Lexus’ ES executive saloon has made its European debut, delivering a new rival to the BMW i5.

The ES will incorporate hybrid powertrains along with its first fully electric versions

Now in its eighth generation – but only the second edition that’s been offered in the UK and Western Europe – the ES will be offered with hybrid powertrains along with its first fully electric versions.

In Western Europe, this includes a 201hp ES 300h full hybrid featuring a 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder engine, an upgraded battery and both front- and all-wheel drive versions – but this model is yet to be confirmed for the UK.

Two battery electric ES versions will also be available and could be the sole versions in the UK. These include the ES 350e with a single front-mounted motor delivering 224hp, and the all-wheel-drive ES 500e with a dual-motor setup outputting 343hp and married up with Lexus’s Direct4 intelligent electric all-wheel drive system. Performance, efficiency, electric range and charging details haven’t been disclosed yet.

Said to deliver a “clear step-up in performance, refinement, comfort and luxury appointments”, the new ES also gets Lexus’ Clean x Tech design approach, giving a sleek and elegant look, both inside and out.

It also debuts two new Lexus-first design elements, including Bamboo Layering, which uses advanced printing techniques and light transmission technology to create a textured surface that synchronises with the cabin’s ambient illumination.

The new ES also benefits from technology innovations such as the Lexus-first ‘Hidden Tech’ haptic switches that light up when the car is powered on – made possible by the Arene software platform shared with Toyota and also used in the new RAV4 – and the latest multimedia and safety systems.

The cockpit is based on Lexus’s Tazuna principle, intended to avoid driver distraction by arranging controls and information sources so “they can be operated and recognised with just the slightest movement of hand and eye”.

Equipment includes a 12.3-inch digital driver’s screen, a new 14-inch LexusConnect multimedia that makes its market debut and comes with over-the-air updates, and the LexusLink + app.

Luxury features incorporate reclining seats in the rear, an ottoman leg support for the seat behind the front passenger and a bespoke Mark Levinson Surround Sound System with17 speakers.

The new ES also gets latest Lexus Safety System + technologies and features, marking further advances towards Lexus’s goal of zero traffic accidents.

The all-new ES opens for sales in Europe from spring 2026. Details of UK specifications will be revealed over the coming months.