We Tested the New Lexus ES, Which Is Now Available as an EV and Is a Surprising Bargain
06/16/26 UPDATE: This review has been updated with instrumented test results.
When Lexus first launched as a brand in 1989, it offered two sedans: the ES and the LS. The full-size LS flagship quickly came to define the Lexus ethos, but 37 years later, it's the mid-size ES nameplate that persists. Lexus is going back to having just two sedans, and the LS will not be one of them, as it's bidding farewell with just a 250-unit run of Heritage Edition models for 2026. The compact IS is still around, but it's getting long in the tooth as the third generation has just received its third facelift.
In a testament to its increased importance, the ES gets a comprehensive overhaul that reflects the larger role it now must play in the Lexus range. Here, we're focusing on the new electric version of the ES; there's also a hybrid version of the ES, which we review separately. This eighth-generation ES—the EV in particular—represents the most radical change for this model since its inception more than three decades ago. Not only does it offer this new powertrain configuration, but it also grows in size and attempts to capture some of the LS flagship's duties with some upscale new options unique to the electric model.
You may not even recognize this EV as an ES at first. It has a blunt front end with only a vague outline of the spindle grille shape found on many of Lexus's gas-powered vehicles. The roofline tapers gracefully toward the rear, but at 61.4 inches, the car is 4.5 inches taller than before and even slightly taller than the UX, which is billed as an SUV.
HIGHS: Fantastic ride quality, cosseting interior, good value in lower trims.
With a 3.1-inch-longer wheelbase, the ES now offers stretch-out space in the rear seat. There's even an option on the front-drive version of the EV's Luxury trim for an Executive rear-seat package with a passenger-side ottoman and power adjustability, along with heating and ventilation for both outboard rear seats. Lexus went so far as to include a special drive mode for when the luxe seat setup is in use, one that's meant to avoid the jerkiness from regenerative braking that many who have ridden in the back seat of electric Ubers have experienced.
The ES EV comes in two strengths: a 224-hp front-wheel-drive ES350e and a 338-hp all-wheel-drive ES500e. Neither is particularly quick by EV standards. The ES350e got to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds, while the ES500e did the sprint in 4.9 seconds. The power doesn't shove you back in your seat, but that's fine for a non-sporting sedan like the ES. There are five levels of adjustable regenerative braking, but none offer one-pedal driving like many EV drivers have come to expect. Lexus says that it wants the driver to be in control of braking the vehicle to a stop.
LOWS: Dual-motor setup could be more potent, awkward proportions, range doesn't match class leaders.
The ES500e especially feels hefty in corners—we measured the ES350e at 4632 pounds and the ES500e at 4943 pounds—and the ride is bouncier than we found in the hybrid model, which weighs nearly 1000 pounds less. But the electric ES still glides along the road nicely, and it's quiet inside, with our test hardware recording a 70-mph sound level of 66 decibels.
A 67-kWh battery pack is the only choice for both single- and dual-motor variants, and that isn't much capacity for a car this large and heavy. The range estimates span from 272 miles for the ES500e with larger wheels up to 307 miles for the ES350e with smaller wheels. Those numbers aren't too impressive among today's electric sedans, although its results in our real-world 75-mph highway range test weren't too far off from these estimates: the ES350e achieved 250 miles, while the ES500e achieved 230 miles. The 150-kW maximum DC fast-charging speed also lags behind rivals. Toyota's EV technology still has a way to go to catch up to the industry leaders in this arena, but at least it has a native NACS port, so no adaptor is needed at Tesla Superchargers.
The ES EV does offer a surprisingly attractive price point, which helps make up for some of these deficiencies. In fact, this EV starts out costing less than the ES350h hybrid. With the ES350e starting at $48,895, it's priced like a Tesla Model 3 but offers more space inside, a considerably more luxurious interior—we particularly like the Luxury model's wood trim—and plenty of standard features. The ES350e gets above $60,000 with the Executive package, and our ES500e Luxury test car cost $63,110, but even those sums feel like a reasonable deal for the ES given its size, upscale cabin materials, and overall polish.
VERDICT: The ES sedan's penchant for quiet comfort thrives in the transition to electric power.
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Specifications
Specifications
2026 Lexus ES350e Premium FWD
Vehicle Type: front-motor, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $48,895/$50,615
Options: Convenience package (intuitive parking assist with automatic braking, driver monitor, front cross-traffic alert), $1220; Wavelength premium paint, $500
POWERTRAIN
Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC, 221 hp, 198 lb-ft
Battery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 74.7 kWh
Peak Charge Rate, AC/DC: 11/150 kW
Transmission: direct-drive
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/multilink
Brakes, F/R: 13.4-in vented disc/13.3-in vented disc
Tires: Dunlop e.Sportmaxx
235/55R-19 101V
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 116.1 in
Length: 202.4 in
Width: 75.6 in
Height: 61.4 in
Passenger Volume, F/R: 53/48 ft3
Trunk Volume: 13 ft3
Curb Weight: 4632 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 6.6 sec
1/4-Mile: 15.3 sec @ 93 mph
100 mph: 17.5 sec
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 6.9 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 2.6 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 3.9 sec
Top Speed (gov ltd): 101 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 178 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.85 g
Interior Sound
Idle: 25/1 dBA/sone
Full Throttle: 68 dBA
70-mph Cruising: 66/20 dBA/sone
C/D FUEL ECONOMY AND CHARGING
75-mph Highway Range: 250 mi
Average DC Fast-Charge Rate, 10–90%: 114 kW
DC Fast-Charge Time, 10–90%: 32 min
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 127/135/118 MPGe
Range: 307 mi
2026 Lexus ES500e Luxury AWD
Vehicle Type: front- and rear-motor, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $60,295/$63,110
Options: 21-inch wheels, $2,315; Iridium premium paint, $500
POWERTRAIN
Front Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC, 221 hp, 198 lb-ft
Rear Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC, 118 hp, 125 lb-ft
Combined Power: 338 hp
Battery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 74.7 kWh
Peak Charge Rate, AC/DC: 11/150 kW
Transmissions, F/R: direct-drive
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/multilink
Brakes, F/R: 13.4-in vented disc/13.3-in vented disc
Tires: Michelin Primacy All Season
235/45R-21 101W M+S Extra Load
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 116.1 in
Length: 202.4 in
Width: 75.6 in
Height: 61.4 in
Passenger Volume, F/R: 53/48 ft3
Trunk Volume: 13 ft3
Curb Weight: 4943 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 4.9 sec
100 mph: 12.2 sec
1/4-Mile: 13.5 sec @ 104 mph
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 5.1 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 2.0 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 2.8 sec
Top Speed (gov ltd): 114 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 180 ft
Braking, 100–0 mph: 369 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.81 g
Interior Sound
Idle: 25/1 dBA/sone
Full Throttle: 69 dBA
70-mph Cruising: 67/21 dBA/sone
C/D FUEL ECONOMY AND CHARGING
Observed: 94 MPGe
75-mph Highway Range: 230 mi
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 112/118/105 MPGe
Range: 272 mi
C/D TESTING EXPLAINED
Despite being raised on a steady diet of base-model Hondas and Toyotas—or perhaps because of it—Joey Capparella cultivated an obsession for the automotive industry throughout his childhood in Nashville, Tennessee. He found a way to write about cars for the school newspaper during his college years at Rice University, which eventually led him to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for his first professional auto-writing gig at Automobile Magazine. He has been part of the Hearst Autos team since 2016 and now lives in New York City.