Might the ES succeed for Lexus when the great looking and highly capable GS seemingly could not? The latter, also a 5m long saloon, is almost eight years old and probably won’t be replaced, while the year-old ES is a brisk seller in many countries, China especially. Newly available in Britain, the ES 300h should in theory have strong appeal to many in the Mercedes E-Class segment.
There have been multiple generations of the ES, the first one being part of the brand’s initial model range thirty years ago. The LS 400 is the Lexus which everyone remembers from the division’s debut in 1989 but the Camry-based ES 250 was important in a different way. Getting dealers to take on the franchise meant making sure they had something else to sell alongside a costly, low volume S-Class alternative.
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History: long in US, short in Europe
The new model has followed the same journey as so many iterations of the Camry, shifting up from the D/Midsize segment where it started to where it is now, firmly in E or Large, all the while retaining a front-wheel drive layout. The car is also the great survivor, having seen off challenges from the IS and GS, neither of which has been terribly successful. In fact, Toyota will likely drop the GS in 2020. The same fate may befall the other rear-wheel drive four-door car, its US market sales having dropped by 33 per cent so far this year. Monthly deliveries are no longer a four-digit number there.
The IS exists in Toyota Motor Europe’s markets too but it’s never been popular here, while the GS has already Lexited price lists. So far though, the ES, which is available only as a hybrid, is doing well.
Catching Jaguar in EU markets
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By GlobalDataBritain remains this brand’s number two regional market, September having been a record month, with 3,852 vehicles sold. Even with the expected dip which follows the month after a new registration plate, October was still strong, with 1,098 (+63%) registrations and a ten-month total of 13,924 (+23%). Russia, where registrations reached 17,537 units on 31 October, is classed as one Lexus Europe’s markets by Toyota. The country is also LE’s top performer.
Across the smaller region encompassing EU and EFTA countries, ACEA noted a 38% gain for Lexus in October, the Brussels-based data crunchers reporting sales of 4,391 cars and SUVs. Year-to-date, deliveries are up 18% to 46,940, which means the Japanese brand is now ahead of Alfa Romeo (45,649). It has a way to go before catching Jaguar (4,965 in October, -28%; and 66,187 for 1 Jan-31 Oct, -4%), the other historic sports-luxury marque which can’t seem to gain traction.
The ES 300h is one of the reasons for the rise of Lexus Europe, 3,189 units of this high-priced model having been sold since January. UK registrations accounted for 841 of that total: an excellent result considering TGB and its Lexus dealers have never had an ES before. That applies across all other EU countries too.
Multiple ES variants but hybrid-only in EU
While it’s a hybrid-only strategy in almost every one of Lexus Europe’s markets (Russia being the obvious exception), the ES comes with other powertrains in many countries. China is the car’s number one market, which is why the latest generation premiered at the Shanghai motor show 18 months ago. There, buyers can choose from the ES 200, ES 250 and ES 350 in addition to the petrol-electric ES 300h.
Lexus is not only the country’s top import brand (145,763 for 1 Jan-30 Sep puts it more than 20,000 ahead of BMW) but the ES was ahead of all other CBU passenger vehicles sold in the People’s Republic during the first three quarters. Considering how high the duty is on each example, 67,628 registrations is especially impressive.
If you’re wondering how demand for the ES compares to the next most popular vehicle not to be made locally, that one is also a Lexus (RX: 30,066), followed by a cluster of SUVs battling for third place: Porsche Macan (25,992), Lexus NX (25,908) and BMW X5 (25,498). The Tesla Model 3 took second place in September (4,275 Vs 8,374 for the ES) but even though it should soon surpass them, for the year-to-date, its 19,453 total lags the Toyota Land Cruiser (23,185) and Porsche Cayenne (22,956).
October was another great month for the brand in China, sales rising by 11 per cent to 16,324 vehicles, led as ever by the ES. Overall, more than a third of all Lexus vehicle deliveries were hybrids, according to the division.
Will the ES be the first China-made Lexus?
Toyota might seem like a company which is way less conservative than it used to be but the fact that it still chooses not to manufacture any Lexus models in China demonstrates how caution remains the corporate default setting.
How much longer can it be though until TMC announces an expansion of a joint venture for the manufacture of the ES, and possibly the RX and/or NX too? GAC Toyota makes the Camry in Guangzhou so that would be the obvious place to manufacture the ES and GA-K platform RX, while the next NX due in 2020 could be built by either the same JV or FAW Toyota.
GA-K architecture
This generation ES is based on Toyota’s GA-K architecture. That means it shares quite a lot of modules and multiple components with not only the Camry but the Avalon too. It is also built – in four-cylinder hybrid and V6 forms – at the same US factory as the two Toyota sedans (see just-auto’s PLDB for details), although on a different line. Kyushu in Japan manufactures the hybrid as well as the V6 and four-cylinder variants.
Compared to the old ES 350, the latest one sold in North America, Russia and elsewhere has more power and torque, thanks in part to the switch to a direct injection engine. The outputs are 300hp (+32hp) and 262 lb-ft (+14 lb-ft). The 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine in the ES 250 was also new for this car.
Fourth generation hybrid powertrain
As for the ES 300h, what Toyota terms a fourth-generation Hybrid Drive System features. This comprises a 2,487cc four-cylinder Atkinson Cycle petrol engine with a smaller, lighter and more powerful motor. The combined output is 205 horsepower and drive goes to the front axle via a CVT. In the petrol-only ES variants, the transmission is instead an eight-speed torque converter automatic.
The hybrid’s engine features straight intake ports, increased valve angles and laser-clad valve seats. A variable capacity oil pump, multi-hole injectors, VVTi-E on the intake valves and a variable cooling system also contribute to heat and combustion management. Another change over the old-shape ES hybrid is a smaller nickel-hydrogen battery. That allowed Toyota to position it under the back seat, with the benefit being no loss of boot space. The VDA rating is 454 litres.
Design
Toyota likes having catchphrases to explain the look of its vehicles. So it is with the ES: “Provocative Elegance” being how the designer, Yasuo Kajino sums up the thinking behind the fresh shape. The car’s length is obvious even at a casual glance but so too is a low bonnet and the usual dramatic Lexus grille, or grilles, to be accurate, the F-Sport model grade having its own bespoke front end (and a bootlid spoiler).
The idea for the interior was to create a driver-centric cockpit. That works in practice too, while the sometimes fussy, over-angular use of sharp diagonal lines which distinguishes older Lexus models is mostly missing from this car. The steering wheel is shared with the LS and the whole dashboard appearance has an aura of, well yes, elegance. The cabin is whisper quiet, something this brand has always been at pains to achieve.
The main engineering difference when compared to two of the segment’s big three is front-wheel drive. That presents no obvious disadvantage for Audi in the A6 and some of us wonder how many people who buy a 5 Series or E-Class care or even know which axle or axles are moving their car forwards. There isn’t a huge amount of excess torque to potentially cause problems, 221Nm being more adequate than generous, so slip on wet roads isn’t much of an issue.
I’m not sure I could imagine a four-wheel drive ES F-Sport unless TMC decided to incorporate the e-AWD system which it has just announced for the Camry and Avalon. The overall feel of this big saloon is of roominess plus relaxed and silent progress. Judging by how well it’s selling already, perhaps Lexus Europe has found itself a sweetspot amongst a group of buyers who value these qualities – plus low CO2 and tax bills – over sharp steering and firm suspension.
Conclusion
It’s taken three decades and seven generations but now that the ES is finally in Europe, the model’s potential and early success are plain to see. Even though a sedan of this size won’t ever be a major model for the region’s many markets, it will certainly play a worthy part in the ambitious target of hitting 100,000 Lexus sales in 2020 (CIS, EU and EFTA).
The Lexus ES 300h is priced from £35,155-45,655, the range comprising four variants: standard, Premium Pack, F-Sport and Takumi. The WLTP Combined averages are 48.7-53.2mpg, CO2 is 100-103g/km, 0-62mph takes 8.9 seconds and top speed is 112mph.
