Lexus Adds the ES 350h Hybrid to the Electric ES Sedan Lineup

• The Lexus ES enters its eighth generation in 2026.

• The V6 engine has been discontinued and electric versions were added.

• The hybrid model is more powerful and efficient than its predecessor, and it adds all wheel drive.

Lexus has launched a hybrid version of its new ES mid-size sedan earlier today, building upon the electric versions unveiled about a year ago.

For its eighth generation, the Lexus ES, one of the two founding models for Toyota’s luxury brand back in 1990, gets a complete makeover that brings many firsts.

Indeed, while the ES remains a mid-size sedan that shares its architecture with various other models, such as the Toyota Camry, it bids farewell to the V6 engine and welcomes electric versions for the first time.

This means that the only combustion-powered Lexus ES available starting in June will be the new ES 350h hybrid, the previous ES 250 AWD and ES 350 not having been renewed.

Like the previous ES 300h it replaces, the ES 350h is powered by a 2.5L naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine that is paired with an electric motor, but while the 2025 model used the fourth generation of the Lexus hybrid powertrain, the 2026 ES benefits from the sixth generation.

This brings about an increase in output from 215 horsepower to 244 horsepower, as well as improved efficiency.

Most importantly, the 2026 ES 350h offers all wheel drive in combination with the hybrid powertrain for the first time in the model’s history.

Interestingly, the combined output of the powertrain remains the same as the front wheel drive version despite the addition of a 54-horsepower electric motor on the rear axle.

Lexus says the power distribution from front to rear can vary between 100:0 to 20:80, depending on road conditions and driver input.

While American buyers will have a choice of both front wheel drive and all-wheel drive, only the latter will be available in Canada.

Other improvements made to the powertrain include a larger muffler and different ECU tuning aimed at reducing engine noise and prioritizing electric power.

Fuel efficiency figures have yet to be announced in Canada, but the American market 2026 ES 350h front wheel drive is expected to achieve an average of 46 miles per gallon, an improvement of 2 MPG over the 2025 ES 300h. In liters per 100 kilometers, this 4.5% reduction in fuel consumption should translate to a combined average of 5.1 L/100 km. The ES 350h AWD, for its part, is expected to match the 5.3 L/100 km ratings of the previous ES 300h.

From the outside, the main difference between the ES 350h and its electric siblings is the front grille, which features an air intake in the lower part of the bumper. Of course, the hybrid models replace the EVs’ charging port on the front right fender with a fuel door on the left rear quarter panel.

Inside, the hybrid Lexus ES is pretty much identical to the electric ES 350e and 550e, which means it comes standard with a 12.3-inch driver information display and a 14-inch touchscreen running the latest version of the Lexus Interface infotainment system.

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Like the EVs, the new hybrid ES benefits from the Lexus Safety System+ 4.0 suite of driver assistance features that mostly includes refinements over the LSS+ 3.0 system found in the previous ES.

The 2026 Lexus ES 350h will be available in three grades in Canada, with the entry-level AWD Signature priced from $63,300.

The AWD Premium trim level will add a number of safety related technologies for a starting price of $65,990, and the AWD Premium+ will gain a 17-speaker Mark Levinson sound system, a digital key, a head up display, a digital rear-view mirror, the Advanced Park System, and 360-degree cameras, for a price of $69,960.

Deliveries of the hybrid version should start in June in the United States, the Canadian market is expected to follow shortly.