Why does news of a new Toyota Camry in 2024 also mean a new Lexus ES in 2024?
We’ve started seeing spy images of a new 2025 Toyota Camry that will hit dealers in 2024. The last time the Camry was redesigned was for the 2018 model year. While there are older new car models, in this hyper-competitive segment, it’s important to stay on top with fresh styling a new technology. However, the Lexus ES is based on the Camry, which means we’ll see a new Lexus ES sedan, too.
The ES is Lexus’s best-selling midsize car
The Lexus ES, in 350 and Hybrid variants is the second-best-selling midsize luxury sedan. The Tesla Model 3 beats it. However, any redesign will be critical to the model’s success. It competes with cars like the BMW 4 Series, the Mercedes C-Class and the Infiniti Q60.
We don’t know much about the new 2025 Lexus ES. However, we do know that it will have an electrified option, according to CNET. That can mean that it will be a hybrid, a plug-in hybrid or possibly fully electric. By 2025 every Lexus vehicle will have an electric option of some sort. Automotive News says the ES redesign will come along with Lexus’ other cars, including a new all-electric vehicle, and facelifts for the LC coupe, LS big sedan and NX crossovers.
No longer made in the U.S.A.
One thing we do know from Toyota is that while the Lexus ES has been the only Lexus made in the U.S., that won’t be the case going forward. The current ES 350 is made at Toyota’s Georgetown, Kentucky plant. Since that plant is getting a revamp, the company is moving production of the ES and ES Hybrid back to Japan.
Toyota Kentucky has 9,000 employees and will focus on building a new 2.4-liter turbocharged engine. The plant also makes fuel cells for hydrogen-powered commercial trucks.
Is a Lexus ES 350 a good car to buy?
The Lexus ES sedan is, yes, based on the humble Camry. So, when we get a new Camry next year, we’ll also get a new Lexus ES. Other than a few telltale signs, like the rear doors and the line the roof takes over the windows, the two current cars are substantially different. The Lexus combines Toyota reliability with a much nicer interior, dominated by a large flat dash and large screen.
Lexus cars aren’t supposed to really stand out in the crowd, and the ES (unless you get the cool electric blue paint) does a good job of blending in on the highway. The ES’s interior, however, is a standout. It has soft leather, premium materials, and a fit and finish that many automakers dream of.
What trims of ES are there?
The car comes in several versions. The ES 250 comes with the Camry’s standard 203-horsepower 2.5-liter four cylinder. It’s not much of a motor in this car, and most buyers step up to the ES 350, which has a 302-horsepower V6, and can make quick work of freeway merges. The ES 300h is the hybrid version that, while not powerful, does get a stellar 44 mpg on the highway. The ES 400h is similar, but slightly more powerful.