In a few hours I need to head to the airport to go on this Lexus ES press drive. I finally managed to mostly pack, and then sat down to write a Cold Start and some sort of “what would you like to know about this car” thing before I left, but the next thing I knew I was groggily waking up and it was 3 am and somehow my laptop was open, with a defiant cursor blinking away in a vast field of white emptiness.
Crap.
So, with that in mind, I’m going to combine Cold Start and What Do You Want To Know into one Cold What Do You Want To Start? and hope for the best! So, with that in mind, what would you like to know about the 2026 Lexus ES?
And, okay, I faked the top image, because Lexus did not exist when that Toyota was around. I just thought it’d be more fun with a picture of a ’76 Lexus ES. But they didn’t actually appear until 1989, as you see above, in the only image I feel comfortable sharing from the deck that Lexus sent me, because there’s an embargo until May 27, I think?
Lexus has shown the new ES already, it seems:
…and it comes in three variants, two battery EV versions and a hybrid.
So, what would you like to know about this car? Significantly, it’s a sedan, not a crossover or SUV, so that right there makes it at least somewhat novel, at least in this era. I mean, an ES was always a sedan, but still.
I think it’s nice enough looking at this first glance, but I’ll scrutinize more. I’m curious about those door handles: will they be annoying power ones? Does that big hockey stick on the side come off for use? How’s it drive? What are the taillights like? What does it smell like? What’s good to bite in the cabin?
There must be things you’re curious about, right? Is there a frunk for the battery EV ones? How’s it handle? How’s it manhandle? How’s it play Handel’s Messiah?
If there’s anything you’re curious about, let me know. Lexus is eager to have us see their new Lexus Interface System, and, I’ll be honest, that’s hard to donate a bowel movement about, but I’ll try. Anything you’d like to see or know about their new UX?
The chief engineer will be there? Any questions for them?
I’m there to be your eyes, ears, fingers and, yes, tongue, so let me know in the comments, and I’ll see what I can do.
Sound good? Great. Now I want to get some sleep.
I have a 2004 Lexus ES330. Is it going to be as nice a place to sit for 10 hours drives as my ancient one? I’m debating getting mine painted because the clearcoat is shot.
There’s a part of me hoping that you are using an image of a Celica as a way of secretly saying you aren’t going to look at the new Lexus ES but the new Celica instead. But probably not.
For the EV version, does the frunk have a lift-out tray so you can clean it properly after serving shrimp?
How much stuff (environmental controls, vents, glovebox, etc.) can only be accessed via touchscreen?
What’s the Android Auto/Apple Carplay situation?
Are you really going to taste this one?
Button buffet? Or just an amuse bouche volume knob? RWD available with BEV? Enough cubby space for my Just For Men bottle?
Does it have a spare tire… at least as an option?
Why is it so ugly?
Because they’re going for the Chinese market?
Probably. But they have their own cars. No need to ruin ours.
Actually, I just think people today have no taste.
There has been much in the way of automotive styling I have not particularly cared for. So I would say those tasteless people have always existed as have tasteless cars.
The silver lining of course is the tasteless does make the good stuff stand out more IF you can see the good stuff buried in the sea of gigantic trucks and SUVs
Very true – but also many fewer diamonds today. And even the diamonds on the outside are absolutely horrific on the inside. So nope, not playing.
Well one person’s shiny bling is another’s “most boring form of carbon in the universe”.
Unfortunately short of building (or paying someone else to build) a kit car there’s not much one can do about the situation.
Sure there is. There are a near infinite variety of cars out there that I actually like. I have never once in my life needed to by a *new* car.
I don’t need to give my hard earned month to automakers who continue to offend me with their output.
I presumed you were limiting this to the new market. Used is for sure an option, one that gets even more interesting when you looking at choices 25 years or more from new.
FWIW there isn’t much in 2026-7 that interests me either.
A.) How fast can it go in reverse?
B.) How does the build quality stand up? The last ES was built in the US at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky; the new one is built in Japan. Curious to see if there is any improvement or if it gets worse.
Y so much proboscis?
Does it have a heat pump for HVAC
Charge curve
Why Toyota decided to make their only EV sedan in the USA a Lexus instead of Toyota
I’m too old to want to know anything about the new ES. What I would like is a brand new 1976 Celica. Yeah, now we’re talking.
Shame that this timeline hasn’t evolved IP regulations and 3D printing to the point where its design was in the public doman and you could just hit the ‘print’ button to get yourself (and myself) a new (old) Celica.
Oh what a fine world that would be! 😀
I priced out a new Caterham kit the other day, was mildly shocked. When I first thought about building one is 2004, they were around $25k. $75k now! Better engine though.
Why have you Lexufied my first car??
Nothing I really want to know about it, but I want them to know that I hate it.
I was just about to post something similar, though I was going to cushion the blow a bit first, since I like Jason. 😉
It’s just not that appealing to me… sorry Lexus. I mean: I’m glad that it hasn’t become a crossover. Also, those wheels look good, and I’m a big fan of silver-blue as a car color. And I’ll assume the build quality is typically Lexus-like. But beyond that: meh (at best). I guess there’s just a mandate now that all vehicles must look angry, or like landsharks, or preferably, both. Mission accomplished. 😉
https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/TSDSANI_NB097-e1684340231625.jpg
Though it’s a flamboyant example, that early Celica coupe in the topshot is so much more interesting and desirable (to me). Heck, I’d even prefer the ’89 ES to the ’26 one… even though it’s just a tarted-up Camry, the first ES at least demonstrates visual restraint and class. I’d love to have either of those in my garage, or better yet: both! 🙂
But I’m just a curmudgeon, and even though I’m probably smack in the middle of Lexus’ target demo for the ES, they shouldn’t take my opinions personally.
I do miss Gilda. 🙁 At least Jane and Laraine are still around.
They are attractive wheels. What I’d like to know from the test drive: How loud are all those narrow fins, when the car is going 65 mph, and the fins at the top are chopping the air at over 100? And Q for the engineer: how much does wheel choice affect highway mpg?
“And Q for the engineer: how much does wheel choice affect highway mpg?”
Look to the Camry for the answer to that:
16″ 51 mpg
18″ 47 mpg
19″47 mpg
Sidewall is good.
I wonder if there is any example around purely of wheel complexity without the wheel size also included – though of course, even the same designe wheel at a larger size will have a higher drag. And it’s complexity is at a point further from the hub, and therefor moving forward at a higher speed. As opposed to relatively smooth rubber being there.
I know other examples with the size and complexity happening together would come from Tesla range reduction, or I suppose any. EV’s range reduction, if they also go from smoother to prettier as the size increases.
I dunno if its the complexity of the rim or the change in sidewall flex that is the biggest contributor to the lower MPG. I suppose the way to test that would be with moonie rims of various sizes sporting the same brand and model of tires.
I considered buying a last gen ES350 last year. The article here on the Autopian about just buy the Lexus ES was a big reason I decided to look at them. I have my ND Miata, so why not just get a comfy Lexus with a big V6 for commuting (I was driving from Houston to Austin 2-3 times a month for work, so eating miles was important).
The last gen car really grew on me while shopping for them and while I ultimately went with an Accord I still appreciate what the ES was. This thing? No thanks.
Will there be a turbo version that approaches the horsepower of the current car?
Why have they aligned Toyota and Lexus’ styling so much? The front looks like a redesigned Prius. I feel like Lexus should be much different than the Toyota’s they are based on.
Are you saying you would prefer a Predator-grill?
I agree Lexus should be better differentiated from Toyota, but if the options are a Predator Grill or a Prius lookalike… I’ll take the Prius lookalike.
This still has Predator-face. It’s just wearing a mask or something.
Hideous.
They kept the predator grille around long enough that I have to assume that it didn’t hurt sales. Also I suppose I just got used to it. I’m not generally looking at the front of cars in traffic so it was easy to ignore.
Will there be a factory landau top option?
Can they promise not to offer it in North America?
Is it still the luxury version of the blandest, most appliance like car to ever exist?
Why are the tires rubber bands?
Because it is expensive and it has to look that way.
It looks like it needs to be thrown back in the dryer for another 20 minutes. Pre-crumpled crumple-zones.
When are they going to make it nice on the outside again and do they drug test their design team?
Will metal shavings in the engine be optional?
Completely free of charge, long with the followup recall visit.
I forget, which engine was that, in what years?
22-24 turbo 6 they were putting in the Taco, LX, and GX.
Thanks. Hope you weren’t one of the victims.
It was a very limited production model. They only built one, in red, as pictured above.
How many spokes must there be on a wheel before you call it a wire wheel?
Oh man, somebody should do a LeMons car with “wire” wheels that steelies with electrical wires plastered on haphazardly but semi-radially.
Why did they downgrade the interior? Doesn’t look luxurious enough for a Camry, let alone a Lexus.
It’s not downgraded. It’s less fanciful with no frippery, but it’s actually very nice in person. The average age of a Lexus buyer in China is 30. That’s also why it’s now full Millenial.
Pfft, May 27 was almost a year ago. Share away, it’ll be fine.