Lexus ES means business
LEXUS knows it has a tough job with this new ES executive saloon. It’s going up against the excellent German trio of the Audi A6, BMW 5-Series and Mercedes E-Class, cars that hoover up more than three quarters of sales in this class.
That’s before you even mention the highly capable Volvo S90 or Jaguar XF.
Lexus, Toyota’s luxury brand, was managing a few hundred cars a year with the GS, this ES’s predecessor, which is tiny compared to the bigger players.
This new model though is expected to prove significantly more competitive, with small business owners being a particular target.
The reason is this four-door saloon, with petrol-electric hybrid powertrain, makes a lot of sense financially for anyone running one as a company car.
It’s fairly understated to look at, typically Lexus in that it’s not too dramatic, although for some the front grille is a little over-the-top. Also, at the back there’s an odd lip to the boot that looks like someone half-heartedly started designing a rear spoiler into the boot lid, but overall it’s inoffensive in the way most executive saloons tend to be.
The ES range is a very simple one, with just the one petrolelectric hybrid engine option, with no diesel or other petrol engines. It’s a newly-developed 2.5-litre petrol engine, combining with a small 88kW electric motor that can run the car on its own for short periods. The battery recharges itself using energy recouped under deceleration; a “self-charging hybrid” in Lexus-speak.
There’s no plug-in version, although Lexus say it could be developed if demand required it.
The electric motor has the dual purpose of helping both performance and economy. It’s the efficiency figures that best display that benefit, with the ES starting at just 100g/km for the entry trim level, with its smaller alloy wheels, and an average fuel economy of 59.3mpg.
By comparison, the diesel BMW 518d beats that economy figure with an official 64.2mpg, but its emissions are 116g/km, which makes a difference for both road tax and company car tax.
Performance-wise, the ES will accelerate from 0 to 60mph in a fairly leisurely 8.9 seconds and on to a top speed that’s limited by the hybrid system’s capabilities to 112mph. All of its rivals are quicker so it’s clear that the ES isn’t a performance saloon.
That’s also apparent when you