2023 Lexus ES 300h Review
Price Range: $36,793 - $46,998





+182
Great
8.1
out of 10
edmunds TESTED
The 2023 Lexus ES 300h is one of just a few luxury midsize hybrid sedans. Fuel economy is excellent, and the 300h handles surprisingly well and retains the Lexus hallmark focus on comfort and serenity. European plug-in hybrids are typically sportier, but the ES remains one of today's best all-around performers.
2023 Lexus ES 300h Review
by the Edmunds Experts
What's new
- F Sport Design and F Sport Handling trims
- Updated infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Redesigned center console
- Part of the seventh Lexus ES generation introduced for 2019
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2023 Lexus ES 300h 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $2.85 per gallon for regular unleaded in New Hampshire.
Monthly estimates based on costs in New Hampshire
$82/mo for ES 300h Base
ES 300h Base
vs
$191/mo
Avg. Large Car
See Edmunds pricing data
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Reliability Ratings by RepairPal
4.5 out of 5 stars4.5/5Excellent
#2 out of 68 among Luxury Midsize Cars
RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.
Cost
The average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs and maintenance across all model years of the Lexus ES 300h from 2008-2022.$339/yr
vs. $607/yr
for Average Luxury Midsize Car
for Average Luxury Midsize Car
Frequency
The average number of times this model is brought into the shop for unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a single year. RepairPal calculates this metric by tracking millions of unique vehicles over multiple years to determine an average number of visits per year (omitting small routine visits, e.g., oil changes).0.47x/yr
vs. 1.36x/yr
for Average Luxury Midsize Car
for Average Luxury Midsize Car
Severity
The probability that a repair will be a major issue, meaning the repair costs 3x the average annual repair cost for all models. This threshold will be higher for vehicles that have higher labor rates and parts costs (such as a premium brand).5.6%
vs. 10.5%
for Average Luxury Midsize Car
for Average Luxury Midsize Car
powered by RepairPal Based on RepairPal reliability data as of 8/23/2023. Ratings are provided by RepairPal and Edmunds is not responsible for their accuracy.
Lexus ES 300h Reviews
Owner Reviews
5(73%)
4(10%)
3(10%)
2(0%)
1(7%)
Most Helpful Owner Reviews
Trending topics
Lexus ES Hybrid - Generally a great car
4 out of 5 starsAnthony1977, 03/22/2022
2022 Lexus ES 300h 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
Have had my ES Hybrid for about 4 months and 6000 miles now, including a 2500 mile round trip from Pennsylvania to Florida. My average mpg over those 6k miles is sitting right at 39. A bit disappointing given the EPA ratings, but still pretty good given the size of the car. My best tank was 43 while doing local driving on flat roads in Florida - my worst tank was 36 on the trip home … from Florida moving fairly "briskly." Hopefully my average improves as we move out of winter - gas mix will change and the gas engine definitely runs more often with the HVAC system engaged as one would expect.
This review may seem mpg focused, but I imagine that's why most folks would be interested in the hybrid version vs. the standard gas engine version, as you do give up some "performance" for the better mileage. Otherwise there is not much to complain about - I personally love the looks of the very mildly updated 2022 model with the new 10 spoke wheel design in Cloudburst Gray. I had been shopping between this and an Avalon Hybrid, but in my opinion the Lexus is better looking, had much better selection (at least in November '21,) and the pricing was very similar - Toyota was marking up their limited stock while I got $1k off my Lexus that was a perfect match to the limited options I was looking for.
The dealership experience was about as pleasant and low-pressure as one could ask for, and I have not had any problems with the car to date. I did look at a leftover '21 model as well in November, but that touchpad-only display interface was not very good. The '22 models still have the touchpad, but the screen is now a touchscreen as well and I use that - for me it's fairly straightforward and easy to use. Car is great for highway cruising - you do get noise from that 4cylinder engine when it's accelerating, but that's one of the hybrid tradeoffs. The rear seat doesn't fold down (there is a small pass-through) which bugged me at first, but in 6000 miles it hasn't come up once.
All in all, if you're looking for a large/luxury sedan that gets great mileage and you're not ready for the jump to a full-electric vehicle you really can't go wrong with the ES hybrid - and you don't really have many other options on the market. No regrets from this buyer - I'd update from 4 star to 5 star if I could consistently hit the EPA figures like others have.
UPDATE1: Now has been about 10 months since I took delivery and I have 13.5k miles on the car, with another round trip from PA to FL. The lifetime average is sitting right around 41mpg. Still a very happy customer - not a single issue over that time. I have the "Rich Creme" interior color which looks sharp, but every few month I do use a leather cleaner in the high-traffic areas to keep it looking good. And now that my wife has given in and started to drive it she likes it too - she's looking at a NX Hybrid for her next vehicle refresh...
UPDATE2: Now has been about 22 months since I took delivery in Nov 2021 and just under 30k miles on the car. Lifetime average improved to 42mpg and seems to have leveled off. Still very happy with the purchase - great for my PA to FL runs and not a single reliability issue. Only complaint about the first 30k miles is the stock Bridgestone Turanza EL440 that the car came with. These were worn out at about 28k miles, even with highway driving and regular rotations so that was strike one against them. Wasn't until I replaced with a set of Michelin CrossClimate2 that I realized how much louder the stock tires were - new tires are much quieter, and perform much better in wet conditions. Time will tell how much MPG I've sacrificed for less road noise and better performance but if it's a small delta it will be worth it.
A great place to be on long drive or daily commute
5 out of 5 starsMr. H, 01/24/2022
2022 Lexus ES 300h 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
This car is not a highly engaging sports sedan meant for canyon carving. However, this car is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING at being what it is built for; a luxurious, comfortable, smooth driving, great mpg, well put together, lovely place to be. The driving dynamics are a nice improvement over prior model years, (we owned a 2018 ES 350 previously). The interior is super spacious, quiet, and feels … very upscale. Lexus NuLuxe material is a good leather alternative that softens with age and wears really well. Our 4+ year old ES 350 still looked new inside. Apple car play is not wireless, but plug it in and it works seamlessly. The new touch screen is the vast improvement we needed the most over the prior generation infotainment. Physical knobs and buttons for the A/C and Audio are convenient rather than sorting through screens. At the end of the day, Toyota knows how to build hybrids. This car is a wonderful vehicle, solid value, which I expect will have have insane durability and great long term reliability that we have all come to recognize as a core of Lexus vehicles. Fill up the tank and your next stop could be 600+ miles down the road.
2022 Lexus ESh
5 out of 5 starsG Sledge, 02/01/2022
2022 Lexus ES 300h Luxury 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
I’ve only owned it for a couple of days so far but I am pleasantly pleased with the car and technology. I’m learning new things every time I drive it. The LTA in cruise control is cool. But I guess the most impressive thing for me is the mileage. I’ve gone 170 miles in only a quarter of a tank!!!
2/23/22:
Recent purchase of the Lexus ES 300H. One of the main reasons for the purchase … was the hybrid gas mileage and range. I am very pleased that I have driven over 1100 miles so far and the 43 mpg is as advertised. I also love all of the techie stuff.
Bold & Beautiful
5 out of 5 starsPatrick NC, 12/08/2021
2022 Lexus ES 300h F SPORT 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
I have been watching this car for a while from afar. The style of Lexus is evident throughout. It performs quite well on the highway and around town. The only negative aspects for me is the lack of Android Auto and there not being a delay in power off after killing the engine. Sometimes you want to listen to the radio after arriving at the destination without having to enter Aux mode. … Love the car! Great on gas as expected and a very smooth, quiet ride.
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2023 Lexus ES 300h, so we've included reviews for other years of the ES 300h since its last redesign.
2023 ES 300h Highlights
Base
Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee | $43,340 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Hybrid |
Combined MPG | 44 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $82/month |
Seating | 5 seats |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 13.9 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Warranty | 4 years / 50,000 miles |
Safety
Our experts like the ES 300h models:
- Lexus Safety System+ 2.5
- Bundles a variety of standard driver assist and collision avoidance features.
- Blind-Spot Warning with Rear Cross-Traffic Warning
- Alerts you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while in reverse.
- Panoramic View Monitor
- Gives you a top-down view of the ES 300h and its surroundings for tight parking situations.
NHTSA Overall Rating
5 out of 5 starsThe National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverall4 / 5Driver5 / 5Passenger4 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverall5 / 5
- Side Barrier RatingOverall5 / 5Driver5 / 5Passenger5 / 5
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront Seat5 / 5Back Seat5 / 5
- RolloverRollover4 / 5Dynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of Rollover10.5%
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