The current, seventh-generation Lexus ES has been with us since 2018 for the 2019 model year, and it seems this vehicle will be staying a bit longer because the Japanese premium brand has given it another lease in life. Say hello to the 2026 Lexus ES, which gets cosmetic and tech upgrades to keep this midsize luxury sedan relevant in the coming years.
First and foremost, let’s start with the design. The Spindle Grille has been slightly reworked, with its outlines tweaked to extend to the hood, while the pattern now consists of horizontal chrome lines. The bumper has also been slightly reshaped, while the LED headlights now have adaptive matrix functions, along with a Z-shaped daytime running light. The side profile remains largely unchanged, while the rear fascia gets a reworked rear bumper, along with a new trunk design to accommodate the new LED taillights with a full-width light bar. Like all Lexus models these days, the L logo has been ditched at the rear in favor of the “LEXUS” script.
Changes to the interior of the 2026 Lexus ES are much more pronounced, as it gets a completely new and slimmer dash that now accommodates the latest Lexus Interface 14-inch screen that replaces the 12.3-inch unit. The physical button count has been reduced as the rotary knobs are now integrated into the screen.
Mechanically, the ES remains largely unchanged. For now, the ES that was revealed is for the Chinese market, and so what’s confirmed at the moment is the ES 300h, which consists of a 2.5-liter hybrid system that produces 219 horsepower and is mated to an e-CVT. Based on the power output, it doesn’t yet receive the latest fifth-generation Toyota Hybrid System from the Camry, which now produces 225 horsepower. An ES 200 is also sold exclusively in China with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder producing 170 horsepower. Also, past updates have introduced suspension and refinement tweaks to the ES, but for the 2026 facelift, the mechanicals are unchanged.
The 2026 Lexus ES is already available in China, though it is still unknown if all markets globally will receive the same level of updates. If you’re eagerly waiting for this update, then we predict that a Philippine launch may happen in the first or second quarter of 2025.
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