2023 Lexus ES

Not everyone tries to play the sporty card to attract buyers, and Lexus recognizes that some people prefer comfort and luxury. The ES doesn't have the same dynamics as sportier RWD rivals like the BMW 5 Series or Genesis G80, despite a punchy 302-horsepower V6 on offer. What it does do is coddle its occupants, and even though it's been around since 2019 and is no longer new, the Lexus ES mid-size sedan is still one of the most comfortable and refined cars of its type. Its roomy interior is filled with quality materials, solid tech, and typically high long-term reliability expectations, the ES injects some style and comfort into what is a very sensible purchase done with the head, not the heart. It doesn't hurt that every safety review of the Lexus ES produces good results, rounding off a very complete car. Lexus replaces its maligned touchpad-based infotainment system this year and adds sportier trims to meet the enthusiasts halfway, but the base 203-hp four-pot still disappoints. So, has it done enough?

In terms of price, the MSRP of the new Lexus ES starts at the same $41,940 for both the ES 250 AWD and ES 350 trims. The ES 250 F Sport Design AWD and ES 350 F Sport Design trims both cost $46,525 and the ES 250 Luxury AWD and ES 350 Luxury both cost $47,110. The ES 350 F Sport Handling costs $48,400, while both the ES 250 Ultra Luxury AWD and ES 350 Ultra Luxury cost $50,730. The hybrid trims range from $43,340 to $52,130. Take note that these prices don't include the $1,150 destination fee.

One thing that soon becomes apparent is that the ES is no sports sedan. It doesn't trip over itself around corners but feels its weight, leans, and eventually succumbs to understeer to keep its balance. All very safe and predictable, but hardly any fun. The controls have been tuned for ease of driving, not race-track antics, and the light, numb steering and average brakes underscore this fact. The F Sport trims are strapped down better but still don't relish tackling corners. What the Lexus does extremely well is comfort. It glides smoothly and quietly, with excellent refinement, virtually imperceptible gear changes, and a wonderfully soft ride quality. Only the coarse voice of the base four-cylinder engine disturbs the equanimity somewhat when pushed. This is the weak link in the powertrain lineup and doesn't motivate the ES with any enthusiasm, in contrast to the smooth and powerful V6.

Most people realize that the ES doesn't have the sporty pedigree of the Europeans, but then it's also a lot cheaper than those cars - and not everyone needs sporty. The ES does comfort instead and does it very well, with a convincingly plush cabin and a quiet and smooth demeanor. The base engine is breathless and best skipped, but it's the only one offering AWD, so you can't have your V6 with AWD, which is a shame. Neither will its handling excite, despite those ambitious F Sport options, so best stick to the luxury trims and enjoy smooth, unruffled progress. The Lexus ES is sensible and comfortable and while these adjectives hardly make for exciting reading, it's perfect for its target market.

We've established that the ES is best at luxury and comfort, so we wouldn't bother with any of the F Sport trims, but we would opt for the V6 engine, as the base four-cylinder is weak and the hybrids are no better. The Luxury trim is well-specced, but mostly gains a few trim items such as leather and wood over the base version and it's still stuck with the smaller infotainment screen, so that leaves the ES 350 Ultra Luxury as the only trim with the powerful engine, 12.3-inch infotainment screen, and other additional features such as a head-up display, and a surround-view camera. This makes it our perfect ES - as long as you don't need AWD.