Lexus ES

The Lexus ES has long been a Consumer Reports staff favorite as a capable luxury car that emphasizes comfort without neglecting performance. For years, it’s performed well in our road tests and our reliability and owner satisfaction surveys. That’s why we were concerned when we heard about the big changes in store for the ES for 2026, with Lexus discontinuing the model’s gas-only powertrain, adopting a more modern look, and growing in length by roughly 6.5 inches. Fortunately, those worries were largely for naught.

• Going electric has improved the Lexus ES
• Nearly silent dual-motor powertrain provides smooth, ample power
• Excellent isolation from outside noise and bumpy roads
• Lags behind the competition on range, fast-charging rates, acceleration, and braking
• Exceptionally comfortable and spacious rear seat
  

If ever there was a vehicle that deserved a quiet, smooth electric powertrain, it’s the ES. This longer, roomier ES partially fills the gap left by the now-departed Lexus LS luxury sedan, a model that famously advertised its lack of noise, vibration, and harshness by running with a pyramid of Champagne glasses on its hood.

Two electric powertrains are available. The ES 350e has a single 221-hp motor, front-wheel drive, and an EPA-estimated 307-mile driving range with 19-inch wheels (292 miles with 21-inch wheels), while the ES 500e has dual motors producing 338 hp, all-wheel drive, and an EPA-estimated 276-mile range. In our 70-mph highway-range test, the ES 500e we purchased achieved 278 miles before rolling to a stop. There’s also a 244-hp ES Hybrid available, which uses a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with either front- or all-wheel drive, and we’re testing that model, as well.

After we spent months compiling results from more than 50 specific tests and evaluations on the ES 500e at Consumer Reports’ 327-acre Auto Test Center, along with lots of miles behind the wheel on public roads, we’re glad Lexus didn’t ruin what has long made this car special. This latest version builds on the absorbent suspension and confident handling of its predecessor, only with the added bonus of an ultra-quiet electric powertrain.

“This comes across as a genuinely luxurious and comfortable electric sedan that’s refined and easy to live with,” said one tester. “It’s not brutally quick by EV standards, but the dual-motor setup feels more than sufficient and suits the car’s relaxed character.”

The ES isn’t the fastest or fanciest EV. Nor does it have the longest driving range or the quickest charging. But the cabin fit and finish and overall driving experience are special enough to attract buyers who want an EV that prioritizes comfort and quiet. Compared with other electric luxury sedans, it costs much less than the Audi A6 E-Tron we tested, and its suspension is far more supple than that of a Tesla Model 3.

“This seems like a bargain at just under $54,000,” said a tester. “For a bit more than the average transaction price of a new vehicle these days, you’re getting one of the quietest, most comfortable vehicles out there, along with strong performance from its dual-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain.”

We bought a 2026 Lexus ES 500e Premium AWD for $53,990—anonymously at a local dealer, as we do with every vehicle we test—for the purpose of this road test review. We also borrowed an ES 350e equipped with the upscale Luxury package from Lexus to check out the more attractive interior and upgraded audio system, along with options like heated, cooled, and massaging rear seats.

The ES EV is a smooth operator, delivering quiet electric power that perfectly suits this comfort-oriented luxury sedan. Without the subtle interruptions of a shifting transmission or the hum and vibration of a gasoline engine, acceleration is effortless and serene

We found the 350e’s single-motor setup peppy around town, but it “just doesn’t have much scoot once you get above 50 mph,” one tester wrote. However, the dual-motor ES 500e we tested packs a much heartier punch, delivering ample giddyup even at highway speeds, along with minimal electric motor whine. Although its 5.2-second 0-to-60-mph time lags behind similar luxury EVs, its power builds smoothly and is easy to control. There is a slight delay in throttle response when you press the pedal aggressively, especially in Eco mode, but it doesn’t make a huge difference in day-to-day driving.

Like other EVs, the ES uses regenerative braking to slow the car and return energy to the battery when the driver lifts off the accelerator pedal. Steering-wheel paddles make it easy to adjust the amount of regenerative braking, but testers who prefer stronger deceleration found even the highest setting too weak. The system also provides little, if any, regenerative braking when the battery is nearly full. If you like one-pedal driving, which uses strong regenerative braking to bring the vehicle to a stop without needing to step on the brake pedal, look elsewhere, as the ES doesn’t offer it.

The driving range is on the low end among luxury EV cars. Our ES 500e AWD just eked past its 276-mile EPA rating in our 70-mph highway-range test, managing 278 miles before coming to a stop. Competitors like the A6 E-Tron (347 miles), Model 3 (334 miles), and BMW i5 (295 miles) all drove further in our testing.

Every ES comes with a Tesla-style North American Charging Standard (NACS) port and adapters that can plug in at Combined Charging System (CCS) and J1772 chargers. The ES can only charge at up to 150 kilowatts on a public DC fast charger, which is on the slow side for any modern EV (not just the pricey ones) and less than half the speed many fast chargers are capable of. We didn’t find its fast-charging speeds particularly inconvenient, as it can still add up to 8 miles of range per minute, and most EV owners charge at home anyway. Its 11-kW maximum charging rate on a Level 2 home charger is more competitive and can add about 37 miles of range per hour.

Occupants are isolated from all but the harshest bumps, as the ES glides down the road in a truly coddling fashion. Handling is composed and predictable, but the driving experience suffers from light steering that feels oddly quick at times and a lack of feedback about front-tire grip. The suspension is tuned more for comfort than engagement, with testers noticing both body roll and the vehicle’s heft when pushing the car to its limits at our track. Its 51.5-mph speed through our avoidance maneuver test (which simulates swerving quickly—left, right, left—to avoid a vehicle or an obstacle on the road without losing control) makes it one of the slowest among similar luxury electric sedans.

Panic-brake stopping distances also weren’t impressive. It took the ES 132 feet to stop from 60 mph on our dry surface, which is good compared to most vehicles, but about 7 feet longer than its nearest competitor. Wet-braking performance was more disappointing, as the ES needed 149 feet to stop from 60 mph. Out on the road, our drivers said the ES’ brake pedal felt slightly soft, though it’s easy to modulate, thanks in part to a smooth blending of friction and regenerative braking.

The ES has a well-made cabin, with abundant soft-touch surfaces, varied textures, and quality-feeling switchgear. Thoughtful details, such as the suede-like material behind the driver’s instrument display, add to the upscale presentation, while excellent isolation from wind, road, and powertrain noise reinforces the sense of refinement. Still, a few cost-cutting touches—including unlined door pockets, plain speaker grilles, and hard plastics on the lower dash and front seatbacks—kept our ES 500e Premium from feeling as special as some previous ES models. Higher trims dress things up considerably; the ES 350e Luxury we sampled featured attractive bamboo trim and upgraded 14-way power front seats.

The electric ES’ seats are slightly higher than those in most sedans, making them easy to slide into and out of. We’re not fans of the electronic exterior door handles and interior door-release buttons, though. They are simple enough to use, but they feel like an unnecessary complication.

Outward views are decent, thanks to thin roof pillars most of the way around and large windows. But it’s disappointing that a surround view camera doesn’t come standard on a luxury model. Testers had mostly positive comments about the driving position, which delivers decent headroom, a good view of the driver’s instrument display through the round steering wheel, and a well-placed left footrest. Some drivers felt they were sitting too high, though, and the door armrest is positioned a bit far away.

The front seats are two more ES high points, with plush padding and just enough bolstering on the bottom cushion and seatback to hold you in place through corners. A couple of testers felt the bottom cushion is on the short side, although we appreciate the plentiful leading-edge bottom cushion tilt.

The rear seat is super comfortable and quite spacious, with thick padding, supportive side bolsters, and generous knee room. The one demerit here is that foot space under the front seats is rather tight. The optional Executive Package on the borrowed ES 350e Luxury ratchets the comfort quotient up to an 11 with massaging rear seats, power-extendable footrests, and the ability for the rear passenger to move the front passenger seat forward to gain even more space.

Trunk space is generous. We fit two large suitcases, four overnight duffel bags, and five backpacks in our tests. Unlike many other sedans, the rear seats don’t fold down to increase cargo space, which has long been a complaint about the ES. (There is a narrow pass-through for items like skis.) There is also no front trunk (or “frunk”), unlike in some EVs, for additional storage under the hood.

The ES’ interior takes on a more minimalist look, consolidating most climate and audio functions into a 14-inch central infotainment touchscreen. Select climate controls, including temperature adjustments, are on a flush, upholstered bar under the touchscreen. While there are distinct buttons under the material that click when pressed, there’s no tactile or visible separation between them, and the small icons can be hard to see at a glance. Most other physical controls remain, including conventional turn-signal and wiper stalks, power-window switches, mirror adjustments, and steering-wheel buttons for audio, cruise control, and other features.

The ES gets the latest version of Toyota’s infotainment system, which features large, high-contrast text and icons, a customizable home screen, and quick response times. However, the edges of the central display are crowded with the onscreen climate controls. Splitting these between small icons and the flush bar below is a step back from the simple controls of the previous ES. We found the 12.3-inch driver’s instrument display mostly easy to read and use, though some of the available views appear cluttered with too much information.

Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay come standard. However, our car often struggled to reconnect to phones at startup, and many of us experienced issues maintaining a stable connection.

The ES is the first model to come with the Lexus Safety System+ 4.0 suite. Standard active safety and driver assistance features include automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking that operates at highway speeds, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic warning, lane centering assistance, lane departure warning, lane keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams.

A rear occupant alert system comes standard and is designed to remind the driver—based on rear-door logic—to check the rear seat when the ES is turned off, helping prevent children and pets from being unintentionally left behind in the vehicle. There’s also a rear belt minder that alerts the driver if a rear-seat passenger fails to buckle their seat belt at the start of a trip or unbuckles it during the drive.