2022 Lexus ES Review, Ratings, Specs, Prices, and Photos

What kind of car is the 2022 Lexus ES? What does it compare to?

The 2022 Lexus ES is a premium mid-size sedan with good handling and great hybrid gas mileage. It’s a quiet contender in a shrinking class that includes the 2022 Acura TLX, 2022 Genesis G80, and 2022 Cadillac CT5. 

Is the 2022 Lexus ES a good car?

Review continues below

Long a leader in the premium sedan class, the ES does what good sedans do best with efficient and potent powertrain options, and a peerless ride quality ideal for road trips. Its good value and strong safety rating also boost its TCC Rating to 7.3 out of 10. (Read more about how we rate cars.) 

What’s new in the 2022 Lexus ES?

The refreshed 2022 Lexus ES mid-size sedan comes with standard LED headlights, a revised touchscreen infotainment interface, and some minor cosmetic and suspension upgrades. 

With the GS gone and the related Toyota Avalon discontinued, the Lexus ES serves a big role in the broader Toyota Lexus family. Straddling the mid- and full-size sedan divide, the ES wears the spindle grille, pronged headlights, taut body creases, and other Lexus design elements in a cohesive, appealing style that carries over inside. The standard 8.0-inch and available 12.3-inch infotainment display screens have been moved forward 4.3 inches and turned into touchscreens this year, and they rule over a cabin trimmed in wood and aluminum. 

Three powertrain choices are underscored by a calm, quiet ride. The 203-hp ES 250 has a 2.5-liter inline-4 with standard all-wheel drive. The front-drive ES 350 turns it up with a 3.5-liter V-6 making 302 hp and has a pleasing Sport mode. New dampers and rear suspension braces bolster higher trims, but despite the performance upgrades, we’d pick the ES 300h hybrid. The parallel hybrid with an electric motor and 2.5-liter inline-4 nets an EPA-rated 44 mpg combined for efficient around-town use and excellent highway touring. 

The Lexus ES seats five adults, but four would prefer no fifth. A leather- and wood-trimmed steering wheel, heated and cooled leather seats, and other upgrades make for all-day easy cruising. The rear seats don’t fold flat, but a pass-through opens up space for longer items that can’t fit in the trunk’s 13.9 cubic feet of space. 

Crash-test scores have been excellent, and the ES has standard automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, active lane control, and blind-spot monitors newly standard this year.

How much does the 2022 Lexus ES cost?

Spending $41,875 will get either the ES 250 AWD or ES 350. Standard goods include an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto/Amazon Alexa, power front seats covered in synthetic leather, and a good 4-year/50,000-mile warranty. 

The $42,975 ES 300h hybrid provides the best overall value when considering cost of ownership. An Ultra Luxury Grade adds a surround-view camera system and a head-up display to the heated wood-trimmed steering wheel, quilted leather upholstery, and 14-way power front seats of the Luxury Grade; add in the Navigation package with the 12.3-inch touchscreen and the price tips $54,000. 

Where is the Lexus ES made?

In Kentucky and in Japan.