Lexus ES (2026)

Keith Barry is highly positive about the 2026 Lexus ES 500e, especially its exceptional quietness, supple ride, and road-trip comfort. He praises the spacious rear seat, polished interior details, intuitive controls, and well-tuned brakes, calling it unusually refined among electric sedans. The ES is not the fastest, longest-range, or quickest-charging EV, and its lack of one-pedal driving, frunk, folding rear seats, standard surround-view camera, and occasional phone-connectivity glitches are meaningful compromises. Still, Barry views those drawbacks as secondary to the Lexus’s comfort-first mission, concluding that it makes a compelling, livable luxury EV.

Edmunds is positive about the 2026 Lexus ES 350e, but clearly sees it as a comfort-first EV rather than a performance sedan. Its standout strengths are quietness, generous space, upscale features, intuitive technology, and strong value versus the BMW i5, Audi A6 e-tron, Mercedes EQE, and Lucid Air. Edmunds’ testing found nearly 293 miles of range and competitive efficiency, though charging is slower than rivals. The 221-hp front-drive model feels sluggish above 60 mph, while the ride is less plush than the previous ES and lacks one-pedal driving. Overall, it’s a compelling, affordable luxury EV if serenity matters more than speed.

Mike Danger is broadly positive about the 2026 Lexus ES, especially its striking design, exceptionally roomy and comfortable cabin, quiet ride, and polished technology. He found the 244-hp ES 350h hybrid capable and impressively efficient, with predictable brakes and strong long-distance comfort. Still, the light steering feels uninvolving, the four-cylinder gets unpleasantly loud under hard acceleration, and EV versions lack a front trunk; he also wishes for more range and an F Sport variant. Overall, he sees the ES as a refined, practical luxury sedan with flexible electrified powertrains, though more comfortable than exciting.

Nathan Ponchard is highly impressed by the 2026 Lexus ES, calling its ride and refinement borderline exceptional. He praises the enormous rear-seat space, quiet adaptive-damper-equipped drive, strong efficiency, and convincing luxury value, arguing the ES feels like a $150,000 sedan for far less. The styling grows more distinctive with time, and the ES 500e’s performance adds welcome depth without undermining comfort. However, the cabin feels plasticky in places, the hidden controls and audio interface are fiddly, rear headroom suffers under the panoramic roof, and the driver-monitoring system is maddeningly intrusive. Overall, enthusiasm clearly outweighs the caveats.

Redline Reviews is highly impressed by the 2026 Lexus ES, especially the hybrid. The redesigned sedan feels genuinely more upscale, with a serene ride, spacious rear seat, polished cabin, quick infotainment, and impressive efficiency. After driving all three powertrains, the ES 350h AWD emerged as the sweet spot: its 244 horsepower feels sufficient, while roughly 600 miles of range and strong fuel economy beat the EVs’ practicality for many buyers. The ES 500e is surprisingly quick and exceptionally quiet, but unnecessary for most ES shoppers. Criticisms include no hybrid Luxury trim, limited rear-seat flexibility, missing conveniences, and styling details he finds questionable.

Doug DeMuro is highly impressed by the 2026 Lexus ES, despite finding it decidedly unexciting. He praises its exceptionally quiet, soft ride, comfortable seats, roomy rear cabin, useful technology, futuristic controls, and outstanding hybrid efficiency. The redesigned styling is unusually bold for an ES, though Doug finds some exterior details awkward. He criticizes the limited gauge configurability, climate controls buried in the touchscreen, missing rear storage and climate controls, and lack of athletic handling. Still, he considers it an exceptionally refined, efficient, affordable luxury sedan—arguably the best choice for buyers who prioritize relaxed comfort over performance.

Kirk Kreifels is highly enthusiastic about the 2026 Lexus ES 350h, calling it the best non-plug-in hybrid he has driven. He praises its exceptionally quiet, smooth powertrain, elite comfort, strong acceleration, and fuel economy exceeding 40 mpg even on hilly roads. He prefers it decisively over the ES 350e, which feels heavier, slower, and less compelling for its price. Still, the ES is not flawless: ride quality falls short of the class’s best, steering is numb, climate controls lack a physical fan button, and early-build rattles raise concern. Overall, he considers the hybrid nearly an excellent purchase, though pricing and limited trim availability hurt its value.

Micah Muzio likes the all-new 2026 Lexus ES, though its angular styling may take time to appreciate. He praises the quiet cabin, generous rear-seat space, intuitive controls, smooth hybrid transitions, and satisfying ES 500e acceleration. The hybrid feels nearly as refined as the EV while offering an impressive 604-mile indicated range, making it appealing for long-distance commuters. Ride quality on 19-inch wheels is firmer and more road-connected than traditional ES buyers may expect, while the brakes feel slightly spongy. Overall, Micah views the hybrid/EV strategy as savvy and the ES as comfortable, modern, and efficient, with untapped sporty potential.

Mark Takahashi is strongly positive about the 2026 Lexus ES, especially its comfort, quietness, spacious rear seat, and polished interior. He finds the 350h’s performance merely adequate, with noticeable engine noise under hard acceleration, soft brakes, and unremarkable handling, but sees those as acceptable trade-offs for a relaxed luxury sedan. The improved infotainment, quality materials, usable trunk, and pricing below German rivals add to its appeal. Intriguingly, he would choose the less expensive ES 350e or 500e EV instead, making the hybrid a good recommendation primarily for buyers prioritizing convenience and range.

Car Confections is strongly impressed by the 2026 Lexus ES, especially its exceptionally smooth ride, quiet cabin, comfortable seats, spacious rear quarters, advanced infotainment, and impressive 44-mpg AWD hybrid efficiency. Compared with the Toyota Crown, the ES feels more refined and technologically modern, though it gives up power, real leather, heated rear seats, cargo capacity, a spare tire, and slightly better resale value. The team views it as a comfort-first luxury sedan rather than a sporty one: one host would choose the Crown for its punchier Hybrid Max powertrain, while the other prefers the ES for its serene, efficient, spacious character.

MotorWeek is clearly positive about the 2026 Lexus ES, portraying it as a smooth, polished evolution rather than a radical rethink. Both electric versions and the ES 350h hybrid feel exceptionally refined, with the EVs—especially the quieter, heavier-feeling 350e—offering effortless road manners. The 500e is quicker, but MotorWeek considers the 350e plenty capable. A soft-yet-sturdy ride, upscale materials, new 14-inch infotainment, and available executive rear-seat features strengthen its luxury appeal. With competitive pricing and a choice of EV or hybrid powertrains, the ES comes across as a comfortable, compelling family and commuter sedan.

Raiti’s Rides is highly enthusiastic about the 2026 Lexus ES 350e, calling it a compelling luxury alternative to the Tesla Model 3. He praises its exceptionally comfortable seats, quiet cabin, attractive two-tone interior, clear displays, intuitive controls, lack of gloss-black trim, and roughly 307-mile range. The front-drive EV’s 221 horsepower and 6.4-second acceleration feel sufficient, while its familiar driving character and strong refinement suit daily commuting. Criticisms include the odd front-end trim, uncovered gauge-cluster hood, limited storage, no one-pedal driving, and low charge during testing. Overall, he views it as a polished, comfortable, easy-to-live-with electric sedan.

David Koichi Chao is highly enthusiastic about the 2026 Lexus ES, calling it the best generation yet. He praises its world-class panel and paint quality, upscale interior, roomy rear seating, smooth and exceptionally quiet ride, improved steering, safety technology, and choice of hybrid or EV powertrains. His hands-on measurements and factory experience add credibility, while the ES 350e’s VIP rear-seat package stands out as a genuinely luxurious feature. Still, he questions the lack of a plug-in hybrid, the 350e’s modest acceleration, limited VIP availability, and the sedan’s shrinking market. Overall, he considers it an unusually refined, efficient, and compelling alternative to crossovers.

Allcarnews is strongly impressed by the 2026 Lexus ES 350h, especially its serene ride, huge rear seat, and exceptional real-world efficiency. After living with it for several days, the channel recorded over 40 mpg routinely and above 50 mpg on a highway trip, making it an appealing commuter and long-distance sedan. The quick infotainment, improved physical controls, radiant heating, and Mark Levinson audio also earn praise. Still, the bold styling needs adjustment, handling is deliberately soft, and some cabin plastics and trim feel below traditional Lexus standards. The missing hybrid Luxury trim is another disappointment, but overall it remains a compelling, comfort-first value.