2026 Lexus ES Arrives Next Week To Fill LS Shoes

The bones under the Lexus ES luxury sedan are getting fairly old, as the current facelifted 2024 ES is based on the seventh generation of the car introduced back in 2018. That would be this generation’s second facelift, suggesting it’s popular as-is, so how does Lexus plan to improve from there? Well, we’ll find out next week – the new ES will be revealed at the Shanghai Auto Show in China on April 23.

This is going to be an important launch for Lexus because its traditional range-topping LS luxury sedan, which helped forge the brand’s reputation for excellence, is potentially on its way out, and it could be indefinite.

2024 Lexus ES

Base MSRP: $42,040
Base Trim Horsepower: 203 hp
Base Trim Torque: 184 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
Segment: Midsize Luxury Sedan

Expect A Wide Variety

As of right now, there are 15 different trims available for the midsize ES, ranging from an inline-4 engine, or a V6, or a hybrid setup. There’s even an F-Sport if you’re nasty. All the options make sense when you look at the reliable flow of sales Lexus earns from the ES, with at least 2,000 to 4,300 units moving consistently every month for the past 20 years.

Facelifted Lexus ES Revealed With Borrowed Looks And More Tactility

It looks good, but you won’t be able to buy one for a long time yet.

The current lineup offers a 203-hp inline four-cylinder engine, a 302-hp V6 option, and a hybrid making 215 net hp. A press release from Lexus teasing the next-gen ES indicated more electrification is coming, so expect a mostly-hybrid lineup for the new model year. The release also promises “further evolution of its hallmark quietness and ride comfort.”

Images and screenshots of the videos that were released show off a few clear elements persist, including the boomerang-shaped daytime running lights. The rear end gets treated to a Lexus wordmark spelled out and illuminated in the middle of a rear light bar that stretches across the entire rear end.

The Most Reliable Sedan Over The Last 10 Years Is…

Sedans tend to rank among the most reliable vehicles on the market owing to their family-oriented design and relative simplicity, especially this one.

Powertrains And Underpinnings Are A Mystery For Now, But We Know What Lexus Usually Does Here

The ES traditionally shares its platform with the Toyota Camry, which recently got an updated generation itself that turned its lineup entirely hybrid. All Camry trims currently use the same 225-hp hybrid setup, with both front- and all-wheel drive options available. We also expect an all-wheel drive version of the ES and eventually a return of the F-Sport, if it’s not there at the launch next week.

The current flagship, the Lexus LS, has been discontinued in the United Kingdom after three and a half decades, and there’s not much word on its replacement anywhere in the world. Thus, we expect this new ES to be given plenty of attention. Lexus specifically called this new ES a “global flagship,” so don’t hold your breath for a new LS, but do expect this to be more than just a slick Camry.

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