An all-new Lexus ES makes its world first appearance today, signaling the introduction later this year of an eighth generation of the global luxury sedan.
Its development has focused on the concept Experience Elegant & Electrified Sedan, introducing new technologies and advanced comfort, connectivity and safety to sustain the build the model’s global reputation.
The aim has been to ensure the ES can be enjoyed by all occupants: a connected, rewarding experience and sense of always being in control for the driver and first class comfort for everyone on board. The advantages the ES has always enjoyed in ride quality, comfort and quietness have been taken to a higher level.
A new sedan for a new era
The all-new ES has been conceived as a model that addresses the priorities and concerns of today’s customers. The Lexus approach of “making luxury personal” is central to its strategy for keeping pace with people’s changing values and fulfilling their search for meaningful experiences.
This includes producing multiple solutions towards achieving carbon neutrality, giving people different technology solutions to reduce their carbon footprint. With the all-new ES, this is demonstrated in an extended model range that includes both full hybrid and battery electric powertrains, with different power options and the choice of both front and all-wheel drive.
To deliver on its “making luxury personal” promise, Lexus’ new car programme focuses on Electrification, Intelligence and Diversification, qualities that are central to the all-new ES.
The Electrification programme brings battery electric technology to Lexus’ premium sedan for the first time. Where Intelligence is concerned, the model benefits from technology innovations such as the Lexus-first “Hidden Tech” switches – made possible by Lexus’ Arene software platform – and the latest sophisticated multimedia and safety systems. With the Diversification of its model range, Lexus is designing products that can fulfil multiple roles; the ES may be a sedan in the classic style, but it has character, style and performance to appeal to customers across both the private and business sectors.
A Lexus original
The ES is an “original Lexus,” having been a fixture in the model range since the brand’s launch in 1989. In its latest iteration, it builds on its long-established reputation for luxury and refinement while increasing customer choice in electrified powertrains, in line with the Lexus Electrified vision and multi-pathway strategy towards carbon neutrality. Both self-charging hybrids and the first ES battery electric models will be offered in a line-up that will also include front and all-wheel drive options.
While the ES has been a key model for Lexus in North America and Asia for more than three decades, its arrival in Europe was more recent. It was launched in Eastern European markets with the sixth generation model in 2010, and in Western Europe with the current model in 2018.
Although the all-new ES is a larger car in every dimension than its predecessor, its Clean x Tech design delivers a sleek and elegant look, both inside and out. The investment made in comfort, refinement and luxury moves it closer to the quality, spaciousness and specifications associated with larger F-segment models. At the same time, its performance and handling, both in hybrid and battery electric versions, delivers the high levels of comfort, confidence and control that define the Lexus Driving Signature.
The development programme was based at Lexus’ Shimoyama technical centre in Japan, where planning, design, engineering and evaluation teams were able to collaborate under one roof to systematically test and refine the car.
Following its world premiere at Auto Shanghai in China today, the all-new ES will be launched in Europe with the start of sales from spring 2026. Details of local specifications will be announced in due course.
Exterior: elegance with a simple and clean design aesthetic
The ES has been developed with a new Lexus design concept – Clean Tech x Elegance.
Elegance has been a defining characteristic of successive ES generations and in this all-new model it has been further refined to blend functional elements with a greater emotional quality to produce a simple and clean design aesthetic.
The exterior styling combines a bold presence with a minimalist approach, advancing Lexus’ vision for next generation battery electric vehicle design.
In a further evolution of Lexus’ spindle-shape design hallmark, the car has a new spindle body that evokes electrified power. Overall height, width and length were calculated to produce elegant and striking proportions, while ensuring the car is comfortable to enter and exit. The positioning of the tyres underwent millimetre-level adjustment to obtain an ideal wide and low stance.
The front lights create a twin L-signature that will become a new Lexus icon detail for the electrification era. This pairs inward-facing L-shaped daytime running lights with outward-facing L-shaped turn indicators, creating a distinctive Lexus identity while also improving visibility and functionality.
The car’s side view is sleek and streamlined, projecting sense of stability and a low centre of gravity. The flowing silhouette has a “trunkless” look, with the cabin tapering sharply to the rear. It contrasts sharply with the lower body, which is defined by contrasting planar and sculpted surfaces, and powerfully contoured and aerodynamically efficient shoulders.
The rear embodies the ES’s signature elegance with a sculpted flow from the rear tyres to the boot, creating a sleek but dynamic presence. The tapering cabin accentuates the low centre of gravity, giving a sporty and athletic impression.
L-signature rear lights have been introduced, making the car instantly recognisable as a Lexus. The single light bar is seamlessly integrated with the illuminated LEXUS logo and incorporates the tail and stop lights, with other lamps moved to the outer edges. This emphasises the car’s wide stance and enhances the sculpted rear profile, while also contributing to aerodynamic performance.
Interior: simple, clean and sophisticated
Further applying the Clean Tech x Elegance design concept, Lexus has refined the ES’s interior, removing excess detail to create a simple, clean and sophisticated space. The upper cabin section is open and spacious to enhance visibility, while the lower area wraps around the occupants.
Luxurious comfort is assured with the availability of a package of features to enhance the passenger experience. The rear cabin can be fitted with reclining seats and, for the seat behind the front passenger, an ottoman leg support for an exclusive chauffeur-driven style experience. The front passenger seat has a forward-folding function to maximise rear leg room and improve the view.
Two new Lexus-first design elements make their debut in the new ES. Bamboo Layering uses advanced printing techniques and light transmission technology to create a surface illumination effect that synchronises with the cabin’s ambient illumination. Synthetic Leather Embossing produces a precise embossed pattern which combines with ambient lighting to produce a clean and modern aesthetic. The level of sensory quality is further raised by the optimal placement of the Mark Levinson Surround Sound System’s speakers to create a three-dimensional sound stage and a harmonious blend of sound and lighting in the cabin.
The cockpit is based on Lexus’ Tazuna principle, focusing the driver’s attention on the road ahead by arranging controls and information sources so they can be operated and recognised with just the slightest movement of hand and eye.
The upper section is wide open to prioritise the driver’s view, while the instrument combimeter is presented in an asymmetrical 12.3-inch digital array, allowing for a lower meter hood to be used. Material quality is raised with soft leather-like accents and dynamic lighting effects.
Battery electric ES 350e and 500e
Two battery electric ES versions will be available: the ES 350e front-wheel drive model delivering an output of 224 DIN hp / 165 kW, and the all-wheel drive ES 500e, with an output of 343 DIN hp / 252 kW. Both benefit from Lexus’ expertise in advanced electrification to unlock the full potential of the new Lexus global architecture-K platform, including new eAxles which integrate both the power control unit and transaxle. Their new design is lightweight with compact packaging that helps optimise cabin and load space. The high-capacity battery is located beneath the floor, lowering the car’s centre of gravity.
The ES 350e is expected to have a cruising range of 685 km (425 miles), while the ES 500e will offer an all-electric range of 610 km (380 miles).
The ES 500e is equipped with Lexus’ DIRECT4 intelligent electric all-wheel drive system. This provides continuous adjustment of drive torque distribution to all four wheels, according to driver inputs and the road conditions. This can vary from 100:0 to 0:100, based on data from sensors monitoring acceleration, wheel speed and steering angle. This delivers both handling stability and an engaging driving experience.
