Overview & Reviews

Although unremarkable in styling and personality, the Lexus ES 300 occupied an important place in the Lexus lineup during its 12-year run from 1992-2003. While the company's high-tech LS flagship enjoyed greater fame, the relatively affordable ES sedan was the car most consumers test-drove when they arrived at Lexus dealerships. It was the epitome of the entry-level luxury sedan -- and the sustained success of the Lexus brand likely has much to do with all the good first impressions the ES 300 made.

While Lexus sold three generations of the ES 300, those initial impressions remained remarkably consistent: Pick any year and you'd find a roomy, well-built midsize sedan that felt uncommonly luxurious for its price point. A quick drive would have revealed an astonishingly serene cabin, a supple ride quality and a refined, if uninspiring drivetrain. As such, the Lexus ES was close to the ideal car for harried commuters pulling down a comfortable salary. When it turned out to be extremely reliable as well, the ES 300's reputation as a low-maintenance entry-luxury sedan was assured.

Most Recent Lexus ES 300

The third and final generation of the Lexus ES 300 lasted only two years, 2002 and '03, as a midcycle refresh brought a larger V6 engine, necessitating a name change to ES 330. Like the ES 300s before it, this one was a midsize, front-wheel-drive sedan, heavily based on the Toyota Camry.

The two shared most basic components, but the Lexus had a more potent version of the 3.0-liter V6 with 210 horsepower and 220 pound-feet of torque (compared to 192 hp and 209 lb-ft in the Toyota), as well as a five-speed automatic transmission instead of a four-speed. Suspension tuning was also a bit different, and only the Lexus could be fitted with optional adaptive shock absorbers. More obvious to most buyers were the ES 300's unique styling cues, higher-grade interior materials and longer list of amenities.

Major standard equipment on the Lexus ES 300 included 16-inch alloy wheels, a moonroof, power-adjustable front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, a seven-speaker CD/cassette audio system, faux walnut cabin accents and a full set of auto-dimming mirrors and one-touch up/down windows. Also standard were front-seat side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags, but you had to pay extra to get stability control.

Leather upholstery was technically optional, but you'll be hard-pressed to find a used Lexus ES 300 with cloth. Among the other available extras were HID headlights, a premium-grade Mark Levinson audio system, a DVD-based navigation system, heated front seats and a wood/leather steering wheel. A CD changer was also available and could be located in the dash or the center console, depending on whether it was ordered with the nav system. The only equipment difference between the 2002 and '03 models was the possibility of ordering adjustable pedals on the latter.

In road tests of the ES 300, editors noted that it was a refined and elegant car well suited for those who wanted a focused luxury sedan, rather than a sport sedan. "There is tremendous value to be had in the Lexus ES 300," we wrote. "The interior makes the owner feel like he spent $70,000 rather than $35,000. It's roomy enough, powerful enough and comfortable enough with a suspension that can tame a winding road as easily as it can a potholed parkway. No, this is not a direct competitor to the BMW 3 Series. But the ES sure makes for a convincing argument to pass over a Mercedes-Benz C-Class."

The only significant complaint you'll hear from our editors and Lexus ES 300 owners involves transmission performance. The five-speed automatic shifted smoothly in normal traffic situations, but when the car was driven more aggressively, it responded with harsh upshifts and delayed downshifts.

Past Lexus ES 300 models

Consumers shopping for a used ES 300 will find plenty of examples from the previous generation, sold from 1997-2001. This was the first ES sedan to distinguish itself from its workaday Camry sibling, and it did this with an extra dose of horsepower, sleeker styling and additional luxury content.

Initially, the ES 300's all-aluminum 3.0-liter V6 offered 200 hp; however, in 1999, Lexus installed a heavily revised version of this engine equipped with variable valve timing. In addition to 10 more hp, the new V6 delivered more torque and lower emissions. A four-speed automatic was standard throughout the run, but Lexus changed the gearing in '99 to take advantage of the engine's broader power band.

Judged by today's standards, this Lexus ES 300 will undoubtedly seem light on amenities, though all models came with alloy wheels, power front seats, automatic climate control and full power accessories. Leather upholstery was optional, as was a CD player. Safety-minded buyers will probably want to skip right to the 1998 model year, as this was when the ES received side airbags and reduced-force front airbags. A premium Nakamichi audio system joined the options list that year, followed by stability control in 1999 and HID headlights in 2000.

Like its successor, the 1997-2001 ES 300 was a comfortable, capable entry-level luxury car with no sport-sedan pretensions. "If your daily commute is primarily straight-line freeway travel, and you're looking for the most luxury for the least money, the Lexus ES 300 scores top marks," we wrote at the time. "But if you're the type of driver who not only uses curvy roads, but also seeks them out, the Lexus will leave you unimpressed. It's not that the car can't go around corners. It actually does quite well when pushed. But nothing about the car, with the possible exception of its killer brakes, inspires performance driving."

The original Lexus ES 300 was sold from 1992-'96. It was a more obvious Camry clone than subsequent ES 300s but was quite popular with consumers nonetheless. Early models had a 3.0-liter V6 rated at 185 hp. In '94, Lexus fitted the car with a new aluminum-block, 3.0-liter engine good for 188 hp and a significant bump in torque. Although a five-speed manual was standard on 1992 and '93 models, the vast majority of ES 300s from this generation were sold with a four-speed automatic.

Standard equipment included antilock brakes, automatic climate control, an eight-speaker cassette stereo, full power accessories and walnut interior trim. A passenger-side front airbag was added for '94. Leather upholstery, a moonroof and a CD changer were optional throughout the run.

If you encounter an ES sedan built before 1992, it's the ES 250, sold in 1990 and '91 only. A hasty rebadging of the Camry from that era, this car didn't really live up to its luxury billing.

User Reviews:

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  Surprised at cost of service - 2003 Lexus ES 300
  By GRAMP - July 31 - 2:00 am

  For the most part i am satisfied with the Es 300. I had a couple of rattles in the back door , but after two times the dealer took care of that problem. I was very surprised at the cost of service. 10,000 mile service cost $129.00, and i just called the dealership to find out the cost of 15,000 service-----HOW ABOUT-$359.00, so much for a LEXUS

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  Excellence pursued - 2000 Lexus ES 300
  By Spain1966 - March 25 - 2:00 am

  Part of why I have enjoyed this car so much is that I got a great deal (with Edmunds help of course). But almost everything about the car we have enjoyed. Plush interior, nice get-up- and-go, excellent sound system, and EXCELLENT reliablilty (no problems whatsoever). Would buy another Lexus in a heartbeat.

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  new owner - 1998 Lexus ES 300
  By Craig W. - October 6 - 2:00 am

  I bought this vehicle with 92,000 miles on it. My wife and I immediately went for a road trip and put 1,300 additional miles on it. It is an awesome vehicle. Good power and a smooth ride. Were still learning about the different features/buttons that come with it. I think one of the struts needs to be replaced, but other than that, it didnt even hint at having problems. Great car.

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  Great car but beware... - 2002 Lexus ES 300
  By Becky K. - April 29 - 10:00 am

  This is our second Lexus. Love the exterior design and interior design as well. Really sharp car. Has all the bells and whistles anyone could need. Somewhat sluggish though on pickup. There is definitely a computer problem with the transmission. Seems to have trouble - at times - deciding what gear it needs to be in. Lexus is aware of problem with the 2002 ES300, but has not been able to come up with a solution as yet.

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  Nice car but.. - 2002 Lexus ES 300
  By Ole John - March 12 - 10:00 am

  Well it has a nice ride & is quiet. Nice features. It is a little under powered, but I expected that. Many have complained about instability of the transmission - but it is my understanding that the ES300 has fly-by- wire control, & have experienced "shuttering" to different degrees - from the feeling that your on a bumpy road, to a low frequeny shutter after coming down a hill & getting ready to go up another. This is a classic unstable servo system - something that the engineers should have solved long ago. BTW, the transmission isnt all that great either. Should be a lot better for a 35k car made by Toyota.

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  Excellent Quality with the Price Tag - 2002 Lexus ES 300
  By BBGG - February 5 - 2:00 am

  One big problem: I left the car in the garage for my summer vacation for one month. It went totally dead. Dearler said it was not uncommon because of all the on-board computer features. Why put so many features if the battery cannot support it? Service consultants said I should have mentioned that I was a frequent traveller before making the buying decision. So you have to be able to afford to buy expensive car but no allowed to travel? The salesperson never told me that, and Mercedes and Porches did not give me this condition. 2nd question: noise started to appear after a year.

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  Good car, but recently getting worse - 1999 Lexus ES 300
  By NS - January 11 - 9:23 am

  I owned this car since 2001. From 2001-2008: was really happy with the car. Reliable, quiet interior. Comfy seats, good pickup. In 2009: my ES-300 started giving all kinds of problems. Power steering pump leaked-replaced it, O2 sensors went bad-replaced it, alternator died - replaced it. Check engine lights are on almost every month. Follow the routine-go to dealer, they do the diagnostics, find the issue, replace the part, pay those hefty repair charges, and next month repeat the same thing. Just yesterday, heard that its giving heavy knocking sound from engine. Within past 12 months, the repair cost has gone through the roof to almost $6000. Now I am seriously thinking about replacing the car.

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  Never was a Lexus fan but - 2002 Lexus ES 300
  By Chris - December 28 - 10:00 am

  I have always steered clear of Lexus thinking it was more hype then anything. But I bought a 2002 ES 300 with 90k on it. In 6 months I have already taken it over 100k with trips to Dallas from Houston and also Houston to Chicago. It has performed really good. I have a couple issues the cup holders broke, the interior trunk/gas release doesnt work and the cd player jams occasionally but considering the car is 8 years old and has over 100k miles I cant really complain. Its quiet. Rides smooth and has averaged 23 mpg pretty much since I got it. Avg almost 30 mpg on the road. All in all a very nice vehicle that seems like it last quite a while. My previous ride was an 07 m35.

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  Overrated - 2000 Lexus ES 300
  By Warren - October 11 - 4:00 pm

  I married into this car. Looks good and engine is strong with good acceleratIon. But in last 2 years weve been through 2 batteries, 2 sets of struts and other miscellaneous items that should not go bad in a car that has a quality reputation. Even the struts that hold up the engine hood have worn out so it has to be held up with an old broom handle.

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  My Lexus Report - 1996 Lexus ES 300
  By roncent - August 5 - 10:00 am

  I found everything about this vehicle to be supurb. An excellent value.