The 2023 Lexus ES combines a smooth ride and a great deal in the luxury sedan market. We take a look at powertrain, interior options, trim levels and more.
Now in its seventh generation, the 2023 Lexus ES is a luxury sedan that focuses on offering something for every buyer that doesn’t prioritize performance. To that end, there are 14 different ES trims, three engines, and FWD or AWD depending on the trim one chooses. Every model gets an extensive safety suite and a newly updated infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
For 2023, Lexus equips the ES with an all-new infotainment system, adds Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and brings two new trims online.
2023 Lexus ES – pressroom.lexus.com | Shop 2023 Lexus ES on Carsforsale.com
Great interior
Comfortable ride
Excellent safety suite
No fold-down back seat
Underwhelming performance
No AWD on 350
A soft but stately sedan
On offer in the ES is a trio of powertrain options. The base engine, found in only ES 250 models, is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 203 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. It only comes as an AWD model with a continuously variable transmission.
The ES 350 employs a 3.5-liter V6 with 302 hp and 267 lb-ft of torque. It’s only available with an eight-speed automatic and front-wheel drive. Finally, a hybrid model, the ES 300h comes with a hybridized version of the four-cylinder and develops 215 hp. Like its ES 250 counterpart, the 300h gets AWD and a CVT as standard.
None of the three are particularly sporty or engaging behind the wheel. That mostly comes down to lackluster power delivery from the ES 250 and 300h. 215 hp isn’t much to haul around a sedan of this size and the CVT doesn’t make things any better.
The Luxury model and the F Sport Handling models both provide meaningful upgrades that are worth a look though. Then there’s the ES 350 which has adequate power and a good transmission but is hamstrung with front-wheel drive.
Really though, the ES isn’t meant to go up against sports sedans like the Audi A6 and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. It’s meant to be comfortable, and it achieves that goal quite well. The ride is compliant and quiet with good damping and decent feedback from the steering wheel and pedals.
Fuel economy spans a wide range for potential ES buyers to consider. At the bottom of the spectrum is the ES 350 F Sport with a combined rating of 25 mpg according to the EPA. The ES 250 can get up to 28 mpg combined but the 300h makes that look bad by achieving 44 mpg combined.
Lexus continually builds great cabins and the ES is no different. The dash is asymmetrical which adds a bit of drama to an otherwise restrained design language. We like little touches like integrated wood or aluminum trim depending on the model trim. Including features like a heated steering wheel along with heated and ventilated seats makes a big difference too.
Generally speaking, the seating is comfortable regardless of which chair you choose. The rear seats have ample head and legroom and the front seats come with a bevy of adjustability. The sport-bolstered seats on the F Sport models are good too with meaningful padding that helps one stay centered through harder turns.
If there’s any real downside to the Lexus ES in terms of everyday practicality, it’s the fact that the rear seat isn’t foldable. Buyers are stuck with the 13.9 cu-ft worth of cargo room in the trunk as their only real storage space. There is a pass-through in the rear seats which offers relief for carrying longer items.
Lexus provides the entire ES lineup with a technology package that puts rivals on notice. The standard 8-inch infotainment system is a solid performer with simple menu layouts, great graphics, and fast response times. The available 12.3-inch screen only improves on that formula with brighter graphics and more real estate for content. Both ditch the previously-equipped touchpad interface which was just plain bad.
We also like the available 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system. Those who prefer using Android Auto or Apple CarPlay have that capability here too throughout the lineup. Buyers can also spec more impressive tech features like a surround-view monitor, a heads-up display, and luxury touches like a power rear window sunshade.
The Lexus ES scored five stars in NHTSA crash testing. On top of that, it’s still a Top Safety Pick according to the IIHS despite harder standards for 2023. Finally, we can’t help but applaud Lexus for including its robust Safety System 2.5+ on every ES. It includes forward collision mitigation, adaptive cruise control, lane departure mitigation, automatic high beams, and road sign detection.
The ES trim lineup breaks down into three engine choices and then four or five trim choices within that engine.
The base ES comes with 17-inch wheels, a sunroof, LED headlights, 10-way power-adjustable seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, faux leather upholstery, keyless entry, keyless ignition, an 8-inch infotainment system, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, 10 speakers, remote start, and satellite radio.
Safety equipment includes adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, lane-departure mitigation, automatic emergency braking, and road sign assist. Buyers can add optional equipment such as automatic wipers, heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, wood interior trim, driver’s seat memory settings, and parking sensors through a Premium package.
Those who pick up the ES 250 Luxury get everything from the base car plus the Premium package. In addition, Lexus equips the 250 Luxury with 18-inch wheels, performance suspension dampers, leather upholstery, ambient interior lighting, a windshield wiper de-icer, a power rear window shade, wood and leather steering wheel, and more driver’s seat adjustments.
This ES gets noise-reducing 18-inch wheels, a rear spoiler, upgraded LED headlights, a 17-speaker premium sound system, a 12.3-inch infotainment system with a heads-up display, a 360-degree camera system, a voice-assistant, and integrated navigation.
Consider this the sporty version of the 250 as it gets 19-inch wheels, all the features from the Premium package, more aggressive exterior trim, and a rear spoiler.
The base ES 350 shares all of its features with the base ES 250 except its engine which is a 3.5-liter V6 with 302 hp. It too can be equipped with the Premium package.
The ES 350 Luxury shares the exact same set of features found in the ES 250 Luxury.
The ES 350 Ultra Luxury shares all the same features from the ES 250 Ultra Luxury but also adds pedestrian detection for the rear automatic braking system.
The ES 350 F Sport Design gets the same features as the ES 250 F Sport Design but adds sport-bolstered front seats, a sport-tuned suspension, and a sport steering wheel.
The Handling model goes even further with an adaptive suspension, additional sport and custom drive modes, aluminum interior trim, a leather F-Sport shift knob, a unique gauge cluster with a sliding bezel, and interior noise cancellation.
The base 300h comes with the same features as the base ES 250 and 350 but swaps out the gas-only engines for a 2.5-liter hybrid four-cylinder engine with 215 hp. Just like in the 250 and 350, buyers can add the Premium package for more features.
Combine the features of the ES 250 Luxury with the hybrid engine and this is the car you get.
Once again, this trim features everything from the Ultra Luxury version of the ES 250 and 350 but with the hybrid engine. That includes features like the voice assistant, the 12.3-inch infotainment system, and manual rear window sunshades.
The 300h F Sport Design gets a rear spoiler, 19-inch wheels, and everything from the aforementioned premium package.
This trim gets an adaptive suspension, a unique gauge cluster, active noise cancellation, and everything else from the ES 350 Sport Handling trim but with the hybrid engine.
Lexus offers a slightly above-average warranty package for the ES. It includes four years or 50,000 miles of bumper-to-bumper coverage along with six years or 70,000 miles of powertrain coverage. In addition, it’ll pick up the tab on all maintenance within the first year or 10,000 miles. That’s a bit better than BMW and Mercedes but still lags behind new rival Genesis.
2023 Lexus ES – pressroom.lexus.com | Shop 2023 Lexus ES on Carsforsale.com
The Lexus ES isn’t perfect. It’s not sporty enough to hang with rivals like BMW, Mercedes, or Genesis and its trim setup is overly complex. Nevertheless, it’s probably the best value in the market for those who want a comfortable, quiet, and reliable luxury sedan.
In addition, it’s thousands of dollars cheaper than rivals from the aforementioned brands before we even talk about new car incentives. In fact, used versions of the ES easily made our list of the top 10 luxury cars under $30k.