The Lexus ES has been a part of the brand’s lineup for decades, and it’s getting one of the most significant updates in its long history for the 2026 model year. Lexus will offer an electric version of the car for the first time, and the ES shifts to a new generation.
2026 Lexus ES Pricing, Specs, and Release Date
- What’s New for the 2026 Lexus ES
- Design
- Powertrain
- Interior
- Technology
- Safety
- Pricing and Release Date
- Further Research
What’s New for the 2026 Lexus ES
The redesigned Lexus ES enters 2026 with full hybrid power and two available EV trim levels. The new ES features a dramatically updated exterior design with a longer body, new interior styling, revised infotainment touchscreens, and a new control interface with physical buttons for some key features.
Design
While it still looks like a Lexus ES, the new 2026-model-year car features much sharper styling with a dramatic front-end design and an aggressive shape. The hood is sharply creased, and the sides feature deep sculpting with lower aerodynamic bodywork. We don’t have all the specifics yet, but Lexus will likely offer a few wheel designs, and F Sport trims should feature black exterior accents and more aggressive exterior elements.
Powertrain
The ES 350h will offer a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with an electric motor on the rear axle for standard all-wheel drive (AWD) and a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Lexus says its updated hybrid system uses a more lightweight design, giving the car better efficiency and performance.
The new ES 350e and 500e offer electric power, with the 350e featuring a single electric motor and front-wheel drive (FWD) and the 500e using two motors and all-wheel drive (AWD). Lexus claims a 480-kilometre range for the 350e and roughly 400 kilometres for the 500e with 19-inch wheels. Both cars come with a Tesla-style NACS charging port from the factory and can charge from 10 to 80 percent in around 30 minutes on a DC fast charger.
Interior
The new ES offers more interior space thanks to a 16.5-centimetre longer body and an 8-centimetre longer wheelbase over the outgoing car. Synthetic leather upholstery comes standard, and we expect heated front seats will be standard as well. Lexus will offer upgrade packages with genuine leather and massaging and ventilated front seats.
Technology
Lexus equips a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and a 14-inch touchscreen running its latest infotainment interface. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard along with Bluetooth, SiriusXM radio, and more. The new Lexus interface offers a much more intuitive experience with more responsive menus and navigation. Those improvements also make it less distracting to use while driving as there is less of the “hunting and pecking” required by the old system.
Safety
The new Lexus ES is not on sale yet and hasn’t received crash-test results from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety or the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It comes standard with Lexus Safety System+ 4.0, the automaker’s latest generation of driver assistance technologies.
Pricing and Release Date
As of the time of this writing, Lexus hasn’t published Canadian pricing for the 2026 ES, but we expect a slight increase over the 2025 car’s pricing. The 2025 ES 300h was priced at $59,410, so expect the 2026 ES 350h to be slightly higher and the EV models potentially a fair bit higher. The 2026 Lexus ES is expected to go on sale in the first half of 2026.
