2023 Lexus ES

Posted on Feb 27, 2023 in AUTO REVIEW, FEATURES

absolutely AUTO REVIEW | By Steve Kursar –

The 2023 Lexus ES is a midsize four-door vehicle that is the best-selling sedan in the luxury carmaker’s lineup. Now, in its seventh generation, the Lexus ES has a dedicated following who continue to remain loyal to the model even as SUVs and crossovers gain in popularity.  It’s a testament to the constant redesign and engineering by the Toyota/Lexus team that keeps the ES such a wanted vehicle.

Legend has it that when the Lexus brand was about to launch in 1989 with only the LS 400 sedan in its lineup, dealers demanded a second car to help build the showroom.  Lexus quickly pivoted and introduced the ES, essentially an upscale Toyota Camry with many Lexus luxury features.  Although it was downplayed by the automotive media for its bland driving characteristics, the ES quickly dominated the midsize luxury segment due to its reliability.

The 2023 Lexus ES has grown into a dynamic driving machine with several variations.  A base ES comes with an MSRP price sticker of $42,590 and is powered by a 203 hp, 2.5 liter inline four–cylinder engine mated to an eight-speed transmission.  EPA estimated fuel economy numbers are pretty impressive at 25 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway.

It’s when you move up into the various trims that the 2023 ES avails that you get a real feel on what this car can offer.  The ES 350 brings more power under the hood with a 302 hp, 3.5 liter V6 engine that is a mainstay in the Lexus powertrain arsenal.  You’ll get a lot more power and sacrifice only a bit on fuel economy getting 22 mpg city and 32 mpg highway.  And keeping with Toyota’s leadership in hybrids, there’s a Lexus 300h model that gets terrific gas mileage numbers of 43 mpg city and 44 mpg highway.

The F SPORT design option was introduced on this seventh-generation Lexus ES to appeal to a younger and more diverse buyer looking for more aggressive sedan styling and unmatched performance perfected on the track. It is now offered on all three powertrains.

As with all Lexus models, it’s the interior that continues to draw in buyers with buttery leather and real wood inserts, along with the latest automotive tech.  The Lexus Interface multimedia system features the latest display featuring higher resolution and smartphone-like, anti-glare technology.

If you’re shopping for a new luxury sedan, the 2023 Lexus ES is a good place to start.