Some people seem to forget that the Lexus ES also played a significant role in making Lexus a household name. The LS might have been the one to put the luxury automaker on the map, but the ES made it mainstream.
Despite crossovers and SUVs dominating the sales charts, we’re glad Lexus is still hanging on to the traditional four-door sedan. The IS received a major overhaul a few years ago, while the LS received some tech updates fairly recently.
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Now, it’s the turn of the ES to get a much needed update. After all, the current model has carried on relatively unchanged since 2018. Six years is a long time for an update, but better late than never, we suppose.
The 2025 Lexus ES gets a new bumper and a new grille design. It now echoes the look found in the all-new RX and the first Lexus sedan to get it. Also new are the headlight clusters that now incorporate new LED daytime running light patterns.
Wheel designs are carried over from the current model, so have most of the exterior panels. However, there are more changes made to the rear end. The tail light clusters have been redesigned for a fresher look. At the same time, it features an illuminated light bar that connects the lights together.
However, it’s on the inside where we see a major overhaul. The dashboard has been redesigned. The infotainment screen and center stack gets most of the changes. The buttons, dials, and display is similar to that in the all-new NX and RX crossovers. The instrument cluster also gets new graphics in line with all the rest of the Lexus lineup.
Also added are new interior color combinations. There’s Snowy Night White or two-tone Tanzanite Snow Night, plus Silver Lance Moon Ridge trim. Of course, advanced driver assist systems are standard in the form of Lexus Safety Sense 3.0. Buyers can also add a panoramic sunroof, acoustic glass, and a 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system.
There are two engine options available for the 2025 ES, at least for China. The first is the ES 200 with a 2.0-liter that makes 172hp and 209Nm of torque. If those numbers sound familiar, it’s because it uses the same engine as the Toyota Innova Zenix.
The 2.0-liter is unlikely to ever be sold outside of China. But what we’re more likely to get is the 2.5-liter hybrid in the ES 300h. The combined output of the hybrid is rated at 215hp with the electric motor churning out 300Nm.
The new Lexus ES is now available in China with the rest of the world to follow down the line.
