In-depth reviews

Lexus ES 300h reliability & safety

With plenty of safety kit and a rock-solid reliability record, the Lexus ES 300h has your peace of mind covered

Overall rating

3.0 out of 5

Reliability & safety rating

4.5 out of 5

Price
£39,980 - £56,680
Fuel Type:
Hybrid Petrol
Euro NCAPAdult protectionChild protectionSafety assistance
5 stars (2018)91%87%77%

The ES is now in its seventh generation, so although the previous version weren't sold in the UK, it’s certainly not an unknown quantity. The hybrid system is updated from, but basically similar to, those fitted to millions of Toyota group vehicles, so there’s nothing on the technology side to raise any cause for concern.

Lexus ES 300h reliability & problems

The ES didn't feature in the 2021 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey, but just about every other Lexus did. We've no reason to doubt the ES will live up to the brand's excellent reputation, however. Just under 10% of owners reported a fault with their Lexus in the first year, which is around half as many as Volvo and Mercedes customers. The brand topped the survey for several years, but slipped to 10th place overall in 2021.

Safety

Euro NCAP awarded the ES a full five-star crash-safety rating in 2018, with a 91% score for adult occupant protection and 87% for children, so there's nothing much to worry about in this department. The ES comes with a package of integrated safety systems called Lexus Safety System, which includes autonomous emergency braking with the ability to detect cyclists, pedestrian and vehicles.

It also has adaptive LED headlamps that not only switch between high and dipped beams, but also adjust the light pattern to reduce glare for oncoming traffic. As of September 2020, all models in the range also have blind-spot monitoring and rear-cross traffic alert as standard.

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