For 2016 the Lexus ES got a design makeover which well updates both the exterior and its interior. Also added were new safety features, multimedia and connectivity systems were updated, and it has new colors and finishes available inside and out.
The most noticeable changes are up front where the ES gets the latest version of the Lexus spindle grille design. The new one-piece grille is bolder, but also more subtle with a nice satin chrome finish. The lower fascia also gets more angular fog lights too.
Standard now are LED headlights up front, and at the back, the ES 300h gets more distinctive L-themed taillights. Also new on the exterior is a newly designed 17-inch alloy wheel which is unique to the hybrid.
Inside, Lexus upgraded the cabin with some rich new finishes which range from piano black to a variety of woods. A new steering wheel design has satin chrome finishing, and on ours had the optional heated wood rim.
Also optioned on our tester was the $3,000 ultra luxury package which brings with it those genuine wood trims. But more importantly you get heated and ventilated front leather seats – both with memory for power adjustments.
There’s also a power tilt and telescoping steering wheel as part of that package, and rear seat passengers get sunshades on the side and rear glass. And they’ll be comfortable back there with up to 40-inches of leg room.
Those rear seats don’t fold down on the hybrid model because the battery pack sits just behind it in the trunk. Cargo space though still remains reasonable at 12.1 cubic feet. And under the floor is a spare tire which is notable. Some hybrids use this space for their battery and you don’t get a spare.
This interior is an example which many other automakers could learn from if not set as a benchmark. It’s comfortable, well made, pleasing to the eye and it smells good too. Thus, the ES earns five of five stars here.
And, when we look scoring overall quality feel, which is looking at fit and finish of the body panels in addition to the interior trappings, we are much impressed. No rattles and squeaks, no cheap plastics, nothing to pick at. Five of five stars it is.
Our Lexus was outfitted with the Mark Levinson audio and navigation system which is pretty expensive at $2,650. But the sound quality is nothing short of amazing, and I always recommend this as a good spend.
Using the infotainment and navigation system’s myriad of applications and features is a breeze with the aforementioned console mounted puck. It has intuitive clicks you feel which makes using its menus easier while driving, and it’s learning curve is very short.
For 2016, a new package called Lexus Safety System + is available as a stand alone option at about $1,000. Comprehensive, it includes a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, radar cruise control, and lane departure warning with steering assist.
All of this made scoring the ES 300h technologies quite easy. With excellent sound from the audio, ease of use across the board, and a customizable suite of driver assistance features it earns five of five stars.
And driving the ES 300h has its own character and feel, apart from the rear-wheel drive models Lexus offers such as the IS and the GS sedans. Rather than a performance oriented place in the lineup, it’s front-wheel drive chassis instead turns up the volume on comfort an quiet.
Even though the chassis isn’t designed to win over this driving enthusiast’s heart in the twisties, its poise was none the less impressive. And it’s because it feels of solid quality that you pay for in a car like this, it earns five of five stars.
Powering the ES 300h is a highly efficient 2.5 liter Atkinson Cycle four-cylinder engine and powerful electric motors. They can drive the front-wheels in electric only mode, or combined with the gasoline engine through its constantly variable transmission.
The powertrain offers up a total of 200 horsepower when both the gas and electric power sources are combined. The EPA rates the ES 300h at 40 mpg city, 39 mpg highway, and 40 mpg combined. In our week we only achieved 36 mpg combined.
Not sure why the mpg was lower, as we have achieved the promised ratings and better in past tests with this car. None the less, in scoring the powertrain, efficiency played a role with it earning four of five stars in this category.
When it comes to safety, the ES is a major winner though. The IIHS gives it their highest honor, Top Safety Pick + . This is because it gets good ratings in their entire battery of crash testing but also offers an advanced crash prevention system as an option.
With a value score of five stars due to the 2016 Lexus ES 300h long list of features for the money, it achieves a total test score of four and a half stars for our test.
