Audi A6 and BMW 5 Series.
As expected for an executive saloon car, the interior of the ES Saloon is well-built and uses good quality materials. But unlike some of its rivals, the closer you look, the more hard-touch plastics you'll find, meaning the interior of the ES Saloon falls short of cars such as the Mercedes E-Class.
On the dashboard, you'll find a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system that comes with sat-nav, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay. There's also a digital driver display behind the steering wheel, which changes its appearance depending on the selected driving mode. Both work well and are pretty simple to use, but they don't seem as crisp and responsive as some of the ES's rivals.
Four trim levels are available for the Lexus ES Saloon: ES Premium Edition, ES Premium Pack, F Sport, and Takumi.
The entry-level ES Premium Edition comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, Bi-LED headlights, front and rear parking sensors, smart entry, heated front seats, privacy glass, a 10-speaker Pioneer audio system, and Tahara man-made leather upholstery.
ES Premium Pack adds to this with three-eye LED headlights with AHS with BladeScan, heated and ventilated front seats, a heated wooden leather steering wheel, and 10-way electric adjustable front seats.
F Sport comes with 19-inch F Sport alloy wheels, F Sport exterior styling, an extra driving mode, adaptive variable suspension, and an aluminium inlay.
The range-topping Takumi comes with 18-inch Takumi design alloy wheels, card key, semi-aniline leather upholstery, a head-up display, a powered tailgate with kick sensor function, and a 17-speaker Mark Levinson Sound System.
The only engine available for the Lexus ES Saloon is a 300h 2.5-litre hybrid-petrol engine. It delivers a power output of 218hp, has a top speed of 112mph, achieves 9-62mph in 8.9 seconds, and returns a very impressive fuel economy of 50.4-54.3mpg. It comes with an automatic gearbox and is only available in front-wheel drive.
There's no denying that the ES Saloon is best suited to motorway cruising, so it won't blow you away with its performance. It rides well and provides a very comfortable journey but lacks a bit of oomph when accelerating, which can be underwhelming if you're looking for a bit of excitement.
Steering is accurate and well-weighted, meaning that the ES Saloon goes where you want, and there's also a good amount of road grip to accommodate for tricky weather conditions.
Regardless, if you're looking for an exciting drive, the Lexus ES Saloon doesn't match its rivals, such as the BMW 5 Series or the Jaguar XF.
Prices for the new Lexus ES Saloon start from £38,919.00 OTR* or to lease from £427.07 per month.
Looking to lease the Lexus ES Saloon? Nationwide Vehicle Contracts is one of the UK's largest car leasing brokers and has a range of leasing deals available to suit your every need.
Leasing may be cheaper than an outright purchase thanks to a low initial deposit, fixed monthly payments, and various benefits included in your lease deal, such as road tax and breakdown cover.
*' On the road' price correct at time of publication and includes one year's road fund license, DVLA first registration fee and number plate fee. Prices are subject to change, always check with your nearest retailer.
