Luxury cars are expensive, so finding a used one is a more affordable way to own your dream luxury car. There’s pleasure in owning a slightly used luxury car, around three or four years old, since the useful life of these cars is still pretty long. That’s especially true if we’re talking about a brand like Lexus, since their reliable luxury cars mean that they have a very long useful life.
Actually, that raises the question of why you’d even prefer a brand-new 2026 Camry for $29,100 when you can get a slightly used Lexus luxury sedan for less, which undeniably has more brand impact and a more luxurious interior. Granted, it will have a bit of wear and tear, but knowing Lexus, its luxury cars with legendary reliability mean that it’ll still last a very long time in your hands.
The best-selling Lexus luxury sedan in the United States is the midsize ES. Offered in 2.5-liter four-cylinder, 3.5-liter V-6, and hybrid forms, the Lexus ES can be yours for less than a brand-new 2026 Camry if you look for a 2021 model or older.
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According to Kelley Blue Book, a 2021 model year hybrid Lexus ES 300h has an average market value of $27,440, while the V-6-powered ES 350 is only slightly higher at $27,740. A base ES 250 is even more affordable at $26,070. Please note that these are average prices, which means that the actual resale value may be higher or lower, depending on the vehicle’s mileage and condition.
Going into our friends from iSeeCars, the five-year resale value of a Lexus ES 300h is at $23,803, while the ES 350 has an average resale of $24,356. The ES 250 was only introduced in the 2021 model year, which is why iSeeCars still has no historical data for this variant. This means that the ES 300h and ES 350 have lost 45.2 percent and 42.1 percent of their value, respectively, which makes them one of the slower depreciating cars in the midsize luxury sedan segment. For reference, the segment’s average is 53.6 percent, while the overall industry average depreciation is 45.5 percent.
The good news for you is that, according to iSeeCars, any of the three Lexus ES variants is extremely reliable. That’s not even anecdotal, either, because this is exactly the reputation the brand has built. iSeeCars even says that the ES 300h and ES 350 are some of the longest-lasting passenger cars for 2025. The ES 300h has a 7.5 percent chance of lasting beyond 250,000 miles, while the non-hybrid ES has a 6.5 percent chance of doing the same feat. This makes the ES 300h and ES 2.9 times and 2.5 times more guaranteed to reach that mileage compared to the average passenger car.
These are our top picks for the perfect blend of comfort and performance.
The Lexus ES may not be the most exciting midsize luxury sedan out there, especially next to what the Germans are cooking, but as a reliable luxury vehicle, the ES is going to be a keeper.
Key to the reliability and long-lasting qualities of the ES is that it shares the fundamentals of the Camry. The ES 300h, ES 250, and ES 350 utilize the powertrain of the previous generation Camry, not the current all-hybrid model. So yes, when going for the hybrid version, the current Camry has the newer fifth-generation Toyota Hybrid System (THS V) versus the THS IV of the outgoing ES 300h. On the upside, the ES 350 still has the previous Camry’s potent 3.5-liter 302-horsepower V-6, while for those wanting all-wheel drive (AWD), the ES 250 is why this model exists.
Anyway, the shared powertrain with the previous Camry means that not only do you get a very reliable midsize luxury sedan, but you also have access to a ton of spare parts. This means that even 10 years or so down the line, all three Lexus ES variants will have abundant parts support, whether at the dealer or at your local mechanic. It also helps that all three vehicles are mechanically simple, which means fewer chances of failure points, but also that some maintenance parts can be conducted on your own.
Take a look at the vehicle itself, and you’ll discover durable materials, excellent paint quality, and a sumptuous interior. Actually, it is these touchpoints that make the ES worth the $10,000 premium when brand-new versus an equivalent Camry. Marvel at the shimmer of a Lexus paint finish, as well as its long-lasting qualities. That also pretty much applies to the interior, too, where a mix of leather (whether synthetic or the real thing), wood, and aluminum trims adorn the surroundings and help in giving the ES the comfort levels of a living room.
Thankfully, depending on the variant and how you spec your ES, there’s barely any gloss black plastic to ruin the vibe. Everything in the interior lasts equally as long as the mechanicals or the exterior parts. Even when passed on to the next owner, you’ll be happy to find out that the interior of the Lexus ES won’t age quickly, letting you enjoy the crafted materials in the years to come.
The 2026 Lexus ES has just entered a new era, upgrading its technology, luxury, and comfort. Oh, and it’s available as an EV now.
So you’ve decided that a 2021 Lexus ES would be a great used purchase. It is reliable, easy to maintain, and will still serve you for a very long time. The last question to answer is, how does this midsize luxury sedan perform? Well, thankfully, I’ve previously reviewed an ES 350 already, and there’s a lot to like about this midsize luxury sedan.
A luxury sedan’s main purpose is to be comfortable, and with that, the Lexus ES delivers. Personally, I would avoid the ES 250, even though its main selling point is AWD, because the engine is tepid. A tepid engine means a hardworking engine, which also means you’ll be hearing its revs more than you should, especially in a luxury car. The ES 300h offers just the right amount of power with the added refinement of a hybrid system, but for me, the ES is really best experienced with the V-6. The 302-horsepower engine is powerful, and with V-6 engines being a Lexus strength, the smoothness and creaminess of how it performs and sounds are perfectly matched to how the ES drives.
Copious amounts of sound deadening mean that the cabin stays hushed, even at high speeds. The ride quality is typical Lexus, wherein the ride is soft, but not to a point that it feels like it’s a boat when going over uneven roads. The eight-speed automatic that’s mated to the V-6 is also well-matched to the engine, delivering smooth shifts and keeping the engine singing at the right RPM.
But while the ES may sound boat-like to drive due to the soft suspension, I don’t think its handling was bad, either. Sure, versus a BMW 5 Series, it isn’t a sports sedan performer, but its handling is reasonably good. Though there’s more body roll than in the Bimmer, it’s not what I’d call boat-like. More like just the right amount of lean for the ES to remain reasonably composed, whilst still fulfilling its mission of being a comfortable midsize luxury sedan.
Sources: iSeeCars, KBB, CarEdge, Lexus
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