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The Lexus ES has typically followed a similar timeline as its Toyota Camry sibling, which received a comprehensive update for 2025, introducing a sharper front and rear styling, a modernized cabin, and a standard hybrid powertrain. We've been expecting a comparable redesign for the ES, and now Lexus has refreshed the mid-size luxury sedan for the Chinese market, providing a taste of what might hit our shores within the coming years.
Like the Camry, the general body shape of the ES has been retained but with revamped designs for the front and rear fascias. The headlights feature a new take on the check-mark graphic, now flipped upside down and joined by a new V-shaped LED element that pokes outwards from the main unit. The grille sports a new design with a series of ovoid pieces cascading towards the lower edge of the car.
Around the back, the taillights are also treated to a new graphic design, with L-shaped LEDs sitting beneath a thin light bar stretching the width of the car. The more intricate taillights are complemented by a simpler rear bumper with chrome trim and red reflectors. The exhaust pipes are now hidden, and the Lexus badge has been swapped out for a spelled-out "Lexus" script.
Inside, the center touchscreen swells to 14.0 inches, up from the standard 8.0-inch and optional 12.3-inch displays currently offered. The larger screen also integrates the dials for the climate controls, as in other new Lexus products, while a volume knob sits below the screen. The HVAC vents have been shifted lower down too. The ES retains an analog clock to the left of the screen. There's an array of luxurious features, from semi-aniline leather seats to multi-layer soundproof glass and a panoramic sunroof. A 17-speaker Mark Levinson sound system is also available.
Under the hood, the Chinese-market ES comes with two powertrains. The ES200 has never been offered stateside, featuring a 2.0-liter four-cylinder. The ES300h also carries over, pairing a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine running the Atkinson combustion cycle with a permanent-magnet synchronous motor.
It is unclear how similar the changes to the ES will be for the American market, but we're almost certain an update will arrive for the 2026 model year. The ES is currently offered in the United States with three powertrains: a 203-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder in the ES250, a 302-hp 3.5-liter V-6 in the ES350, and a 215-hp hybrid in the ES300h. We wouldn't be surprised to see the ES follow the Camry by ditching the V-6 and base ES250 for a hybrid-only lineup for 2026.
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