It's on Instagram. Here's a screenshot of the short article and the comments.

 

I really doubt that this will become the new LS if Lexus is actually serious about having a prestige flagship sedan. It’s one thing the get kidded for generations about the ES being a fancy Camry, but they would be throwing away every Yen spent on trying to make this the new car the replacement LS, as the laugh factor would be huge, globally. That’s not a hit on the ES, new or old, but there’s a big step up in requirements to move up to the next rung. The current LS, for all the mistakes they made with it, is structurally and mechanically unique.

IF - and that is a big if - they really want a replacement LS sedan it will have to be unique enough and differentiated enough from the ES to even have a chance against the S-class or 7-series. Some rumors I had read hypothesized that Lexus may make a flagship SUV, perhaps along the Maybach (the large GLS SUV has that as its top trim) or Bentayga lines, rather than spend a fortune on a halo sedan that will struggle for sales. That might be a big hit in China as well. Even S-class sales have softened in recent years, even after a bump from the newest version. The reputation of the S-class is respected enough that it would be a hit on MB’s reputation to not have one in the lineup. That prestige also trickles down the model line as a result. Lexus so botched this current LS that sales are embarrassingly low, and it threw away its quiet, refined luxury in trying to be edgy and sporty. The sales figures show what the world thought of it.

So Lexus has a big decision to make. Hopefully, if they are going to proceed, I hope they seriously rethink what they did last time around.

 

A very thoughtful and sincere review of the new 8ES design reveal, and more importantly, what it says about the future direction of the Lexus brand.

(Spoiler alert: China has already overtaken the US as the guiding light for the future of Lexus design.)

 

I haven't bothered to look into it, but initially I thought the next ES would be based off of the Crown. I wonder how much similarity there is. At minimum, both are "jacked" sedans. I think both are GA-K too. I wonder if these cars share platforms with the Japanese crown or what the exact relationship is between all three.

Similar short front doors, similar quarter glass, similar sloping rear end.

 

Another thought I just had:

The Subaru Outback is quite popular. I wonder if this is going to try to attract those buyers? It's getting closer to that in design.

 

No, I don't think either one shares much with the Japanese Crown, which is a rear-drive chassis also used in the LC and Mirai (which reportedly would've had a gas engine and been the next GS if they hadn't killed it off, BTW).

Evidently the new ES shares components with a Chinese-market car that's a joint venture between BYD, Guangdong and Toyota. Which, as the Josh video linked above correctly notes, explains a lot about why this car looks so much like various cars popular in China and so little like any previous Lexus.

 

It's been suggested that the Crown Signia is a higher-zoot counterpart to the Outback. But the new Outback is almost ready for release. Spy photos suggest, now that its fraternal twin the Legacy sedan is dead, that the Outback will now have a more traditionally tall SUV outline which will end the comparisons.

 

I hope they don't pattern it off the Crown. The 2025 Toyota Crown, especially the Signia version, has seen below-average sales compared to other Toyota models. In 2024, only 10,263 Crown Signias were sold in the U.S., trailing behind most other Toyota vehicles, including pickups and SUVs, and even some other cars like the Mirai and Supra.

 

Sorry, but that ship sailed over 2 years ago. A huge, ponderous Crown sibling optimized for China is the ES we get.

I would add that the sales figures you're citing are slightly misleading. Toyota declared in advance of importing the Signia that that's about the upper limit on the number they intended to send here per year. It's the U.S. Crown sedan that they won't be able to give away. And the hydrogen-powered Mirai, whatever it sold in 2024, is now selling literally by the dozens since most of the U.S. doesn't even have stations to fuel it.

 

What ever the excuses that Lexus and other people trying to explain for this poorly design ES, no Chinese or American will buy this BS, it will fail miserably, terrible tech and battery. How old is Toyota/Lexus EV department? oh 3 year-old, they are 20 years behind Testa and 10+ years behind Chinese EVs. All EVs Toyota4XYZ and Lexus RZ that they produced so far have been doing incredible well, so well, well, like 2 people actually bought them here in the US, and 0 people has bought them in Asia LOL. I mean what attract anyone to buy this BS? NONE. Think of a reason that made you bought your Lexus, ok, do you see that on this new pregnant ES, NO right,

Mark my words, the sale of the 8 gen Lexus in fall 75%, they will be panic and start making changes very very soon.

 

I rather like the Crown, especially the upper trim levels of the Signia. (But I also liked the Renault Aventine and Citroen C6, so what do I know about car design?) I’m in the minority though. I see the Crown as a “unique” looking car - but not necessarily attractive in the conventionally unique sense - sort of like how Uma Thurman is attractive but in her own special way.

The design of the new ES and Crown may suffer from the same “standout-ness” as the Crown and many other electric cars although the ride height of the Crown in particular does allow for ease of ingress and egress. The ES was designed, it appears, to accommodate electric power, hence the raised height. Think of the heftiest of the current BMW 5 Series - another vehicle designed to be BEV powered or ICE or hybrid engined. To me, the surfacing details on the ES’s hood and sides comes across as overwrought but I might warm up to them given time.

Where I do have a real problem with the ES 8th Gen is the front cabin and dash. Part of the joy of owning a luxury or premium vehicle is enjoying the tactility of switches and numbers, something lost in this era of haptic switches and touch screens. When I purchased my 2025 ES 350 UL I crossed shopped against the German midsized competition. Besides saving a few thousand by buying an ES, I never warmed up to the screen festooned dashes of Mercs and BMWs. Maybe this will change by the time the 8th Gen will make it to US shores.

In the meantime I look forward to many more years of happy motoring in my naturally aspirated V6 ES.

 

I agree 100% with the video posted by @DavidZ . This new 8gen with a very unattractive body update IMHO, the removal of physical buttons and ***** (which some mfr. are re-introducing after removal), the personally dreaded e-latch system, and a mere 29hp increase on the 350h make it a definite no upgrade for me regardless of new mpg.

I just hope I'm not forced to replace my car like some others have been. If I ever need to switch, it would only be for a current gen '25 300h or 350; otherwise I'd look elsewhere.

Unfortunately, at this time a full EV isn't a viable option for me due to my current high power utility rate, lack of solar energy, and relatively low gas prices. Even if I were to buy a full EV, it would not be on this new 1st gen Lexus EV platform, and I will not support TSLA brand at this time; which is years ahead of Lexus EV.

 

Will this be the final design of the 8th gen (whatever they showed recently in China) or do you guys think it may change?

 

This is it.

 

I think we may eventually see something more catered to the US market. The point Josh made in the video I posted above is that the 8ES was designed primarily for the China market. But he's also saying that he thinks that Lexus will later produce a version adapted to the US and European markets. This is in contrast to the past where the first version was primarily designed for the US market.

The question is how significant any future US modifications will be. I suspect they will be modest.