2026 Lexus ES Road Test and Review

2026 Lexus ES 500e ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

Big things are happening in the sedanosphere. For the 2026 model year, Lexus introduces an all-new seventh-generation ES sedan that’s larger, roomier, zoomier-looking, and more luxurious than its predecessors while also being available for the first time with a choice of hybrid gas-electric or battery-electric propulsion and either front- or all-wheel drive.

Including the $1,395 destination charge, base prices for the front-wheel-drive hybrid start at $51,095 for the ES 350h Premium and $55,895 for the ES 350h Premium Plus. Adding AWD for the ES 350 hybrid is a $1,400 upcharge. Surprisingly, pricing for the first-ever EV version of the all-new 2026 Lexus ES starts out lower than those for the ES hybrid. Inclusive of the destination charge, base prices for the front-wheel-drive version of the EV begin at $48,895 for the ES 350e Premium and $57,295 for the ES 350e Luxury. Upgrading to the ES 500e and AWD adds another $3,000 to either trim. No F Sport versions of the new ES have been announced.

Sizing Up the New Lexus ES Sedan

For 2026, the Lexus ES loosens its belt a few notches for a more comfortable fit. It’s still a mid-size sedan, but one that offers more spread-out space than before. Compared to the 2025 Lexus ES, the 2026 version is longer, wider, and taller. It adds more than 6 inches in length, 4.3 inches in height, and 2.2 inches in width and, as a result, has more headroom and legroom than the Lexus LS flagship sedan.

Despite the upsized dimensions, bigger wheels and tires help make the new ES look grounded and disguise the increase in vehicle size, with new 19- and 21-inchers replacing last year’s 17- and 18-inch rolling stock. A sleek fastback roof, angular spindle shape, and side scallops inspired by the LF-ZC concept from the 2023 Tokyo Motor Show add design flair.

Among others, mid-size luxury sedan competitors include the considerably more expensive Mercedes-Benz E Class, BMW 5 Series, Audi A6, and Genesis G80, as well as Toyota’s own Crown.

2026 Lexus ES 500e ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

What's Best: EV or Hybrid?

For 2026, all versions of the new ES are electrified. The 2026 ES 350h hybrid now has 244 combined net horsepower from its 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and electric drive motor/s, a nearly 14 percent increase over the 2025 model. That’s good for a low 7-second zero-to-60 mph time. And with an EPA-estimated 46 mpg in combined city/highway driving and a generously sized 14.5 gallon fuel tank, front-drive versions of the ES 350h have an insane 667-mile cruising range between fill-ups (44 mpg combined and 638 miles range in AWD versions).

The first all-electric ES arrives just in time for Persian Gulf-inflated gasoline prices. The single-motor front-drive ES 350e rolls with 221 horsepower and a segment-competitive 307 miles of EPA estimated driving range. It can accelerate from rest to 60 mph in the mid 7-second range. The dual-motor AWD ES 500e increases output to 338 horsepower and trims 0-60 dashes to just over 5 seconds, but range drops a bit to 276 miles. Notably, the electric ES can now be DC fast-charged using the extensive Tesla Supercharger network with more than 3,000 stations and 37,000 charge ports in the U.S.

2026 Lexus ES 350h hybrid ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

Roomy and Luxurious Cabin

The cabin of the 2026 Lexus ES is nicely outfitted with padded, wrapped, and soft-touch trim on the upper portions of the dash, doors, and console sides. New interior details such as simulated layered bamboo inserts add color. A bright and colorful driver-configurable 12.3-inch multi-information display allows the driver to bring the native navigation system map front and center in front of the driver.

Controls are logical and straightforward. Standard luxury niceties include a power tilt and telescope steering column, a heated steering wheel, dual-zone automatic temperature with automatic recirculation mode, a power moonroof, and thematic ambient accent lighting on the dash and upper door trim. Like a small campfire or low-wattage toaster oven, infrared radiant heater grids under the dash warm the legs and feet of the driver and front passenger, standard in EV models with Luxury trim and optional in a Cold Area package for all other ES hybrid and EV versions.

Uplevel versions of the ES also include a digital rear view mirror which provides a camera feed from outside the car unblocked by passenger heads or bulky cargo in the back seat but with a modified depth perception that may make trailing vehicles seem to be farther away than they actually are.

Hybrid models include steering wheel-mounted transmission paddle shifters for manual shift control. Battery-electric versions of the ES have similar steering wheel paddles, but these are used to select the level of regenerative braking, which can dramatically slow the ES but not bring it to a full stop.

The center console includes a mini-toggle transmission shifter, dual cup holders with spring-loaded fingers that can securely hold a wide range of beverage holder sizes, a wireless phone charger (dual wireless chargers in EV models with Luxury trim), a deep storage bin under the dual-hinged center armrest which can open to either the driver or front passenger side, and a floor-level shelf that can accommodate a tablet, small camera, or purse.

2026 Lexus ES 500e ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

Sitting Pretty

Like a pair of stretch pants, the new Lexus ES is easier to slip into and out of with wide-opening doors and a slightly raised chair height. The higher seating position helps with keeping tabs on traffic ahead like a crossover SUV and, in fact, the new ES is taller road-to-roof than a Lexus UX SUV.

The front buckets are supportive in all the right places and proved to be comfortable after more than five hours of seat time in three different ES models during a recent test drive. Both front seats are power-adjustable, heated, and ventilated for comfort, and the driver seat offers lumbar adjustment, memory settings, and in the EV Luxury model, a power bottom cushion extender. Seat coverings are suitably plush with perforated NuLuxe synthetic in hybrid models and EV Premium trim and creamy semi-aniline leather in EV Luxury models. EV Luxury models add an extra upscale touch with soft-close doors that help latch them shut without slamming.

2026 Lexus ES 500e ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

Back Seat Stretch-Out Space

This year, features once exclusive to the full-size LS flagship sedan now trickle down to the 2026 ES in the form of a first-ever Executive package. Available only with the ES 350e Luxury front-drive model, the option adds rear seat massage, heating and ventilation, reclining seatbacks with pillow-type headrests and a flip-up foot cushion for the passenger-side rear seat. ES 350e and 500e Luxury trim also includes manual sun shades for the rear doors and a power sun shade for the rear glass. The 2026 Lexus ES now offers more rear-seat headroom and legroom than the full-size LS.

2026 Lexus ES 500e ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

Staying Connected

Also getting larger this year is a new 14-inch Lexus Interface infotainment touchscreen that replaces last year’s standard 8-inch and optional 12.3 center screens. Among the latest updates including new split-screen functionality and improved response times is a new home icon at the upper left corner of the screen that provides a quick and easy way to get back to square one if users find themselves deep in sub-menus. Also new is a scroll-type volume control wheel on the dash center directly below the infotainment screen which augments the volume control buttons on the steering wheel and makes the front passenger an equal-opportunity audio volume adjuster.

Of course, wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto cellphone mirroring technology are supported for those customers preferring their familiar maps, voice assistance, and apps to those included with a complimentary 3-year trial of Lexus Drive Connect (but a monthly subscription fee to continue thereafter).

A quiet cabin makes for easy listening, whether it’s the totally acceptable 10-speaker system in the ES 350h Premium and ES 350e or the immersive 17-speaker Mark Levinson surround-sound system that’s standard in the ES 350h Premium Plus and ES 500e.

2026 Lexus ES ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

How Much Trunk Space?

Although the new ES and its sporty fastback roofline might suggest a rear hatchback, the 2026 model comes with a traditional trunk. Not only is cabin space increased in the longer, wider, and taller 2026 Lexus ES, but trunk space is generous, too. This is especially evident in the new ES 350h, which at 17.4 cubic feet, is 26 percent larger than in last year’s ES 300h and among the largest in the mid-size luxury sedan segment. Additionally, the ES has a finished-off compartment under the trunk floor that’s big enough to stash valuables such as a purse, laptop, or tablet out of sight. A pass-through door in the center of the rear seatback accommodates longer items such as skis. The trunk lid is power-operated and can be opened hands-free with a foot kick under the rear bumper.

2026 Lexus ES ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

Charging Up the EV

Tesla owners may not appreciate sharing with non-Tesla products at the brand’s numerous Supercharger stations, but the new Lexus ES EV’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) charge port accommodates DC fast charging, which can juice the 74.7 kWh lithium-ion propulsion battery in the ES 350e and ES 500e from 10 to 80 percent in approximately 30 minutes at a maximum charge rate of 150 kilowatts. The ability to use the extensive Tesla Supercharger network helps minimize range anxiety when traveling long distance beyond major metropolitan areas where DC fast charging opportunities are otherwise less numerous.

With the included dual-voltage charging cable and onboard 11 kW AC charger, the car’s lithium-ion battery can also be completely charged at home in about 7 hours using 240-volt AC or over several days trickle-charging the propulsion battery with 120-volt AC power. CCS to NACS AC and CCS1 to NACS DC plug adapters (such as when fast charging at EVgo or Electrify America stations) are included as standard. The charge door on the passenger-side front fender is power-operated.

2026 Lexus ES 500e ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

What is the New ES Like to Drive?

In two words, the 2026 Lexus ES is smooth and quiet, which totally aligns with the mission of the luxury sedan. Compared to last year’s ES 300h hybrid, the new ES 350h feels more responsive, partly due to the increased power and torque of the 2.5-liter gas engine, but mostly related to the higher-output and instant torque of the electric propulsion motor/s which take on a more prominent role in the daily drive. The all-electric ES 350e and 500e elevate the quiet cabin and smooth power delivery to an even higher level of refinement, with the 500e and its dual-motor electric powertrain adding a pleasant dollop of urgency to its already ample torque.

In both hybrid and battery-electric forms, the new ES delivers a plush ride quality despite relying on passive dampers. The nicely balanced chassis, now equipped for the first time with multi-link rear suspension, offers good control as well with precise, appropriately weighted steering and confidence-instilling brakes, now with larger rotors, and crisp top-of-pedal response.

2026 Lexus ES 500e ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

Is the New ES a Good Sedan?

The new ES is a value play for mid-size luxury sedan buyers who are smart with money. At a price that’s tens of thousands of dollars less than its major European brand competition, the 2026 Lexus ES offers an extensive list of standard comfort and convenience items plus advanced driving assistance technology at no extra cost such as a blind-spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert and the Lexus Safety System 4.0+.

The availability of AWD for the first time in the 2026 Lexus ES is a big bonus for buyers in parts of the country that experience snow and ice.

Above all, the 2026 Lexus ES demonstrates what Toyota does best: continuous improvement. A roomy, comfortable, well-equipped sedan that as a hybrid can get up to 46 EPA-estimated miles per gallon and go well over 600 miles on a tank of fuel or in EV form go more than 300 miles on a charge and be fast charged at Tesla Supercharger stations presents mid-size luxury sedan buyers with an enticing proposition.

2026 Lexus ES 500e ・ Photo by Ron Sessions