2025 | car reviews | lexus | lexus es | reviews | sedans
It’s been a few years since we drove the mid-size Lexus ES sedan. After receiving a makeover last year, we experienced the latest iteration of the ES 300h, the hybrid variant. While it’s not as potent as the V6-based ES 350, it’s undoubtedly more fuel efficient, and the F SPORT Handling trim we drove offers bold looks and a performance suspension for agility.
The Lexus ES remains the luxury cousin of the Toyota Camry, benefitting from the massive investments that Toyota puts into its popular sedan. The ES has a smooth, sleek design with an angular front end, a long hood, and a short tail. The ES 300h comes in five grades: base, Luxury, Ultra Luxury, F SPORT Design, and F SPORT Handling. The latter is near the top of the price range due to its combination of aesthetic and mechanical upgrades. It has a unique FSPORT front bumper, grille surround, and rear spoiler, and rides on 19-inch five-spoke alloy wheels in gloss black. While the F SPORT Design gets those as well, the Handling adds performance dampers, an adaptive variable suspension, and additional drive modes.
Behind that prominent spindle grille is a 2.5-liter inline 4-cylinder engine and electric motor combination producing 215 horsepower. Power is sent to the front wheels via a continuously variable transmission. That combination results in a tame 0-to-60 mph time of 8.1 seconds. On the plus side, the CVT is smooth and quiet. In this case, the hybrid drivetrain isn’t designed for high performance, but it does sip fuel. With a combined fuel economy of 44 MPG and a 13.2-gallon fuel tank, the ES 300h can go roughly 580 miles between fill-ups. Strangely, the Camry’s hybrid can output 225 horsepower and up to 232 horses in its AWD trims. The ES 300h is FWD only. If you want a quicker ES, you’ll need to upgrade to the ES 350, which has a 302 horsepower V6 and an 8-speed automatic transmission.
While it’s not speedy off the line, the ES 300h shines in the handling department. An adaptive variable suspension system dynamically adjusts damping based on road conditions and stiffens up nicely in Sport+ mode. Combined with the added steering weight in that mode, it offers an engaging drive that feels confident and controlled. The cabin is nice and quiet, body roll is well managed, and unwanted vibrations have been banished.
The red and black F SPORT interior is showy but stands out nicely. The NuLuxe seats are indistinguishable from leather, and we love the subtly striped look of the Hadori Aluminum trim featured across the top of the dashboard and door panels. Aluminum sport pedals, a leather shift boot and leather-wrapped steering wheel with red stitching round out the look. There are also paddle shifters, but they seem superfluous in a car with a CVT. The front seats have a good amount of side and bottom bolstering and offer plenty of adjustability – though not as much as the Luxury and Ultra Luxury grades do. Heated and ventilated seating surfaces provide added comfort no matter the weather outside. Both the driver’s seat and power-adjustable steering wheel have memory for multiple drivers.
Lexus continues to pack their cars with technology. The multimedia touchscreen is powered by the latest Lexus Interface system, which is clean, intuitive, and responsive. Cloud-based navigation comes standard in most grades, as does an 8-inch touchscreen. Our car was outfitted with the larger 12.3-inch display flanked by an analog Lexus clock. We’re pleased that Lexus stuck with tactile controls for the climate control, volume, and media settings. In addition to the wireless charging pad, we counted three USB-C and one USB-A port between the center stack and the center console storage bin. Other features include adaptive cruise control and lane centering, which reduce fatigue on the highway. The backup and surround-view cameras are as crisp and clear as we’ve seen, and the optional head-up display helps keep your eyes on the road ahead. The 10-speaker factory audio system is better than most, offering excellent imaging and crisp mids and highs.
Rear seat comfort is excellent in the ES 300h. There’s plenty of legroom and kneeroom for taller passengers, and the seats are nicely cushioned. While the drivetrain tunnel takes up some floor space, the center console doesn’t stick too far into the second row, so the middle seat is reasonably usable. Flip the middle seatback down when not in use, and you’ll find a cushy armrest and a pair of cupholders. Back-row passengers also have access to a pair of USB-C ports, a 12-volt DC outlet, and their own vents. We would have liked to have seen heated rear seats, which have become commonplace in luxury vehicles.
Since Lexus placed the hybrid drive battery pack beneath the back seat, trunk space is good. There’s 13.9 cubic feet, enough for four rollaboard suitcases or two sets of golf clubs. While the back seats don’t fold down, there is a small passthrough to carry longer items like skis.
We enjoyed our week with the 2025 Lexus ES 300h. It’s a handsome and upscale sedan with a smooth and quiet ride. Its interior is spacious, and its powertrain provides excellent fuel economy. The F SPORT Handling grade has bold looks and an enjoyable but well-behaved suspension system. It won’t win any awards in the acceleration department, but there’s always the V6 model for that. We are perplexed that the Camry offers a bit more power and an AWD variant for less money, but the interior of the Lexus is fancier than the Toyota’s. The base price for the 2025 Lexus ES 300h F SPORT Handling is $50,910. Our car had a sticker price of $53,585, including delivery, processing, and handling fees.