The new Lexus ES has launched in South Africa. We got behind the wheel of the eighth generation in Cape Town. First impressions here…
What are we driving and why is it significant?
Founded in 1989, Toyota Motor Corporation’s luxury division, Lexus, first entered the all-important US market with two executive sedans, the LS 400 and ES 250. Notably, the ES introduced elevated levels of luxury and comfort, including more premium materials throughout, and improved NVH compared with the second-generation Camry on which it was based.
While the success of the ‘Lexus’ nameplate led to its introduction to its Japanese home market in 2005 and to other markets, including South Africa, in 2006, the global rise in the popularity of raised-ride-height vehicles, of which Lexus currently offers six products, has subsequently put pressure on sedan sales. Consolidating its sedan portfolio, the brand has dropped models like the IS and LS and prioritised the eighth-generation ES.
Significantly, the new ES is offered in South Africa with a petrol-hybrid and, for the first time, an all-electric powertrain.
What’s new on the Lexus ES?
Sharing its TNGA-K underpinnings with the impressive new RAV4, the new ES is an altogether larger vehicle than the generation it replaces. This includes an 80 mm increase in wheelbase, unlocking new levels of comfort and interior space.
A more intricate design than that of the seventh-generation car, the new ES also introduces several key design elements that both cloak its proportions (including a 5.1-metre overall length) and make it a more “interesting” car to look at. These include a toned-down spindle grille, integrated door handles, a dramatic swage line running along its flanks, and an almost fastback profile that makes the boot less of a feature. Including more generous rear passenger legroom than what’s offered in a modern Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Lexus claims 441 litres of luggage space in the 350h, slightly smaller than the 350e’s owing to the packaging of the hybrid car’s battery.
The new ES is available in South Africa in two trim levels, EX and SE. The entry-level model, sold exclusively in 350h, is already impressively well equipped, including faux leather upholstery, digital instrumentation and a 14-inch infotainment display. The SE grade adds a premium Mark Levinson audio system, climate control, ambient lighting, upgraded sound-deadening technology, and one of the nicest-to-touch steering wheels on the market. A neat inclusion is backlit haptic controls on the multifunction steering wheel and climate control bar that illuminate when sensing your touch.
What does the Lexus ES cost?
The ES 350h is priced from R1 051 200 for the EX derivative and R1 232 700 for the SE. The ES 350e retails for R1 561 000. The ES ships with a seven-year/105 000 km maintenance plan and warranty, with an eight-year/160 000 km warranty on the batteries fitted to both the hybrid and all-electric models.
- Lexus ES 350h EX — R1 051 200
- Lexus ES 350h SE — R1 232 700
- Lexus ES 350e SE — R1 561 000
What are the Lexus ES’s rivals?
The modern rivals to the ES 350h include the Audi A5, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and the soon-to-be-launched new BMW 3 Series. The all-electric ES competes against the BMW i4 and Volvo ES90.
What is the Lexus ES like to drive?
With a claimed range of over 600 km, my time spent behind the wheel of the all-electric ES was made more pleasant by this new Lexus’ excellent ride quality, quiet cabin and premium appointments. For now, though, I imagine the hybrid versions will resonate best with the South African market.
Here, the impressively refined powertrain, combined with an advanced continuously variable transmission (CVT), seamlessly shifts between electric propulsion and the 2.5-litre petrol engine. A suitably refined powertrain only ever heard when pushed beyond its comfort zone; maintaining a leisurely pace, I recorded an average fuel consumption of just 5.6 L/100 km over my Western Cape-based test route.
Verdict
While never feeling particularly sporty or dynamically inclined, and again complemented by an impressively quiet cabin, the ES exudes the best of the Camry’s legendary comfort and cruising ability with a level of refinement and sophistication associated with the evolved Lexus badge.
Priced on par with the modern NX SUV, which shares underpinnings and its powertrain with the ES, while monthly sales will likely favour the raised-ride-height sibling, the new ES serves as another reminder of the overall refinement and, indeed, sophistication of a well-engineered sedan, especially one with Camry DNA.
Lexus ES 350h EX specifications
- Price: R1 051 200
- Engine: 2.5-litre, four-cylinder, petrol + electric motor
- Transmission: CVT
- Driven wheels: front
- Power: 139 kW @ 6 000 r/min
- Torque: 235 N.m @ 4 000-5 000 r/min
- Total power output: 189 kW
- Top speed: 200 km/h (claimed)
- Fuel consumption: 4.4 L/100km (claimed)
- CO2 emissions: 101 g/km (claimed)
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