According to this article Toyota will no longer build the Executive Sedan in Kentucky. The 2026 ES will now be built in Japan... The article also goes on to say that America is the largest market for Lexus.

https://www.carscoops.com/2025/09/le...-will-survive/

 

More details on new models to be built in Kentucky.

• Toyota Motor Corp
  

TOKYO, Sept 10 (Reuters) - Toyota Motor (7203.T), opens new tab will start making two battery-powered sport utility vehicles at its U.S. Kentucky plant and will end production of a luxury Lexus brand model at the site, a person familiar with the matter said.
The electric vehicles the Japanese automaker plans to build in Kentucky will be based on the RAV4 and the Land Cruiser, according to the person, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak publicly.Stay up to date with the latest news, trends and innovations that are driving the global automotive industry with the Reuters Auto File newsletter. Sign up here.
Toyota declined to comment on its future product plans.
The next-generation Lexus ES sedan, due next year, will be manufactured in Japan and exported to the U.S., the person said, adding the change is not related to U.S. import tariffs.
In the U.S., Toyota currently makes Lexus ES sedans at its Kentucky plant and Lexus TX sport utility vehicles at a facility in the state of Indiana.
On Tuesday, the Nikkei newspaper reported Toyota would consolidate production of Lexus brand cars in the U.S. to a single location in the face of high tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.
In response to that report, Toyota said the information was not something announced by the company, adding that it continually reviews its production structure as part of efforts to make ever-better cars.Reporting by Maki Shiraki, Daniel Leussink and Mariko Katsumura; Editing by Kirsten Donovan, Himani Sarkar and Sharon Singlton

 

They could not have chosen a worse time to make this transition. With new tariffs taking effect, seems we Americans are going to pay a lot more for a new ES. Seems Japan has decided to put a greater focus on the China market. If China should ever decide to invade Taiwan that will be 2 bad decisions that Lexus management made. There would be no China market.

 

Agree, but in all fairness we knew this. The new ES is styled for the Chinese market, not US or European. US is just not as important to them as before.

 

This would explain why there are still 2025 ES allocations showing up.

I suppose I could have waited a bit, then. Oh well...will just have to enjoy our '25 right now.

 

Lexus/Toyota is probably worried about ICE raiding their factories.

In all seriousness though, hopefully production quality will increase.

Gotta say the exterior looks great. Not a big fan of the "wall" between the passenger and driver.

 

They stated at the Beijing introduction of the ES (hint a their intentions, right?) that it would not be on sale until 3/26. I believe that was in April. So we’ve known since then, 2025 model year will run quite long, more like 1.5 year run than 1 year.

 

With a different factory making it, they could sell the 7th gen indefinitely, at least until they run out of parts. Mopar made (is still making?) the 4th gen RAM alongside the 5th gen for a long time.

Just out of morbid curiosity Im looking at the new 7th gen ES allocations pop up and *still* haven't found the one we wanted (and got)

 

I have been really curious what the strategy here was going to be with the transition, ever since I saw the March ‘26 date, back in late April. I have asked a few places and no idea.

 

Yeah its a very good question and I do have a feeling they will make them until the parts are used up. I think the only part we've seen "dry up" might be the illuminated trunk sill accessory for the 2019+ ES350 (I think its still available for the ES300h)

 

I suspect that Toyota is now waiting for this tit-for-tat tariff thing to sort itself out. Note that they have said they'll build the RAV4 and equivalent Lexus SUVs in the US...currently they are built in Ontario. However tariffs regarding parts and raw material "back and forth" and finished vehicles subject to CUSMA (which is scheduled for renegotiation in 2026) may be the bigger factor in their decision-making. Of course moving production lines across the border has just been made murkier by the Hyundai/Georgia immigration raid which would not have been in Toyota's thinking at the time they made their decisions public. I believe "wait and see" is the watchword (phrase), of the day.

 

My guess is the declining Sedan market in the U.S. --- From what I understand they are going to be building SUVs in the Kentucky Plant.
I ran into the same thing with Genesis..... Not many Sedan choices, just SUVs..... They all look the same to me. (Meh!)

 

Absolutely correct. This new ES with it's new design is not for the US market who buys the ES. So makes perfect sense to manufacturer it close to where it is targeted the China and Japan market.

 

Somehow posted twice

 

who ever said anything about china ??
can you we Americans get that word out your mouth as if something bad it’s China .!!
We on a topic on cars and you said invasion??