2026 Lexus ES

If you thought the current Lexus ES was a quaint little throwback machine with its commonplace internal-combustion powertrains, subdued styling, and classic interior, you can throw all of that right out the window. What you're looking at is indeed a Lexus ES, but it's been thoroughly redone for the modern era. There's very new styling, a fresh interior, and a plethora of electrified powertrains coming. Here's everything we know so far.

This isn't some funky concept, but the car you will soon see on the road — this is the real deal. It looks like someone put an RZ in a panini press and said, "There it is; off you go." It is completely unrecognizable from the svelte classically proportioned car that it replaces. Whether or not its design is a success, we'll leave to you. But it's safe to say the new design is going to take at least a little getting used to. 

The new ES is also a physically larger car than the one it replaces. Overall length now measures 203.3 inches, more than half a foot longer than before. Its wheelbase has also grown by 3 inches to 116.1 inches, which will hopefully benefit stability and passenger space. 

Hybrid and fully electric options

The new ES will offer multiple different powertrain options, all of which will be electrified in some way. The first is one we'll be familiar with. The hybrid ES is making a return, but this time it's called the ES 350h, not 300h. It'll feature Lexus' sixth-generation hybrid system. 

The system combines a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine with a small battery pack and an electric motor. Total output is rated at around 248 horsepower, a significant bump from the current 300h's 215 horses. We don't have mpg estimates just yet, however. 

But the ES is also going fully electric. There will be two different versions of the electric ES to pick from too: the ES 350e, which will have one electric motor and be front-wheel-drive, and the ES 500e, which will be all-wheel-drive. 

Power for the ES 350e is rated at 224 horsepower, and range is a Lexus-estimated 300 miles, while the ES 500e makes around 340 horsepower and will likely have less range than its front-wheel-drive counterpart. Lexus also says that the ES' max charging capability is 150 kW and that in ideal weather conditions it will take around 30 minutes to charge up from 10% to 80%. 

It's worth noting these figures are all preliminary and will likely change once the car is validated for sale in the U.S., but we'll be sure to update this piece as official specs roll in. 

This interior is a whole new world

Move inside the new ES and it's clear Lexus was not keen on keeping the ES' classic, button-heavy (and admittedly very user-friendly) interior space. Gone are most of the physical controls, replaced by a capacitive touch bar that rests underneath the new infotainment screen. That 14-inch screen dominates the experience of the cabin. It looks a lot like Lexus designers used a Tesla Model 3 for inspiration (something we aren't so sure was a great idea). 

The Lexus infotainment we've become used to over the last few years has received an overhaul and will look quite different when the screen is, well, on. It also now has a home button, and hopefully this panel will be easier to navigate and configure than before. There's also a new 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, which is similar to what Lexus has been offering in the RZ, but the information is more clearly displayed than in other Lexus models with digital displays.

For the first time, there will also be a rear-seat luxury package for the ES that adds reclining rear seats and a passenger-side ottoman, which should make those Uber rides home from the airport even smoother. The stellar Mark Levinson sound system (which is still an available option) has been reworked to create a true 3D listening experience, per Lexus. This was one of the ES' strong points, and we're glad to see it's back. 

Right now that's everything we know about the new ES, and we're intrigued to say the least. Stay tuned for final specs and pricing — we won't have to wait that long now.