I am looking into buying a new ES350 Hybrid and was wondering if there are any significant issues/ defects to be aware of, as well as reviews of current owners. Thanks!

 

They make a V6 Hybrid?! (Joking)

I don't own one yet, but the ES 300h is one of the more refined vehicles out there. Toyota is the leader in hybrid technology and the ES, especially in the middle of the 7th gen cycle, is one of the most refined cars out there. Lexus basically hit all the marks imo.

Check out "The Car Care Nut" on YouTube. He has a ton of videos out on Toyota's hybrid cars and how to care for them, the same principles apply to Lexus variants. Assuming you'll be getting one eventually, we're both going to find ourselves in a car that should be as reliable as clockwork and last many many years to come.

 

Thanks for your comment.

 

The hybrid ES model is actually an ES 300h. There are no common issues with this model. There is more detail on the hybrid model if you look in the hybrid section of this ES subforum. Anyway, as for reviews, my wife and I enjoy ours. We like the smooth eCVT transmission and the quieter nature of the car. It is definitely a more relaxed drive if you are not familiar with the hybrid drivetrain. I don’t recommend it for spirited driving, but then I would not buy an ES for spirited driving anyway. I strongly recommend a thorough test drive to make sure you are comfortable with that drivetrain, the stereo and the infotainment system. There is plenty of power to get up to speed for merging into interstate traffic though so I have no complaints. The fuel tank is a little smallish (I believe 11.9 gallons) but you can still get up to 600 miles on a tank of regular fuel. We typically get between 40 and 45 mpg in the city with ours.

One final warning might be with the stereo. Be sure to evaluate it before going out on a test drive. There are two models, the standard stereo and the upgraded Mark Levinson. We have the standard and have found it to be just fine, although the fader doesn’t allow a great deal of volume to the rear seats. Some of the comments here have been heavily critical of both systems so just make sure it meets your expectations. Good luck with your hunt!

 

I don't own one, but I've read numerous owner comments, printed reviews, video reviews and the reliability survey data. From a reliability standpoint, it sounds like a home run. The only hybrid-specific complaints I've seen are:

•Longer braking distances than the gas engine version
•Some less-than-couth engine noise under full acceleration, but even this is less than previous Toyota hybrids
•Leisurely acceleration, but at 8 seconds to 60, it's still 2 second faster than a Prius
•Can't get a panoramic sunroof in case you wanted one

Nothing else that takes gasoline combines room, luxury and gas mileage as well. If you're comfortable with the way a hybrid sounds and drives, I'd say it's a can't-miss choice.

 

Thanks for the detailed replies! I can do without a sunroof anyway, although I don't know that I'll have a choice. Everything else fits (I am coming from a 2013 GS350), it sounds great.

 

The only significant issues/defects that the ES300h Hybrid has is that it has a very anemic low horsepower engine. The car is slow. The 6 cylinder engine is much better than the hybrid. The hybrid also has a much smaller gas tank than the V6.
Putting everything aside, the ES300h hybrid is an excellent vehicle if you like a 4 cylinder.

 

You're completely missing the point of the 300h and this thread.

 

How is having a smaller gas tank vs the v6 a problem? It does many more miles on a tank.

 

Regular sunroof is standard on both the V6 and hybrid, even on the base model. Only the extra-large "panoramic" one is unavailable on the hybrid.

 

The ES300h uses one of the best powertrains the world has seen -- the latest gen A25A hybrid system. There's several out there I've seen with over 600,000 miles. One pushing 800k. It uses Toyota's newest technology and represents over 8-figures in development cost. It's the premium more expensive powertrain as well. You'll love it.

Also as said you can easily bruise 55mpg highway, or 43mpg+ mixed without trying. The electric motor has instant torque so while the V6 may be faster in a timed event over long distance such as a racing circuit, the ES300h has real world instant torque--no waiting for a transmission to interpret your command and downshift. Just instant power like a Tesla. That's why it's called a hybrid =) best of both worlds.

 

On our second RX hybrid and second ES hybrid. Would never buy anything else except Lexus's first EV. We have had no problems with either. J D Power ranks the ES both gas and hybrid as the most reliable vehicle ever surveyed.

 

For purposes of OP's question, I'm sure the ES 300h is exceptionally reliable (and all Toyota/Lexus hybrids now warranty their hybrid battery for 10/150, even better).

But I'd like to see evidence of this J.D. Power claim. At first blush, the Prius is even more tested technology, in a simpler car that's been around longer, built in Japan, and has notably better reliability ratings in Consumer Reports surveys than any other car you can buy, including the ES (CR admittedly doesn't break out the ES hybrid from the gas-engine version, but the Prius is more reliable even in the non-engine parts of the car). A quick search suggested the ES 300h is probably the new J.D. Power reliability benchmark for the luxury class — is that what you meant to say?

 

Uh oh here we go again

 

The other great thing about the hybrid is maintenance. You don't have to worry about alternators, starters, belts, water pumps etc. The original set of brakes will probably last you 100k and the only maintenance items are brake fluid exchange(every 30K miles) and coolant/inverter coolant drain and fill(every 100K miles).

I have had my hybrid for a year and a half and 20K miles later I am very happy with the hybrid. The only thing negative I have to say about my car are the creaks and rattles. But I will hopefully have the dealer fix those on my next visit.