8ES launch!
Thread Starter
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 5,003
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From: MI
CL Community Team Leader
Joined: Oct 2012
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From: The School of Hard Knocks
Racer
Joined: Jan 2025
Posts: 1,348
Likes: 344
Its doa for most outside of say the CHDM. The pertinent question is where do 7th gen owners and ES loyalists go from here?
In the price range nothing exists as a practical, unless magically the crown sedan gets brought here or buick decides to bring a sedan into the market.
Do you try to adjust into a 3/c/a4/is same price but small package? Do you transition to a CUV? Or do you as Lexus prediction stay with the ES because nothing exists and extending or even buying out your current lease is faux pax?
In the price range nothing exists as a practical, unless magically the crown sedan gets brought here or buick decides to bring a sedan into the market.
Do you try to adjust into a 3/c/a4/is same price but small package? Do you transition to a CUV? Or do you as Lexus prediction stay with the ES because nothing exists and extending or even buying out your current lease is faux pax?
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 9,526
Likes: 2,585
Its doa for most outside of say the CHDM. The pertinent question is where do 7th gen owners and ES loyalists go from here?
In the price range nothing exists as a practical, unless magically the crown sedan gets brought here or buick decides to bring a sedan into the market.
Do you try to adjust into a 3/c/a4/is same price but small package? Do you transition to a CUV? Or do you as Lexus prediction stay with the ES because nothing exists and extending or even buying out your current lease is faux pax?
In the price range nothing exists as a practical, unless magically the crown sedan gets brought here or buick decides to bring a sedan into the market.
Do you try to adjust into a 3/c/a4/is same price but small package? Do you transition to a CUV? Or do you as Lexus prediction stay with the ES because nothing exists and extending or even buying out your current lease is faux pax?
Pit Crew
Joined: Mar 2026
Posts: 105
Likes: 23
From: MD
I feel like they’re really slow crawling this launch. Because for it to be announced in March and we’re still only getting one or two at a time and none of them are showing up on dealership configurations sites yet as incoming it’s just odd. I wonder if they’re waiting for June to ramp the production up. Because at this rate, it’s gonna take forever for both E and hybrid to come out
Driver
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 91
Likes: 66
From: CA
I feel like they’re really slow crawling this launch. Because for it to be announced in March and we’re still only getting one or two at a time and none of them are showing up on dealership configurations sites yet as incoming it’s just odd. I wonder if they’re waiting for June to ramp the production up. Because at this rate, it’s gonna take forever for both E and hybrid to come out
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2023
Posts: 1,012
Likes: 569
From: PR
I'm still wondering why there are no driving YT reviews available as of yet and why Lexus has been so slow launching this. The vehicle was supposedly set to launch first in China, yet it still doesn't seem to be publicly available or drive review videos.
It will be very interested seeing how the Chinese market receives it; as it was designed for it. Specially how this EV ultimately performs and compared to other electric vehicles that were designed as EVs from the ground up.
I personally think Lexus will quickly implement some improvements/fixes to this 8th gen by early '27 or '28 based on market reception and issues from those early buyers. Although not interested in this 8th gen as of current, I still plan to personally test-drive the hybrid once it becomes available at my dealer.
It will be very interested seeing how the Chinese market receives it; as it was designed for it. Specially how this EV ultimately performs and compared to other electric vehicles that were designed as EVs from the ground up.
I personally think Lexus will quickly implement some improvements/fixes to this 8th gen by early '27 or '28 based on market reception and issues from those early buyers. Although not interested in this 8th gen as of current, I still plan to personally test-drive the hybrid once it becomes available at my dealer.
Pit Crew
Joined: Mar 2026
Posts: 105
Likes: 23
From: MD
I'm still wondering why there are no driving YT reviews available as of yet and why Lexus has been so slow launching this. The vehicle was supposedly set to launch first in China, yet it still doesn't seem to be publicly available or drive review videos.
It will be very interested seeing how the Chinese market receives it; as it was designed for it. Specially how this EV ultimately performs and compared to other electric vehicles that were designed as EVs from the ground up.
I personally think Lexus will quickly implement some improvements/fixes to this 8th gen by early '27 or '28 based on market reception and issues from those early buyers. Although not interested in this 8th gen as of current, I still plan to personally test-drive the hybrid once it becomes available at my dealer.
It will be very interested seeing how the Chinese market receives it; as it was designed for it. Specially how this EV ultimately performs and compared to other electric vehicles that were designed as EVs from the ground up.
I personally think Lexus will quickly implement some improvements/fixes to this 8th gen by early '27 or '28 based on market reception and issues from those early buyers. Although not interested in this 8th gen as of current, I still plan to personally test-drive the hybrid once it becomes available at my dealer.
from what I understand there is an embargo on driving impressions until May 27th: so after that you may start seeing impressions then.
*edited to say May. I misspoke it's not March it's May 27 that the embargo is until
Last edited by got2scott; May 9, 2026 at 02:33 PM.