The Lexus ES is priced at around ₹64 lakh to ₹69.7 lakh (ex-showroom). For many, it sits in that sweet spot where you’re not spending Ferrari money, but you still want to walk into a hotel porch and see the valet treat your car like royalty.

The ES has been around globally since the late ’80s, but the latest generation, the ES 300h, was launched in India in 2017 and has since seen updates. The recent update happened in April 2025.

Being a hybrid, the Lexus ES offers around 22 kmpl in real-world driving. At today’s petrol price of ₹102 per litre, that works out to about ₹4.6 per km. For a luxury sedan of this size, that’s almost scandalously frugal.

The Lexus ES measures 4975 mm in length, 1865 mm in width, and 1445 mm in height. That’s roughly 4.9 meters long, which makes it a full-size executive sedan, perfect for wide city avenues and highways, but maybe a little too generous for those tight Old Delhi lanes. Its wheelbase of 2870 mm ensures massive legroom at the back, which is why so many buyers prefer to sit in the rear with a chauffeur up front.

The ES has 454 liters of boot space. That’s enough for two large suitcases and a couple of soft bags, perfect for a weekend getaway or even an airport run for business travel. Not the largest in class, but enough for practical luxury living.

The ES comes with Lexus Safety System+, which packs in adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and a host of airbags. Safety ratings globally have been strong, and Lexus’s build quality is known for being over-engineered. Think of it as Toyota reliability but dressed up for an art gallery.

Lexus offers a 3-year/100,000 km warranty, extendable at extra cost. Service intervals are usually annual or 10,000 km. Being a hybrid, it’s gentler on brakes and the engine, so long-term maintenance is cheaper than you’d expect for a luxury car. But yes, Lexus service centers are fewer in India compared to German rivals, so you’ll need to be okay with a slightly limited network.

If you’re the type who likes to glide through traffic instead of fight it, if you want your car to whisper while others roar, the ES is your sanctuary. It appeals to those who want understated luxury, absolute comfort, and the smugness of saving fuel without looking like they compromised. If you’re looking for brute performance, maybe stick to a BMW 5 Series, but if you want peace with a touch of Zen, this is your ride.

The Lexus ES 300h runs on a 2.5-litre Atkinson-cycle 4-cylinder petrol engine paired with an electric motor, producing a combined 218 hp. It’s mated to an e-CVT gearbox, which basically means buttery smooth drives without jerky gearshifts. This isn’t the car for drag racing, but it will make every airport run feel like a spa appointment.

The ES goes from 0 to 100 km/h in around 8.9 seconds. Not exactly sports-car territory, but fast enough to leave autos and compact SUVs eating dust when you press down gently. Its top speed is capped at 180 km/h, which in India is more than enough, unless you’re planning to chase fighter jets on a runway.

The ES offers 151 mm of ground clearance. For an executive sedan, that’s decent. You’ll clear most city speed breakers if you take them slow, but no, this is not your Leh-Ladakh companion. Treat it like the luxury lounge it is.

With a wheelbase of 2870 mm, the rear legroom is massive. Tall executives will love the space to cross their legs comfortably while scrolling emails.

Let’s assume you drive about 12,000 km a year. With a real-world mileage of 22 kmpl, you’ll use about 545 liters of fuel annually, which at ₹102 per litre equals roughly ₹55,600 per year on fuel. Add insurance (₹1.2–1.5 lakh yearly), servicing (~₹25,000–35,000 yearly), and you’re looking at around ₹10–11 lakh total for 5 years of ownership, excluding road tax. For luxury this plush, that’s ridiculously low running cost.