The seventh generation ES will be introduced to the UK from January 2019. Renowned for its comfort, refinement and luxury appointments, the new, seventh generation mid-size saloon, ES builds on its strengths with an all-new chassis that allows for a more dynamic exterior design and even better driving performance.
It is a further expression of Lexus’ design direction and commitment to crafting vehicles that provide more excitement, emotional connection and passion, helping bring the brand’s vision for its future to a wider audience. Traditional buyers will find the new ES more spacious, quieter and safer than ever before, while a new generation of customers will be introduced to a saloon with sharpened performance, class-leading safety technology and a level of craftsmanship rarely found in this market segment.
The eye-catching styling, made possible by the use of an all-new Global Architecture-K (GA-K) platform will have particular appeal to customers, together with a more engaging driving experience and higher safety provisions. The new ES is longer (+65 mm), lower (-5 mm) and wider (+45 mm) than its predecessor.
Yasuo Kajino, ES Chief Designer, describes the car’s new look as “provocative elegance”. “The ES has always been an elegant luxury saloon. For this generation, we have added daring design elements that challenge buyers’ traditional expectations,” he said.
The design features a fast roofline that emphasises the vehicle’s lower stance and slippery aerodynamics and the rear end is clean and sharply chiselled. A palette of 12 colours includes new beige and green shades alongside Ice Ecru which mimics light reflected off fresh snow and Sunlight Green inspired by ocean water in sunlight. Two exclusive colours – Heat Blue and F White – are available for F Sport models.
When designing the look and feel of the ES’s cabin, Kajino’s team’s starting point was the Lexus Future Interior concept, which blends a driver-centric cockpit with a spacious and comfortable area for the front passenger. The driver’s focus is kept on the road by locating the centre display screen, instrument panel and head-up display in a tight cluster within the field of view. The interior of the F Sport models features a new kind of metallic cabin trim inspired by traditional Japanese sword-making, the Hadori trim has fluctuating wave patterns.
It will be a connected space with optional navigation system with a range of connected services. This system also provides a 12.3-inch multimedia display and second generation Remote Touch touchpad control. The 17-speaker Mark Levinson PurePlay system makes its debut and is created to immerse each individual in the most powerful, precise and pure audio experience yet.
This ES has been built to deliver a fundamentally higher level of performance than any of its predecessors. Chief Engineer Yasuhiro Sakakibara said: “We knew that this ES had to feel responsive and easy to drive, no matter what kind of road it was on. That can only be achieved with a solid foundation.”
The ES 300h is equipped with a new, fourth generation self-charging hybrid drive system that can deliver exceptional fuel efficiency, responsive performance and minimal emissions for a mid-size luxury saloon. It will be equipped as standard with the latest Lexus Safety System + and can provide added protection for driver and passengers to help prevent an accident from happening. The new features include daytime cyclist detection which is part of the comprehensive Pre-Collision System (PCS) and a two-stage adaptive high beam system (AHS) to turn high beams on and off automatically for the driver.
The ES will usher in a new era for one of Lexus’s longest-established and most popular models designed to engage a wider range of customers. Stronger styling, more dynamic performance, high-quality interior finishes and the latest safety technology will help recast the image of the ES into one that is new and unexpected.