ES-Express | PH Footnote

It's not really clear what the new electric ES is at all - apart from unmistakably, unashamedly Lexus

By Matt Bird / Thursday, 12 November 2026 / Loading comments

You wouldn’t be alone in not really knowing very much about the Lexus ES, despite the fact that this is the eighth generation of it. Partly that’s because it didn’t come to the UK until its seventh iteration (as a hybrid at the end of the 2010s), and partly because, in an EV world dominated by wild claims, it’s all extremely modest. The battery is small, performance gentle, range and charging just about average for the class. It’s the kind of car that wouldn’t make headlines on a Lexus newsletter.

Despite being offered here purely as an EV - and designed like it’s fully embracing the future - the ES350e isn’t actually even built on dedicated electric architecture. It uses an adapted version of the TGA-K architecture, so it’s front-wheel drive and without any storage up front. But then plenty of cars have been built by Lexus over the years that haven’t looked tremendously competitive on paper - probably the F cars most noticeably - that have proved much more likeable in reality.

This isn’t an under the radar Lexus F car, of course, though certainly not without considerable charm. (It’s been a while since we’ve driven a car that can’t do 100mph). Going without a frunk or a froot or whatever we’re meant to call space where an engine would usually be doesn’t matter because this thing is ruddy massive. It’s hard to know what to do with so much room. Probably such capaciousness shouldn't come as a surprise in something so physically large, but we’ve all seen plenty of new cars squander available space. Rear room is limo-grade, the boot would put some estates to shame.

It immediately makes you relax in an ES, a mindset that it’s only too happy to encourage. Bamboo is a wonderful wood to have in a car, because it’s light (and so make the space feel even greater) while also appearing expensive; the leather steering wheel is the silkiest you’ll ever touch; and everything the driver needs to use is a tactile treat in a way that many have forgotten to do. Sadly the screen is nothing special, and Lexus has probably gone from too many buttons to not enough (while keeping uniquely annoying beeps); but as an interior in which to truly destress and cocoon yourself from the harshness of the outside world, it’s brilliant.

The driving experience is entirely complementary to that vibe. Here’s an electric car that never feels in any way urgent, just sort of loping and gliding from point to point. As so many try (and almost as many fail) in trying to make a compelling driver’s car from an EV, so Lexus has leaned into what electrification does best and made this thing totally serene. It’s like driving a sauna, such is the level of relaxation and comfort. Our test car was delivered on 19-inch wheels, with 235/55 R19 tyres; it would have been less comfy driving on four marshmallows.

So while driving standards and road quality seem lower than ever in the UK, none of that really seems to matter at all in the Lexus ES. It’s so subdued and so cosseting (and with a great stereo), a proper old luxury barge the kind of which seems to have been forgotten of late in pursuit of ambient lighting and track modes. For those with a heap of miles coming up, a Lexus ES would be ideal for the task. Intended as a compliment and likely to sound like nothing of the sort, this would make a superb taxi; no time of day, no journey and no occupant would seem too bad when sat in this.

Well, mostly. The sad fact is that both range and charging only look about average given the cars that cost a similar amount. For the performance on offer they actually look pretty poor. The compromises of an adapted architecture are never far away, unfortunately. Just imagine how soothing a Lexus EV saloon might be when one’s actually built as one from the ground up.

As it is, the ES350e has to remain an outlier in a class that is supremely competitive. The EQE remains the range champ, the i5 is the driver’s choice, the Volvo ES90 is there for those that don’t want a BMW or a Mercedes… objectively speaking, this is a hard newcomer to champion. But it’s great to see that the way Lexus does its cars - equal parts weird and wonderful - continues unhindered by full on electrification.

There’s some hope for the future, basically, because electric plays into the Lexus way of doing luxury cars so well. What’s on offer now looks expensive, a bit slow and a bit overdesigned, but it’s a lovely car to spend time in. That is what a car is for, after all. And if ever a car seemed likely to depreciate, the £70k electric Lexus looks like being it…

SPECIFICATION | 2026 LEXUS ES350E

Engine: 72kWh lithium ion battery (usable), single permanent magnet synchronous motor
Transmission: Single-speed electric motor, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 224
Torque (lb ft): 198
0-62mph: 8.5 seconds
Top speed: 99mph
Weight: 2,245kg
MPG: 326-361 miles (WLTP), 3.9-3.8mi/kWh efficiency
Charging: Up to 150kW DC
Price: £68,245 (Premium Plus, 19-inch wheels)