Lexus ES 300h (seventh generation, 2018-2025): model history, the hybrid and the character of the saloon
Lexus ES 300h review: a quiet front-wheel-drive hybrid saloon with 218 hp and a 454 l boot. History, facelifts, how it drives and who it suits in Warsaw.
In short. The Lexus ES 300h in the Aurex fleet is a quiet saloon for long drives and for meeting guests. It is a front-wheel-drive full hybrid of the seventh generation: 160 kW combined (218 hp to DIN), an e-CVT, 8.9 s to 100 km/h and a 454 l boot. It never needs plugging in.
The seventh-generation ES: history and place in the range
The manufacturer calls the model the seventh generation of the ES, launched in 2018. For Western and Central Europe it is the first ES sold there. Sales in the region began in December 2018, the platform is GA-K (Global Architecture K), and the generation was built from 2018 to 2025.
In Western and Central Europe the ES is offered in a single version, as the ES 300h. Other markets had petrol variants: 3.5 V6, 2.5 and 2.0. The manufacturer names no engine more or less powerful than the hybrid in the Western and Central European range, so “plain ES” here always means the hybrid.
The fleet car is described by the Lexus ES 300h listing: it has the rental terms and trip ideas, while this article looks at the model itself. The Aurex catalogue gives the car’s year as 2021. That falls at the facelift boundary, so our team will confirm the exact version of the fleet car when you book. For most customers it does not matter: system power, acceleration and speed are the same in Lexus documents before and after the update.
In Lexus UK’s October 2021 release, the model is presented in four trim levels: ES, Premium Edition, F SPORT and Takumi. The F SPORT has 19-inch wheels and sportier bumpers, and ten-way electric adjustment of the front seats is stated for Premium and Takumi.
The 2021 facelift and model year 2023
The world premiere of the updated ES took place on 19 April 2021. Lexus scheduled European sales for later in 2021, and Lexus UK assigns the changes of October 2021 to model year 2022. If “2021” appears in an advert or in documents, it can be either of the two versions.
Lexus names these technical changes in the facelift:
- the rear suspension braces moved from a single-leaf to a double-leaf design, and torsional rigidity increased;
- the brake pedal has a larger contact area;
- the radar and camera of the Lexus Safety System+ were updated.
The powertrain was not touched. The 2018 and 2021 releases for Western and Central Europe name one and the same fourth-generation hybrid with a combined 218 hp to DIN (160 kW).
The next step came with model year 2023: production from August 2022, deliveries from October 2022. A new multimedia system arrived, with cloud navigation and the Hey Lexus voice assistant, along with wireless Apple CarPlay and a revised console with two cup holders. The F SPORT Design trim with black 19-inch wheels was added.
The hybrid system: what is in it and how it works
Lexus calls the layout Self-Charging Hybrid. A four-cylinder petrol Atkinson-cycle engine works together with an electric motor, and the system recharges the traction battery itself: neither a cable nor a charging station is needed. The car is refuelled with petrol. For a short trip this means there is nothing to plan except refuelling.
The electric motor is a permanent-magnet synchronous one. The battery is nickel-metal hydride, 244.8 V, made up of 204 cells, and sits under the rear seat. Lexus does not give the capacity in kilowatt-hours. The gearbox is an e-CVT, and drive goes to the front wheels only.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Petrol engine | straight-four, Atkinson cycle, 2487 cm3, bore and stroke 87.5 and 103.4 mm |
| Engine power and torque | 131 kW (178 hp to DIN) at 5700 rpm, 221 Nm at 3600-5200 rpm |
| Electric motor | 88 kW (120 bhp), 202 Nm |
| System power | 160 kW (218 hp to DIN) |
| Gearbox and drive | e-CVT, front-wheel drive |
| Acceleration 0-100 km/h | 8.9 s |
| Speed limit | 112 mph, which is about 180 km/h |
| Kerb weight and gross weight | 1680-1742 kg depending on trim, gross 2150 kg |
| Length, width, height | 4975, 1865 and 1445 mm |
| Ground clearance | 150 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2870 mm |
| Track | front axle 1525 mm, rear 1520 mm |
| Boot and tank | 454 l by the VDA method, tank 50 l |
| CO2 emissions by WLTP | from 119 g/km |
The combined 160 kW can be found in two notations: 218 hp to DIN and 215 bhp in British documents. It is the same figure on different scales, not two versions of the engine. The 112 mph in the Lexus UK technical document corresponds to about 180 km/h. The Lexus Italia spec sheet records the same 180 km/h as a factory electronic limit, so a higher figure should not be expected. The 8.9 s acceleration is also confirmed by the Lexus Germany price list for October 2021.
How the ES 300h drives, according to the press
Top Gear’s overall verdict: the car was built for calm, not for driver involvement.
The quiet cabin earned several commendations. Lexus engineers used noise-absorbing solutions, among them wheels with cavities against droning, and reviews call the cabin very quiet. At a steady speed the ride is smooth.
The powertrain gets less praise. The CVT responds to the throttle in a rubbery way, which creates a sense of sluggishness. Under load the engine drones on one note, and overtaking has to be planned in advance: do not expect a sharp response.
Reviewers are restrained about the chassis. When the pace rises, it is called bland, and the dynamic benchmarks are the BMW 5 Series and the Jaguar XF. Steering feedback is rated acceptable. Top Gear considers the best use of the car to be journeys between cities in automatic mode: on a long road, a smooth ride and a quiet cabin matter more than liveliness.
Interior and practicality
According to the Lexus Italia spec sheet, there are five seats. Lexus gives the distance between the seats of front and rear passengers as 1022 mm. The hybrid battery sits under the rear seat, and the boot holds 454 l by the VDA method. Whether large suitcases fit depends on their shape, so bulky luggage is best discussed with our team before pick-up.
Digital side cameras instead of mirrors are available on the ES as an option, in Europe since February 2020. According to Top Gear’s description, the option replaces the mirrors with 5-inch screens. Whether they are fitted to the fleet car, our team will confirm when you book.
The ES has no spare wheel: it comes with a tyre repair kit instead. For a long trip this is a reason to ask our team in advance about the condition of the car’s tyres.
The ES 300h in Poland: dimensions, toll roads, rivals
The width is 1865 mm, and Lexus does not say whether it includes the mirrors. The width with mirrors is not found in the documents, so allow extra room in narrow courtyards and underground car parks in Stare Miasto. The turning radius, measured at the tyre, is 5.8-5.9 m, and the 4975 mm length affects the choice of parking space.
A passenger car in Poland does not need a vignette, and toll sections of motorways are paid separately. Warsaw has the Clean Transport Zone (SCT) in the centre. Whether a specific car meets its rules, our team will confirm when you book; the rules are covered in the article on Warsaw’s low-emission zones. A drive out of town in the ES is best planned as an unhurried day, and trip options from the capital are collected in the piece on road trips from Warsaw.
Among class rivals Top Gear names the Volvo S90 and compares the ES with it directly, as a sensible executive saloon. The dynamic benchmark is the BMW 5 Series, and the Audi A6, which is also in the Aurex fleet, is named among the class rivals. The ES chassis is rated bland, and the car’s strengths lie in quietness and a calm ride.
Who it suits and who it doesn’t
It suits:
- drivers who need a saloon for journeys between cities in automatic mode, without stops to charge;
- those meeting guests: the cabin is quiet, the boot is 454 l and there are five seats;
- those who value smoothness at a steady speed over a response to every movement of the pedal.
It doesn’t suit:
- those who expect a lively response: the CVT reacts in a rubbery way, and overtaking has to be planned;
- those who want tight, controlled driving: on a dynamic road the chassis is called bland, and the BMW 5 Series and Jaguar XF benchmarks feel livelier;
- those who need a spare wheel: the ES has none, only a repair kit;
- those who want to overtake predictably on a motorway: the CVT and an engine droning on one note need a margin of distance.
FAQ
How does the Lexus ES 300h after the 2021 facelift differ from the earlier version? The powertrain stayed the same: a fourth-generation hybrid with 218 hp to DIN. What changed was the suspension (the rear braces), the brake pedal with a larger contact area, and the radar and camera of the safety system. The styling and interior were also updated, and the new multimedia system came later, with model year 2023.
What changed in the ES 300h for model year 2023? Production began in August 2022, with deliveries from October 2022. A new multimedia system with cloud navigation and the Hey Lexus assistant arrived, along with wireless Apple CarPlay and a console with two cup holders. The F SPORT Design trim with black 19-inch wheels was added.
Which Lexus ES trims are named in Lexus UK documents? Lexus UK documents name the ES, Premium Edition, F SPORT and Takumi. The F SPORT has 19-inch wheels and sportier bumpers, and ten-way electric adjustment of the front seats is stated for Premium and Takumi. Our team will confirm which trim the fleet car has when you book.
What are the digital side cameras instead of mirrors on the ES? It is an option: screens of 5 inches replace the mirrors. In Europe it has been available since February 2020. Whether a specific car has it, our team will confirm when you book.
What are the rivals of the Lexus ES 300h? Top Gear compares it with the Volvo S90 as a sensible executive saloon. The BMW 5 Series is named as the dynamic benchmark, and the Audi A6 is mentioned among the class rivals. In the magazine’s view, the ES’s main quality is calm, not activity.
Does the eighth-generation ES of 2026 apply to this car? No. The eighth generation came out in 2026, its length is 5140 mm, and its ES 300h produces 148 kW. It has nothing to do with the seventh generation of 2018-2025, and the other figures in this article apply only to the seventh generation.