Lexus announces NZ pricing for all-new ES

Lexus New Zealand has revealed pricing and range for its all-new ES sedan, ahead of its arrival in local showrooms later this year. 

The brand had previously confirmed that it would be bringing both the hybrid and pure electric ES variants to the New Zealand market, with dual powertrain availability being a local first for the nameplate

The ES line-up will comprise three trim levels. Two hybrid trims, the ES 300h Premium and ES 300h Limited, kick off the range, and are priced from $96,900 and $104,900, respectively. 

The range is led by the single fully electric variant; the ES 500e. It is priced from $109,900. 

“The ES has long resonated with New Zealand drivers for its refinement, comfort and exceptionally quiet driving experience,” said Lexus New Zealand vice president Andrew Davis. 

“What’s particularly compelling about this new generation is the way it evolves those strengths through a more contemporary design, increased spaciousness and a significantly more connected in-cabin experience.

“It has a much stronger presence on the road than previous generations, but it still feels unmistakably Lexus. The cabin remains calm and refined, but there’s a simplicity and openness to the design that gives the car a far more modern feel.” 

The ES is the only sedan nameplate in the Lexus line-up currently on steady ground. The brand’s local arm recently phased out the IS, with global reports indicating that an all-new fully electric replacement for the model is likely off the cards.

The future of the LS is also uncertain, with speculation that the iconic model — the first Lexus ever launched — could be reinvented as an SUV. 

Lexus New Zealand’s press release did not include mechanical details of locally offered ES models. 

Overseas, the ES 500e comes with a 74.7kWh battery pack, claiming a range of up to 530km on the WLTP cycle and offered in either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive — the former powered by a single 165kW motor and the latter by dual motors making 252kW.

The hybrids, meanwhile, pair a 2.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine with either FWD or AWD, with power rated at 148kW in entry-level models and 182kW in all-paw variants.