► First look at new Lexus ES
► Revealed at Auto Shanghai 2025
► Launches as hybrid and EV
Lexus has unveiled its next-generation ES saloon in China, as the luxury brand hopes to capitalise more on the world’s biggest car market. The new ES has been revealed at Auto Shanghai 2025 and will feature hybrid and EV models when it goes on sale in Europe in early 2026.
‘Lexus is a global brand,’ Lexus Europe boss, Pascal Ruch, tells CAR. ‘We sell around 850,000 cars worldwide, with around 12 to 14 per cent of that in Europe – which is decent. But that means, in other regions, we sell much more. In other regions [like China], bigger cars are something that are still well liked.
‘Our approach will be where some cars are specific to the Chinese market… to India… to the US… some for us [in Europe]. While we [i.e. Lexus in Europe] might not be the driver in the development of that car, we can still offer it.’
So the new ES, then, is heavily focused on appealing to China. Lexus says it’s aim is to ‘make luxury personal,’ and shows its ES off with a super clean look. It’s a larger car in every direction than the outgoing one, with Lexus pointing to the car’s 80mm longer wheelbase meaning more room inside.
The interior itself is clean and neat – arguably a departure of what we consider to be a modern Lexus interior – with a high centre console, soft materials and large central screen.
This generation of ES uses the TNGA-K platform – the same architecture used by plenty of Toyota and Lexus models like the RAV4 as well as the Lexus RX and LM. For this new ES, though, Lexus says the platform has been redesigned.
TNGA-K also enables hybrid and battery-electric powertrain options. For Europe, we’ll have the choice of an ES 300h hybrid developing 198bhp, as well as two electric models: ES 350e with 221bhp and the twin-motor ES 500e with 338bhp.
We’ll have to hang on to find out more details on the European-spec ES.