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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  Poor Design - 2002 Lexus ES 300
  By Hate ES300 - April 17 - 12:00 am

  Look too much like a Camry.

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  great car - 1999 Lexus ES 300
  By rich carguy - April 6 - 10:00 am

  great car, will buy again and again

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  Drive it, youll love it - 1998 Lexus ES 300
  By RDL2AEL - March 12 - 10:00 am

  Drive it,youll love it! The quietness, the smoothness, the reliability, the 6 CDs in the glove box I would buy another one.

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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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  BEST car Ive ever owned - 1997 Lexus ES 300
  By Lexus Guy - March 5 - 2:00 am

  I love this car, is gorgeous, springs to live whenver you touch the gas, and has the smoothest ride Ive ever experienced (compared to Audi, BMW, Merc, etc.). Ive NEVER had a problem with it reliability wise.

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  best of the "small" luxury cars - 2003 Lexus ES 300
  By russ heisinger - February 17 - 10:00 am

  I hardly expected the quality of build that is shown in this car. It is excellent. The V-6 is plenty quick enough for entering short on ramps to the expressway, and it handles well. One has to remember, this is a luxury car, not a Vette! So far, it is the best car I have ever owned out of the 30 or so I have had.

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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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  the best - 1998 Lexus ES 300
  By denger - January 24 - 10:00 am

  I am 77 years old and this lexus is the best car I ever owned.

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  Very nice Lexus - 1996 Lexus ES 300
  By johnrocca - January 20 - 10:43 pm

  Best car ever, CPO coach edition, 11 years old. Drives like day one. This car runs like new. I changed battery, tires, brakes, thats it. Put gas in it and gooooooooo. Enjoy!

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  win win - 1997 Lexus ES 300
  By rghouse - January 15 - 5:59 pm

  I have yet to be disappointed with a vehicle made by Toyota and this car is no exception. Purchased with 150K 4 years ago from original owner, now has 197K. The only thing to go wrong since purchase is the driver door out side handle became non-functional after the clip inside the door broke. It was $1.75, but I had to take the door apart to fix it. I use synthetic oil (previous owners used synthetic also) every 10k miles and the oil is still golden brown after one years worth of driving. My only complaint is when the family goes on a trip the rear sags and sometimes the tires scrape (they are slightly oversized vs stock b/c of BBS rims). Awesome stock stereo,very comfortable n dependable