2019
New 2022
Used 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000

Lexus ES

Unlock Ratings
The redesigned ES is a rewarding choice for a road trip thanks to its absorbent ride and indulgent interior. But fussy controls keep this luxury sedan just short of ideal. As before, two versions are available: the standard V6-powered ES 350 and the ES 300h hybrid, which uses a four-cylinder engine. Lexus gave the V6 more power for 2019, although fuel economy stays the same at 25 mpg overall.
Alerts
There are 4 recalls on this vehicle. Learn More.
2019
New 2022
Used 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000

Lexus ES

Reliability
See All
Owner Satisfaction
See All
Crash and Rollover Tests
IIHS Front Moderate Overlap Good
IIHS Front Small Overlap, Driver Good
IIHS Side Crash Good
NHTSA Frontal-Crash, Driver
NHTSA Frontal-Crash, Passenger
See All

Road Test Results

Performance
Acceleration Acceleration Acceleration tests are conducted on a smooth, flat pavement straightaway at the track. Time, speed, and distance measurements are taken with a precise GPS-based device that’s hooked to a data-logging computer.
0 to 60 mph 0 to 60 mph (sec.) The time in seconds that a vehicle takes to reach 60 mph from a standstill with the engine idling.
Transmission Transmission Transmission performance is determined by shifting smoothness, response, shifter action, and clutch actuation for manual transmissions.
Braking Braking The braking rating is a composite of wet and dry stopping distances and pedal feel. Braking distance is from 60 mph, with no wheels locked.
Emergency Handling Emergency Handling Several factors go into the rating, including the avoidance maneuver speed and confidence, as well as how the vehicle behaves when pushed to its limit.
Comfort / Convenience
Ride Ride Our expert judgment of how well the suspension isolates and absorbs road imperfections and how steady it keeps the body on various road surfaces.
Noise Noise Our expert judgment of the vehicle's interior noise level in everyday driving.
Front Seat Comfort Front Seat Comfort Our judgment of how comfortable the front seat is for drivers of various heights.
Rear Seat Comfort Rear Seat Comfort Our judgment of how comfortable the rear seat is for two passengers to sit across.
Interior Fit and Finish Interior Fit and Finish An expert evaluation of the interior quality and craftsmanship.
Trunk/Cargo Area Trunk/Cargo Area Our rating is based on the amount of luggage or cargo space that a vehicle has in the trunk or cargo area.
Fuel Economy & Emissions
Fuel Economy Fuel Economy We perform our own fuel-economy tests, independent of the government's often-quoted EPA figures and the manufacturers' claims. Using a precise fuel-flow measuring device spliced into the fuel line, we run two separate circuits to represent city and highway consumption.
CR's Overall Mileage CR's Overall Mileage CR's overall mileage is a composite of measured fuel usage on a prescribed city course and highway cruising; and CR's 150-mile test trip of mixed driving, if tested. In recent road tests, we've discontinued the 150-mile trip test.
CR's City Mileage CR's City Mileage Measured fuel usage on a prescribed city course.
CR's Highway Mileage CR's Highway Mileage Measured fuel usage on a prescribed highway cruising.
Annual Fuel Cost Annual Fuel Cost The cost and amount of fuel used in 12,000 miles and is calculated from CR's overall mileage.
Greenhouse Gas Greenhouse Gas The Greenhouse Gas Rating represents the amount of carbon dioxide the vehicle emits compared to other vehicles of the same model year. This score from the EPA ranges from 1 (worst) to 10 (best).
Smog Rating Smog Rating The Smog Rating represents the amount of health-damaging and smog-forming airborne pollutants the vehicle emits compared to other vehicles of the same model year. This score from the EPA ranges from 1 (worst) to 10 (best).

Owner Reports

Worse Better
Reliability History Reliability History The reliability charts are based on responses on hundreds of thousands of vehicles from our latest Annual Auto Survey. Consumer Reports subscribers reported on any serious problems they had with their vehicles during the past 12 months that they considered serious because of cost, failure, safety, or downtime, in any of the trouble spots included in the table below. The results are presented relative to the average model that year. Extra weight is given to the more serious areas such as major engine or transmission problems. Based on this data and further analysis, we predict reliability for the latest year. N/A indicates that we did not receive a large enough sample size to provide data for a specific year. An X indicates that the vehicle was not manufactured for a specific year.
2000
NA
2001
NA
2002
NA
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
Reliability Trouble Spots
Engine Major Engine Major Engine rebuild or replacement, cylinder head, head gasket, turbo or supercharger, timing chain or timing belt.
Engine Minor Engine Minor Accessory belts and pulleys, engine computer, engine mounts, engine knock or ping, oil leaks.
Engine Cooling Engine Cooling Radiator, cooling fan, antifreeze leaks, water pump, thermostat, overheating.
Transmission Major Transmission Major Transmission rebuild or replacement, torque converter, clutch replacement.
Transmission Minor Transmission Minor Gear selector or linkage, leaks, transmission computer, transmission sensor or solenoid, clutch adjustment, rough shifting, slipping transmission.
Drive System Drive System Driveshaft or axle, CV joint, differential, transfer case, 4WD/AWD components, driveline vibration, traction control, electronic stability control (ESC), electrical failure.
View all Reliability
Owner Satisfaction Owner Satisfaction To learn about satisfaction, CR has collected survey data from our annual survey on more than half a million vehicles. Our subscribers provide great insights into their satisfaction by answering one simple question: If they had it to do all over again, would they definitely buy or lease the same model? In addition, respondents also rate their cars in six categories: driving experience, comfort, value, styling, audio, and climate systems. N/A indicates that we did not receive a large enough sample size to provide data for a specific year. An X indicates that the vehicle was not manufactured for a specific year.
2000
2001
NA
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
Driving Experience Driving Experience Includes acceleration and handling
Comfort Comfort Includes seats, climate control, noise, and ride
Value Value Did you get what you wanted relative to the price you paid?
Styling Styling How it looks inside and out
View all Owner Satisfaction
Safety Equipment
ABS and side air bags standard. Head protection air bags standard from 2002. ESC standard from 2007. FCW and AEB standard from 2017.
Road Test

The redesigned ES is a rewarding choice for a road trip thanks to its absorbent ride and indulgent interior. But fussy controls keep this luxury sedan just short of ideal. As before, two versions are available: the standard V6-powered ES 350 and the ES 300h hybrid, which uses a four-cylinder engine. Lexus gave the V6 more power for 2019, although fuel economy stays the same at 25 mpg overall. The V6 accelerates smoothly, and shifts are hardly noticeable. We tested the hybrid powertrain in the similar Toyota Avalon and got an impressive 42 mpg.

Shoppers who are drawn to the ES because of its reputation as a cushy cruiser won’t be disappointed. The cabin remains hushed and the suspension steadily smooths out rough roads. At the same time, the new car handles better than its predecessor, with responsive steering and restrained body lean. That said, it’s still not in the sports sedan league of, say, the BMW 3 Series or Infiniti Q50.

Seating
2 front, 3 rear
Drive Wheels
Front
Warranty
Coverage varies among versions of this vehicle

In most cases, automotive warranties are based on the vehicle identification number (VIN), and the warranty will be valid regardless of ownership. The dealership can tell you exactly how much warranty is left.

Read more about extended warranties
Body Styles
sedan
Transmissions Available
  • 8-speed Automatic
  • CVT
Engines Available
  • 2.5-liter 4 hybrid (215 hp)
  • 3.5-liter V6 (302 hp)

Owner Reported Trouble Spots

The Reliability score is based on our latest subscriber survey of 2019 Lexus ES owners. The owner comments describe problems respondents experienced with this vehicle.

In-car Electronics

CD or DVD players, radio, speakers, GPS, communication system (e.g., OnStar), display screen freezes or goes blank, phone pairing (e.g. Bluetooth), voice control commands, steering wheel controls, portable music device interface (e.g., iPod/MP3 player), backup or other camera/sensors.

What Owners Say

Apple CarPlay

"happens often have to unplug and replug"

Anonymous, NJ (2019 Lexus ES 3.5-L V6)

"Often difficult to start and almost always ends up freezing after hour or so."

Anonymous, FL (2019 Lexus ES 2.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)

"Apple Car Play only functions with the Nav system if you connect the iPhone to the system via USB. WHY doesn't it connect via Bluetooth? Very frustrating."

Michael M., SC (2019 Lexus ES 350.0 3.5-L V6)

"It’s somewhat awkward for us to hard wire the cell phone to the car. We are not young anymore!"

Anonymous, FL (2019 Lexus ES 350.0 3.5-L V6)
CD player

"Player will not play through the entire CD, it stops and skips after several songs have played. Needs to be returned to dealer for replacement of the CD player."

Anonymous, MD (2019 Lexus ES 3.5-L V6)
Display screen freezes up

"more infrequent but has happened"

Anonymous, NJ (2019 Lexus ES 3.5-L V6)

"The screen does not respond to the joy stick intermittently. I have not figured out how to unfreeze it, so I use my phone for navigation & calls when it freezes. Eventually, it starts responding again. The car did not need to be turned off for the screen to start working again."

Anonymous, CA (2019 Lexus ES 2.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)

"After an indeterminate time of operation, the screen freezes. Has to be turned off and then on again. Tech specialist at dealer says this is a software problem that will probably be resolved by Lexus and Apple over time."

Anonymous, FL (2019 Lexus ES 2.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)
Display screen goes blank

"When I start up my car, I can drive about 2-3 minutes and my infotainment system (radio & navigation), completely restarts. About 2 minutes later, the same. This may repeat up to three times. This is a random occurrence and I need to bring this up at the dealer when I go in for the 6 month service appointment."

Anonymous, FL (2019 Lexus ES 350.0 3.5-L V6)
In-dash navigation system (GPS)

"Poor design. Unreliable. Out of date maps"

C S., MD (2019 Lexus ES 300h 2.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)
Radio

"I hate it. The set-up is completely difficult to navigate, especially while driving. It's difficult to change channels while driving. Too many buttons and controls. mouse pad is difficult to control"

Anonymous, FL (2019 Lexus ES 3.5-L V6)

"That "Premium 10 speaker audio system" is absolutely awful. All of the sound comes from the windshield with no sense of surrounding the driver. The speakers look like something out of a 3rd grade science project. Very disappointing in a $47K vehicle."

Anonymous, OH (2019 Lexus ES 3.5-L V6)

"this radio problem is systemic to all es300h 2019 with the standard 10 speaker system, The fader does not allow the rear speakers to function. No fix from Lexus"

Anonymous, OR (2019 Lexus ES 2.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)

"Trackpad system and infotainment system is hard to use and the documentation sucks. Very bad interface design. Looks like it was designed by Japanese Engineers for use by Japanese Engineers."

Gene C., VA (2019 Lexus ES 350.0 2.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)
Speakers

"See my answer on the stereo in general. Very cheaply made."

Anonymous, OH (2019 Lexus ES 3.5-L V6)

"it is a 10 speaker system and yet only the front speakers function. Lexus has shown no interest in fixing the problem. I believe this problem exists in all similiar cars ES300 lexus"

Anonymous, OR (2019 Lexus ES 2.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)

"In their 2019 models Lexus has taken the auto sound system (including the Mark Levinson Systems) and attempted to design it on the pattern of a home theater system. This means dominant sound from front left & right and center speakers with the rear broadcasting smaller parts of the audio track of your movie for example. However we are not sitting in our living room or home media center we are in our car and should have an envelope of sound IMHO. Both of my Acuras had 5.1 sound and all speakers were evenly powered and the sound was phenomenal. Now I've made the change to Lexus (my wife already had an 2015 RX with a great sound system by the way) and I love everything about my new ES but this new thought in car audio design is half baked at best. I've spoken to my dealer and Lexus HQ Customer Service and they are sticking to the mantra It's that way by design. I will not by another Lexus with this type of audio design/performance. They will not repair since it was designed this way so now I'm stuck with paying money on top of what I paid for this car-just to get an audio system that sounds no better than my '59 Ford which had a huge speaker in front dash only."

Michael M., SC (2019 Lexus ES 350.0 3.5-L V6)
Voice control commands

"The voice control commands pick up the voice from the microphone in front of the driver. If I am turning while giving a command, the speaker only picks up part of the command. Very frustrating."

Anonymous, CA (2019 Lexus ES 2.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)

"Hard to train and if you have a southern accent it gets confused."

Gene C., VA (2019 Lexus ES 350.0 2.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)

"Virtually worthless. Does not reliably recognize commands. More distracting then doing manually."

C S., MD (2019 Lexus ES 300h 2.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)
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Fuel System

Check engine light, sensors (includes O2 or oxygen sensor), emission control devices (includes EGR), engine computer, engine computer, fuel cap, fuel gauge/sender, fuel injection system, fuel pump, fuel leaks, stalling or hesitation.

What Owners Say

Emission control devices (includes EGR)

"All the lights on the vehicle dashboard were lighted and solid. I called Lexus and they said that the car could not be driven and needed to be towed."

Anonymous, NJ (2019 Lexus ES Unsure 3.5-L V6)
Fuel pump

"There has been a recall for the past 2 months because the fuel pump shuts down at high speeds and the car stops. There is thus far NO FIX for this problem. We have been offered loaner vehicles however they are not Lexus."

Anonymous, NJ (2019 Lexus ES Unsure 3.5-L V6)

"Recall and don't have parts to fix problem. It has been months."

Anonymous, FL (2019 Lexus ES 3.5-L V6)

"low pressure pump recall. Given a rental car and had to sign an aggrement not to drive the car. had to leave it in my garage. no fix avail. told they would tow it to the dealer when repair ready. Submitted a lemon law letter to them told nothing wrong with car. this started in Jan. this year"

Anonymous, NY (2019 Lexus ES 3.5-L V6)

"Lexus rented us a car. The ES350 was garage kept for over 5 months, until Lexus was able to provide a fix."

Anonymous, (2019 Lexus ES 3.5-L V6)

"Recall"

Anonymous, CA (2019 Lexus ES 3.5-L V6)
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Electric System

Alternator, starter, hybrid battery and related systems, regular battery, battery cables, engine harness, coil, ignition switch, electronic ignition, distributor or rotor failure, spark plugs and wires failure.

What Owners Say

Exterior lights (other than headlights)

"The blind spot monitor lights intermittently do not work. They will stay on long after a car or truck has passed me. It makes it very scary to change lanes. Usually I have to wait for another vehicle to pass me (on the side where the blind spot monitor light remains on) for the light to go off. But this may take many miles, especially at night on the freeway."

Anonymous, UT (2019 Lexus ES 3.5-L V6)
Warning lights

"Engine light came on warning us to take it to the dealer immediately. When we did, it turns out we hadn't tightened the gas cap firmly enough."

Anonymous, FL (2019 Lexus ES 3.5-L V6)

Climate System

Blower (fan) motor, A/C compressor, condenser, evaporator, heater system, automatic climate control, refrigerant leakage, electrical failure.

What Owners Say

A/C compressor

"no refrigerant was added to the car before I bought it."

Anonymous, CT (2019 Lexus ES 3.5-L V6)

"I was told by the dealer the compressor was damaged by my going over a pothole. I find this explanation silly. There is no evidence of damage under the car."

Edward L., NJ (2019 Lexus ES 350.0 3.5-L V6)

Body Integrity

Squeaks, rattles, wind noises, loose or cracked seals and/or weather-stripping, air and water leaks.

What Owners Say

Squeaks or rattles

"it rattled from the start. The dealer finally thought he found it in the passenger side exit handle. It was replaced but the rattle continues. very frustrating as the car is practically silent except for the damn rattle"

Anonymous, CA (2019 Lexus ES 2.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)
Wind noise

"Noise is significant. Previous Lexus ES models were not this noisy. I often can't hear when I'm using my cell phone on bluetooth."

Anonymous, UT (2019 Lexus ES 3.5-L V6)

Transmission Minor

Gear selector or linkage, leaks, transmission computer, transmission sensor or solenoid, clutch adjustment, rough shifting, slipping transmission.

What Owners Say

Transmission leaks

"CAR OVERHEATED DUE TO TRANSMISSION LEAK REPAIRED BY DEALER"

Anonymous, FL (2019 Lexus ES 350.0 3.5-L V6)

Power Equipment

Cruise control, clock, warning lights, body control module, keyless entry, wiper motor or washer, tire pressure monitor, interior or exterior lights, horn, gauges, 12V power plug, remote engine start, alarm or security system

What Owners Say

Battery (not hybrid or electric)

"At about 1,000 miles vehicle failed to start and would not accept a new battery charge - replaced battery under warranty."

Anonymous, CA (2019 Lexus ES 3.5-L V6)

Suspension

Shocks or struts, ball joints, tie rods, wheel bearings, alignment, steering linkage (includes rack and pinion), power steering (pumps and hoses, leaks), wheel balance, springs or torsion bars, bushings, electronic or air suspension.

What Owners Say

Steering linkage (includes rack and pinion)

"Steering gets stiff at times"

Anonymous, PA (2019 Lexus ES 3.5-L V6)

Exhaust

Muffler, pipes, catalytic converter, exhaust manifold, leaks.

What Owners Say

Other/unsure

"The system wants to steer me closer to the center line than I am comfortable with. Also seems to bounce me around from road center to road edge. I often have it turned off."

John V., MN (2019 Lexus ES 300h 3.5-L V6)

Brakes

Antilock system (ABS), parking brake, master cylinder, calipers, rotors, pulsation or vibration, squeaking, brake failure or wear.

What Owners Say

Squeaking

"More often than not, the right front brakes squeak"

Anonymous, NY (2019 Lexus ES 3.5-L V6)

Body Hardware

Power or manual windows, locks and latches, tailgate, hatch or trunk, doors or sliding doors, mirrors, seat controls, safety belts, sunroof, convertible top.

Paint/Trim

Paint (fading, chalking, cracking, or peeling), loose interior and exterior trim or moldings, rust.

Engine Major

Engine rebuild or replacement, cylinder head, head gasket, turbo or supercharger, timing chain or timing belt.

Engine Minor

Accessory belts and pulleys, engine computer, engine mounts, engine knock or ping, oil leaks.

Engine Cooling

Radiator, cooling fan, antifreeze leaks, water pump, thermostat, overheating.

Drive System

Driveshaft or axle, CV joint, differential, transfer case, 4WD/AWD components, driveline vibration, traction control, electronic stability control (ESC), electrical failure.

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