UPDATE: 2026/05/28
We have updated this article with more information on the sedan’s 2025 and 2026 model years, as well as information regarding price trends for the Lexus ES and Mercedes-Benz E-Class over the years.
Why Luxury Sedans Are No Longer Just About The Badge
Comfort, Refinement, And What Buyers Really Value Today
A front 3/4 view of a black 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe.Mercedes-Benz
Sliding behind the wheel, everything feels deliberate. Solid. Composed. The kind of engineering that reminds you this is a car built with purpose. The E 220d, in particular, left a lasting impression. That 2.0-liter turbo-diesel engine—paired with a mild hybrid system—was eerily quiet. Quiet enough that a few friends genuinely thought it was electric. Out on the road, it delivered exactly what you’d expect: a smooth, controlled drive with just the right amount of power when you needed it.
2025 Black Mercedes-Benz E-Class rear shotPrashirwin Naidu | Topspeed
It felt like a presidential suite on wheels. Long distances faded away. The cabin insulates you from the outside world, while features like massaging seats and the Burmester sound system turn every drive into more of an experience than a commute. It’s refined in the way a luxury car should be. But here’s the thing. That kind of luxury—while still impressive—has started to feel… complicated.
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The Lexus ES Delivers A Different Kind Of Luxury
A Comfort-Focused Sedan That Prioritizes Smoothness
2026 Lexus ES 300h Posed By A PoolLexus
This is where the Lexus ES steps in, forgoing the complexities. It doesn’t try to impress in the flashiest way. It avoids overwhelming drivers with unnecessary complexity or pursuing high-power figures just for show. Instead, it sticks to its own lane—ease, comfort, and real-world usability, all without the hefty price tag. The 2025 Lexus ES started at around $42,040, while the upcoming 2026 ES model climbs to $48,895 at base. And that’s where the shift becomes clear.
2026 Lexus ES 300h overhead shotLexus
The current ES is all about simplicity and proven refinement, while the new one moves toward electrification, more power, a larger footprint, and a more tech-focused interior. It’s progress, no doubt—but also a change in character. Now compare that to the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, which starts closer to $63,900. If you’ve got the extra cash, by all means, go for it. But if you’re after something more sensible—something that still delivers comfort, features, and added reliability—the ES makes a very strong case for itself.
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Up To 302 Horsepower At Your Disposal
2024 ES 250 AWD FSPORT rear badgeLexus
The 2025 lineup offers three powertrains. The ES 250 uses a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with 203 horsepower, the ES 350 steps things up with a 3.5-liter V6 producing 302 horsepower, and the ES 300h hybrid delivers a combined 215 horsepower with impressive efficiency—up to 44 mpg combined.
Base Trim Engine
2.5L I4 ICE
Base Trim Transmission
8-speed automatic
Base Trim Drivetrain
All-Wheel Drive
Base Trim Horsepower
203 HP @6600 RPM
Base Trim Torque
184 lb.-ft. @ 4000 RPM
Base Trim Fuel Economy (city/highway/combined)
24/33/28 MPG
Base Trim Battery Type
Lead acid battery
Make
Lexus
Model
ES
On paper, those figures are solid. But what stands out—something both Car and Driver and Edmunds point to—is how that power is delivered. Smoothly. Quietly. Effortlessly.
Front Head-On View Of A Silver 2025 Lexus ES 300h DrivingLexus
Even the quickest version, the V6 ES 350, reaches 60 mph in about 6.1 seconds, but it still doesn’t feel aggressive. The hybrid is slower, yes—but calmer, more relaxed, and better aligned with the car’s character. In fact, many reviews point to the hybrid as the sweet spot in the lineup. That same philosophy carries through the rest of the experience. Reviews consistently describe the suspension as soft and compliant, soaking up imperfections with ease, while the cabin remains exceptionally quiet—even at highway speeds.
2025 Lexus ES 300h Front Dashboard And SeatsLexus
Road and wind noise are well suppressed, reinforcing that sense of isolation. One can say this luxury saloon or executive suite on wheels is merely not trying to excite you, but rather to relax you and evoke emotions of peace, and perhaps that’s what gives it wings and makes it different.
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What Makes The Lexus ES Feel More Luxurious Than The Mercedes E-Class
Ride Quality, Cabin Quietness, And Overall Refinement
2025 Black Mercedes-Benz E-Class front shotPrashirwin Naidu | Topspeed
This is where things get interesting. Having spent time with the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, it’s easy to understand why it’s long been the benchmark. It feels composed, solid, and incredibly refined on the road. The suspension balances comfort with control, and the cabin isolates you well, even at speed. It’s a car that leans into precision—everything feels engineered, deliberate, and well-thought-out.
Beauty shot of a red 2025 Lexus ES 300hLexus
The Lexus ES approaches things differently. Reviews consistently describe its ride as more compliant, absorbing imperfections with less focus on sportiness. It’s not trying to match the E-Class in dynamics—it’s aiming for a more relaxed, less demanding experience.
That Difference Carries Into The Cabin
2025 Black Mercedes-Benz E-Class interiorPrashirwin Naidu | Topspeed
The E-Class feels modern and tech-forward. Large displays, the latest MBUX system, ambient lighting, and features like the optional passenger screen create an environment that feels cutting-edge. But it can also feel complex, especially when many of those features sit behind optional packages.
Interior shot of a 2025 Lexus ES 350 from the perspective of the driver’s doorLEXUS
The ES takes a more restrained approach. The layout is simpler, the interface more straightforward, and the overall atmosphere more focused on calmness than stimulation. Feature-wise, both are well-equipped—but the way they deliver those features differs. The E-Class offers a wide range of advanced technology, including a large central touchscreen with MBUX interface, augmented reality navigation, and advanced driver assistance systems like Active Distance Assist and evasive steering assist.
Profile shot of 2025 Lexus ES interior showing front and rear seatsLexus
That said, many of these are optional and can significantly increase the price. So while the E-Class offers more cutting-edge technology, the ES tends to include more everyday essentials at no extra cost. The ES includes a strong set of features as standard:
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Available in a 12.3-inch display
- Lexus Safety System+ 2.5 with adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and pre-collision braking
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Where It Beats The E-Class In Everyday Ownership
Reliability, Lower Costs, And Stress-Free Driving
2025 Lexus ES 350 V6 acceleratingLexus
Ownership is where the contrast becomes clearer. German luxury cars—like the Mercedes-Benz E-Class—are celebrated for their engineering sophistication, but that complexity often comes with higher long-term maintenance costs. Parts, servicing, and optional extras can quickly add up, and as systems age, upkeep can become less predictable. By comparison, the Lexus ES leans into a different philosophy—one built around consistency and dependability. Lexus has long ranked at or near the top of industry studies from organizations like J.D. Power, which track real-world reliability through owner-reported problems per 100 vehicles.
Rear 3/4 shot of 2025 Lexus ES 350Lexus
These findings consistently show Lexus outperforming the industry average—and many European rivals—translating into fewer issues, lower running costs, and a smoother ownership experience over time. And that’s ultimately where the distinction lies—subtle but worth noting. The E-Class defines modern luxury through innovation and cutting-edge technology. The ES delivers it through simplicity, predictability, and peace of mind. Luxury doesn’t end when you park the car—in many ways, that’s when the real experience begins. Owning a car like the E-Class comes with expectations, but also variables.
Close-up shot of 2025 Lexus ES interior showing seat detailingLexus
I remember having a look at the spec sheet for the E-Class I had on test and being baffled. It’s absolutely ridiculous, to be frank, and then there’s long-term maintenance, but in reality, whoever buys an E-Class buys into the weight of the badge, and simply costs do not freeze them. For me, it does. And looking at the ES, it approaches ownership differently. Built on a proven platform and backed by Lexus’ reputation for durability, it’s widely regarded as one of the easiest luxury sedans to live with. Servicing is typically more straightforward, costs are more manageable, and there’s a level of reassurance that’s hard to quantify—but easy to appreciate.
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The Price Gap Gets Even Wider After Five Years
A screenshot of the 2021 Lexus ES 350 price trend from CarBuzzCarBuzz
The initial price difference between a new Lexus ES and a comparable Mercedes-Benz E-Class is striking enough on its own. But the ownership cost gap doesn’t stop at the sticker price — it compounds over time through depreciation, and that’s where the ES’s financial case becomes almost impossible to argue with. According to iSeeCars, the ES 350 loses around 42% of its value over five years, while the E-Class loses nearly 57% over the same period. On a car that costs thousands more to begin with, that’s a significant amount of additional value walking out the door. CarBuzz‘s price trend tool for the 2021 Lexus ES and the 2021 Mercedes E-Class can show you what those prices look like for various trims in real time.
A screenshot of the 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class price trend from CarBuzzCarBuzz
Put another way, a buyer who chooses the E-Class over the ES is paying more upfront for a car that also costs more to own, more to maintain, and depreciates faster. The ES, by contrast, holds its value well enough that KBB named Lexus its Best Luxury Brand for resale value in 2026 — a recognition that reflects years of consistent depreciation performance across the lineup. For buyers who plan to sell or trade in after a few years, that 15-percentage-point resale advantage isn’t just a number on a comparison chart. It translates directly into money back in their pocket at the end of ownership. The E-Class remains an exceptional machine, but the ES quietly makes it look like an expensive choice twice over.
Why It’s The Smarter Luxury Sedan For Most Buyers
Premium Experience Without The Premium Price Tag
2025 Black Mercedes-Benz E-Class parked in a parking lot ( wide shot )Prashirwin Naidu | Topspeed
So let’s circle back to the price. The Lexus ES starts in the low-$40,000 range, while a comparably specified Mercedes-Benz E-Class can easily climb well beyond $60,000—before even dipping into the options list. It’s a gap that’s difficult to ignore.
But more importantly, it raises a fundamental question: what are you really paying for? Strip everything back—look at the daily experience, the comfort, the refinement, the ease of ownership—and the ES delivers where it matters most. The Lexus ES won’t shout for attention. It won’t dominate conversations around outright performance or cutting-edge tech. But it doesn’t need to.
Rear 3/4 View Of A Silver 2026 Lexus ES 300h DrivingLexus
What it offers is something far more valuable: effortless luxury and long-term satisfaction. And while the E-Class remains an exceptional machine—one that continues to define engineering excellence—the ES quietly proves that luxury doesn’t have to be complicated to be exceptional. Sometimes, the best luxury car… is simply the one that asks the least of you.
2025 Lexus ES vs. 2026 Lexus ES
A front 3/4 shot of a 2026 Lexus ES luxury sedan on the move.Lexus
We’ve been talking mostly about the 2025 Lexus ES, but Lexus has brought out an updated version of this luxury sedan. This is a dramatic overhaul, shifting the luxury sedan into an electrified future. As a result, the ES gives up its iconic V6 engine in favor of an upgraded 2.5-liter hybrid with the ES 350h or a fully electric powertrain on the ES 350e and ES500e. The ES 350h delivers 244 horsepower and is offered in front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive. Meanwhile, the 350e FWD offers 221 horsepower with a 307-mile range, and the 500e AWD bumps that up to 338 horsepower and 276 miles of range.
Base Trim Engine
2.5-liter inline-4 hybrid
Base Trim Transmission
e-CVT
Base Trim Drivetrain
Front-Wheel Drive
Base Trim Horsepower
244 HP
Base Trim Torque
175 lb.-ft. @ 5000 RPM
Make
Lexus
Model
ES
Segment
Midsize Luxury Sedan
Another update is how the new ES looks and feels compared to the 2025 model. The 2026 ES has grown into near-flagship proportions, along with bolder design cues like the Twin-L headlights and an illuminated rear Lexus logo. On the inside, the ES’ cabin is still restrained, with a minimalistic design and updated tech suite. The new ES offers a 14-inch touchscreen, 3D-printed bamboo trim, and an available Executive Package with massaging, reclining rear seats.
A closer look at the dashboard and center console layout inside the 2026 Lexus 350h.Lexus
So, which one should you consider? If you prefer classic luxury sedan dimensions and appreciate tactile controls or want the buttery-smooth reliability of the V6 engine, the choice is clear: 2025 Lexus ES. However, if you want a faster hybrid powertrain or want to go full electric, or if you want better interior space and up-to-date features, the 2026 Lexus ES is what you should bank on. It may seem like the 2026 Lexus ES has lost its charm, but that’s hardly the case. It still carries the DNA that makes ES a true Mercedes-rivalling luxury sedan.
Sources: Lexus, Car And Driver, Edmunds, The EPA, J.D. Power, CarEdge, iSeeCars, CarBuzz
