New Lexus ES 2026 review: electric exec falls short of the BMW i5
The Lexus ES has gone all-electric, but suffers when compared to its established executive car rivals
Verdict
The all-new, all-electric Lexus ES has interior space to rival luxury limousines like the BMW i7, yet it’s priced closer to a BMW i5. The trouble is, it’s priced too close to the i5 and other large executive saloons given that its performance, range, recharging times, and interior design fall well short of segment norms.
The Lexus ES is a relatively new name for the UK, having replaced the GS as the brand’s large executive saloon back in 2019. But while the GS was a rear-drive saloon in the mold of a BMW 5 Series or Mercedes E-Class, the ES, by contrast, was based on the same platform as most front-wheel-drive Toyotas and came only with a modest, 2.5-litre hybrid powertrain.
In the US, where seven generations have been on sale since 1989, the ES has occupied a more entry-level corner of the market, and it’s with that context that a completely redesigned Lexus ES arrives in Europe. While the hybrid car survives elsewhere, the UK will only get the all-new electric model (badged ES 350e) with a single motor mounted to the front axle. We got our hands on a car in the US to see whether it’s a more convincing competitor as an EV.
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It’s certainly a bigger competitor. It’s a whopping 170mm longer overall with an extra 80mm in the wheelbase. It’s also 55mm wider and 115mm taller, which helps disguise all that extra length. Proportionally, it doesn’t look that big – at least until you park it next to something. It’s 80mm longer and 45mm taller than a BMW i5; the Audi A6 e-tron and Mercedes EQE are smaller still.
The gains inside aren’t as grand, but the boot is a decent 517 litres and the back seat should make the executive in question extremely satisfied when it comes to space to stretch out. As well as having more legroom than the i5, A6 and EQE on paper, the raised seat height increases comfort and space beyond what the simple specs say. We found it possible for a six-foot-tall adult to sit comfortably behind their own far-flung driving position, still with a full hand’s width between their knee and the seatback. The top Takumi trim even provides a power-operated ottoman behind the passenger, though you’d have to be on the smaller side to take advantage of it.
The front seats are heated and ventilated in all versions, and their hip point has been raised, too, making for an almost SUV-like ease of entry and exit. Bad backs and arthritic hips will be appreciative of this.
Once in the driver’s seat, though, the ES 350e starts to reveal its shortcomings. The materials and build quality are appropriate for the price and much better than what you’d find in a Tesla. But the design seems as if Lexus is deliberately trying to court those tired of owning something reeking of (Elon) Musk. It’s a minimalist aesthetic that’s new to Lexus, and even if you get a two-tone colour scheme or the optional bamboo-looking trim, it’s rather drab and anonymous. While the aesthetic merits of multiple gigantic screens can be debated, the ES interior just doesn’t look as special as its German rivals.
Speaking of screens, the ES comes as standard with a 14-inch touchscreen that features the next-generation Lexus/Toyota infotainment system, and an unusual, six-sided instrument panel that neatly fits between the steering wheel’s hub and rim, right in your line of sight. The microfibre trim that surrounds it is odd, though; you’ll not find it anywhere else in the cabin, and looks like it’s a placeholder for an optional, even bigger screen – except there isn’t one.
Here’s where things get tricky, though. The screens may not provide the eye candy of rival tech-fests, but the touchscreen is quick, easy to read, and laid out simply. An i5 can still leave you scratching your head after days with the car; in the ES, you’re far more likely to acclimatise immediately. A Home button and Home screen have also been added, but that speaks more to their exclusion from the current Lexus interface than anything else.
The climate controls now baked into the bottom of the touchscreen are disappointingly small, but that’s also the case for this car’s rivals, and at least there are separate, touch-sensitive temperature-adjustment icons. There are also proper buttons and toggles on the wheel, versus capacitive nonsense or the unmarked control pads of some current Lexus models. What the ES lacks in showmanship, it counters with simplicity.
It’s harder to find the bright side in its EV specs, however. As mentioned, the only ES offered in the UK is the 350e, which features a single 221bhp motor powering the front wheels. That sad trombone you hear is not a coincidence; that’s far less than the rear-mounted motors of its various competitors, despite its similar kerbweight. Even the much smaller and lighter Mercedes CLA 250+ nips it with 268bhp.
To be fair, the ES 350e doesn’t feel slow. It has smooth, immediate torque that provides sufficient punch when pootling around a city centre or passing on the motorway. However, you can feel the meager horsepower figure when flooring it up a slip road, and its 0-62-mph time of 8.0 seconds is two full seconds behind the i5 eDrive40 and basic A6 e-tron.
The front-drive layout also clouds the steering response and makes the ES feel less agile than its various German rivals, even if the engineers have impressively eradicated torque steer and wheel spin.
Nevertheless, it’s hard to understand why the dual-motor, all-wheel-drive ES 500e offered in the US and Europe won’t make it to the UK. This version boasts 338bhp, hits 62 mph in 5.5 seconds, and its range loss is almost inconsequential. It also makes it far easier to appreciate the ES’s well-managed body motions, precise steering and comfortable ride. It’s not a sports saloon, but it’s not dynamically out of its depth, either.
Alas, the ES 350e is the UK’s only choice and its combined electric range of 367 miles is about par for the course in this segment. Our extended test drive on hilly rural and suburban roads north of San Diego, California, yielded efficiency that would’ve translated to about 295 miles in the real world. A maximum DC fast charge rate of only 150 kW is somewhat off the pace, however; an i5 manages 205 kW and the A6 e-tron – with its 800-volt electrical architecture – peaks at 225kW. The new electric Mercedes C-Class is good for 330kW.
In the US, all of the above comparisons hold true, but there is a vital difference: price. Over there, the ES 350e’s starting price is the equivalent of about £13,000 less than an A6 and i5. In the UK, that difference shrinks about £4,000 for the Audi and about £8,500 for BMW. Meanwhile, the electric CLA starts from just over £40k.
All things considered, the US pricing seems more appropriate given the ES 350e’s interior, performance, range, and charging disadvantages. The ES still seems like a car that belongs in the lower end of the executive-car market. All that extra space can only count for so much.
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| Model: | Lexus ES 350e |
| Price: | From £59,345 |
| Powertrain: | 77kWh battery, 1x e-motor |
| Transmission: | Single-speed automatic, front-wheel drive |
| Power/torque: | 221bhp/269Nm |
| 0-62mph: | 8.0 seconds |
| Top speed: | 99mph |
| Range: | 367 miles |
| Max charging: | 150kW (10-80% in 28 minutes) |
| Size (L/W/H): | 5,145/1,920/1,560mm |
| On Sale: | Now |
