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Lexus ES 300h 2.5 Takumi 4dr CVT Review

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Best family car

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Best luxury car

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The Lexus ES is one of the slowest luxury cars you can buy, although it's unlikely to leave you cursing its lack of performance. Its 2.5-litre petrol engine and electric motors team up to deliver a maximum of 176bhp, and if you put your foot down hard from a standstill, you'll be doing 62mph in 8.9 seconds.

300h 2.5

Saloon

In the same way that Infiniti acts as Nissan’s premium arm, Lexus has a similar tie-in with Toyota. And since most of Toyota’s models are offered as hybrids, it’s no surprise to see the same from Lexus, although there are some traditional petrol engines, too.

The brand focuses heavily on SUVs – namely the NX and RX – but also has the CT hatchback, ES executive saloon and LS luxury car among its portfolio. More small and large SUVs are expected in the future.

Like Toyota, Lexus has built a very strong reputation for reliability and regularly finishes very close to the top of our annual Reliability Survey.

LEXUS

The most luxurious ES is quite a leap up in price over the rest of the range, but comes lavishly equipped. You get a head-up display, 17-speaker Mark Levinson premium surround sound system, heated rear seats and a powered bootlid.

Takumi

300h 2.5 Takumi 4dr CVT

300h-25-takumi-4dr-cvt

Front and rear outer seat belt pre-tensioners

Front and rear one-touch automatic power windows equipped with a jam protection

Blind spot monitoring (BSM) with Rear cross traffic alert and auto brake (RCTAB)

10 airbags - front, side, knee, front and rear curtain airbag

Heated, ventilated, power adjust driver and passengers seats with 4D and 4P way lumbar with cushion length adjustment

Intelligent parking sensors with auto brake function/pedestrian detection

10 way electrically adjustable front seats including headrest with heater

Auto fold, reverse tilt, auto dimming with memory wide angle door mirrors

Lexus ES

The Lexus ES isn't a bad choice – especially if you're a company car driver and don't want (or can't have) a plug-in hybrid. It's just a pity that the engine sounds coarse when you work it hard, and that the infotainment system is a faff to use.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plush ride and the ability to cruise in near-silence </li> <li>Powerful and efficient engine</li> <li>Space for passengers to stretch out in the rear seats</li> <li>Exquisite materials and build quality</li> <li>Endless luxuries on the options list</li> <li>Sensible fuel and tax bills</li></ul>

If you’re in the market for a luxury car, you’ll be after a sumptuous interior, a ride that can soak up the worst of the UK’s pockmarked roads and supreme refinement that allows you to travel at speed in near-silence.

Your cheapest (and smallest) options are the Audi A6, Mercedes E-Class and brilliant BMW 5 Series, the latter of which is so good we voted it our 2017 Car of the Year. Larger options that are definitely worth considering if you plan to travel in the back include the BMW 7 Series, Audi A8 and the Mercedes S-Class, which is beautifully finished inside and not as expensive to run as you might think.

Or if money really is no object at all, the Rolls-Royce Ghost is hard to overlook – especially in extended-wheelbase form. It’s as opulent as cars get.

Car of the Year Awards 2023 >>

Lexus ES 300h 2.5 Takumi 4dr CVT Review

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54.3

454

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121

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