The eighth generation Lexus ES made its debut at the 2025 Shanghai Motor Show last April, and with a local launch confirmed in 2026, we now have a more precise timeline.
Lexus Australia has confirmed the new ES sedan, which will be offered with electric power for the first time, is scheduled to arrive here in the third quarter (July to September) of 2026. Pricing and specifications are expected to be announced closer to launch.
The electric ES will be one of just two electric vehicles (EVs) offered by the Japanese luxury brand in Australia after axing the UX300e small SUV last year, and will sit alongside the RZ mid-size SUV, which recently saw significant improvements and price cuts.
The hybrid ES sedan, on the other hand, will appear in Lexus showrooms alongside a wide range of hybrid models, including the LBX and UX small SUVs, the NX midsize SUVs, the RX large SUVs, the LM people mover and the LS flagship sedan. A hybrid version of the flagship LX off-road SUV is also slated for Australia, while the LC500h hybrid coupe remains on pricing lists for now.
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The ES will be one of just two sedans in Lexus Australia’s lineup, at least for now, as the future of the LS sedan is uncertain as it nears the end of its life cycle and was recently withdrawn from the market in the US.
The eighth generation model will be the sixth generation ES to be offered in Australia. Between introduction in 1992 and the end of 2025, 13,365 ES sedans were delivered, including 7,350 hybrids.
The new ES is larger than the midsize model it replaces and is based on a “redeveloped” version of the TNGA GA-K platform that also underpins the Lexus NX and RX SUVs and the Toyota Camry.
With an 80mm longer wheelbase (2950mm), which also dwarfs the Camry’s 2835mm wheelbase, the Mk8 Lexus ES is 165mm longer overall than its predecessor, measuring 5140mm. It is also 55mm wider at 1920mm and 110mm taller at 1555mm.
Lexus Australia has confirmed that both hybrid and electric versions of the new ES will be offered here in 2026. However, the local lineup has yet to be detailed, including whether there will be hybrid variants with all-wheel drive, which would be a first for the ES Down Under.
There are two hybrid powertrains, both using an electronic continuously variable automatic transmission (e-CVT) and offering a choice of front- or all-wheel drive.
The ES300h is now powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol-electric powertrain with a total output of 148kW, giving a 0-100km/h acceleration of 8.2 seconds with front-wheel drive and 8.0 seconds with all-wheel drive.
The ES350h features an upgraded 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol-electric powertrain with a total output of 182kW, reducing 0-100km/h acceleration to 7.7 seconds (FWD) and 7.5 seconds (AWD).
Lexus says the hybrid ES benefits from a larger but unspecified battery and an integrated eAxle that combines the power control unit and transmission.
The new ES will be the first electric sedan from Lexus (and its parent company Toyota) to be sold outside China, where Toyota sells the small bZ3 sedan and where a second facelift for the existing ES was released late last year.
Lexus expects the battery-powered ES to have a maximum range of 530 km in the WLTP cycle.
Available only with front-wheel drive and a 77kWh lithium-ion battery, the ES350e produces 165kW of power – good for a claimed 0-100km/h time of 8.9 seconds.
The ES500e has a 75 kWh battery but a dual-motor all-wheel drive system with a total output of 252 kW and a claimed 0-100 km/h acceleration of 5.7 seconds.
What’s unusual is that Lexus’ US division says these two powertrains use the same 74.7kWh battery, while the European and UK counterparts claim different capacities of 77kWh and 75kWh.
Regardless, the ES EV can be charged from 10 to 80 percent in 30 minutes using a 150 kW DC fast charger at an outside air temperature of 25 ° C.
Electric ES sedans are offered with either 19- or 21-inch alloy wheels, while the largest wheel size on the hybrid is 19 inches.
According to Lexus, by exploiting the full potential of the TNGA GA-K platform, the large capacity battery could be positioned under the floor to lower the center of gravity and improve the vehicle’s stability.
The ES500e goes one step further with its DIRECT4 all-wheel drive system, which uses wheel speed, acceleration and steering angle data to continuously control front/rear torque distribution between 100:0 and 0:100 percent, improving standstill acceleration, handling and energy efficiency.
For the first time in an ES there is a multi-link rear suspension to match the MacPherson struts at the front.
There’s also a rear-wheel steering system called Dynamic Rear Steering (DRS) that can turn the rear wheels up to four degrees – in the opposite direction to the front wheels to improve agility at low speeds and in the same direction to improve stability at higher speeds.
Increased chassis rigidity, sound-insulating door windows, improved sealing components and the option of adaptive variable suspension (AVS), which uses a linear magnet system to adjust the damping force, also contribute to increasing dynamics as well as comfort and refinement.
Highlights of the new “refined minimalism” exterior design introduced in the 2023 LF-ZC electric sedan concept include a slim version of Lexus’ spindle grille for gasoline models and a closed version for EV variants, flanked by sleek new “L-Signature” headlights and taillights, a Lexus-branded rear lighting bar and flush door handles.
Inside, the new ES forgoes physical controls in favor of a cleaner dashboard with fewer buttons, highlighted by a larger 14-inch floating infotainment touchscreen powered by the first application of Toyota’s next-generation Arena software platform.
There’s a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, dual wireless phone chargers, and capacitive hotkeys that light up when your hand approaches them. Lexus claims that the “Responsive Hidden Switches” will be a world first.
Lexus has also introduced a larger touchscreen that includes a front passenger display.
Also new is an optional Sensory Concierge system that “orchestrates” ambient lighting, climate and scent according to music playback, as well as a wider panoramic sunroof with thermal insulation, thermal protection and 99 percent UV light reduction.
For rear passengers, there are also reclining seats, an ottoman, a massage function with air bubbles and even a passenger seat that folds fully forward to increase legroom.
The new ES also introduces premium brand Toyota’s next-generation Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS), which uses more sensors to deliver a wider field of view from greater distances, with more details to come.
Lexus International chief engineer Kohei Chiashi said the new ES will bring new levels of refinement, quietness and ride comfort.
“The new ES marks the beginning of the next generation of Lexus and offers a truly refined experience. It has been developed with the aim of redefining the sedan,” he said.
“With the newly developed TNGA GA-K platform, the new ES supports both HEV and BEV powertrains, offering a wider choice of electric vehicles while contributing to the realization of a carbon-neutral society.”
MORE: Explore the Lexus ES showroom
