Lexus Teases Updated 2022 ES Sedan

Posted by Kevin on April 11th, 2021

Lexus plans to display the LF-Z Electrified Concept and hold a world premiere of the new Lexus ES at Auto Shanghai 2021 which opens on April 18 in Shanghai, China. In the run-up to the ES reveal, Lexus has disclosed part of the new model’s styling. A teaser video is below:

Also, Lexus International President/Chief Branding Officer Koji Sato plans to virtually attend a press conference scheduled to be held at the show on April 18 to issue a message about Lexus’s electrification initiatives and unveil the new ES.

The seventh generation Lexus ES was unveiled at the April 2018 Beijing Autoshow, with sales starting the following September. Expect a similar timeline with this updated model.

ChinaLexus ES: Seventh Generation
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Comments
Gecko
Back end looks identical. Maybe they smoked the side of the tail lamps...?
Kelvin2020
I think they are going to give us the touchscreen from the LS
K
Better have standard led signal for 2022 already
Adrian
Hopefully we see Direct4 in this facelift
L
Direct 4 some new Int Led lightning. and more better F sport new tranny. But I dont expect a full redesign its a "refresh" word they have used in the teaser statement
CrisB
It seems they have proposed the shape of frontal daylight led like those on the RC300H, shorter and that go more toward the side
Lasse J. Nordvik
I’m happy to see that the exterior design changes are very subtle as I found it quite perfect already. I don’t know if this will apply to all markets, but in Europe the hybrid model will become available with all wheel drive. What kind of Awd system I do not know.
Adrian
Lasse J. Nordvik said
I’m happy to see that the exterior design changes are very subtle as I found it quite perfect already. I don’t know if this will apply to all markets, but in Europe the hybrid model will become available with all wheel drive. What kind of Awd system I do not know.
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Could it be the introduction of Direct4?
bogglo
Adrian said
Could it be the introduction of Direct4?
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I think so this goes back to the two camouflaged lexus in the video reveal of the direct 4. And if we are correct, I think we might have another suv/cuv reveal apart from the NX by year end.
Lexus Jack
Adrian said
Hopefully we see Direct4 in this facelift
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I am thinking the same here. The term "NEW" will be for a new all wheel drive ESh. Lexus usually does not do a big news conference on just a refresh. I'm sure there will be bigger news than just a refresh. Not sure if they will keep the name the same. My guess is ES350h AWD with Direct4. Hope there's a plug in version. Excited and hopeful!
S
The light cluster of the refreshed ES looked a lot more upscale and well thought-out than the new LS. It even took some design cues from the new IS (the turn signal). I couldn't understand why they changed it so much on the LS it now looked kind of plain and generic.
L
If it's a PHEV with a touchscreen, I'd trade in my LS500 for it.
M
sl0519 said
The light cluster of the refreshed ES looked a lot more upscale and well thought-out than the new LS. It even took some design cues from the new IS (the turn signal). I couldn't understand why they changed it so much on the LS it now looked kind of plain and generic.
Click to expand...

They did a batch order of gazillion of those tiny rectangle LED projectors inside ugly housing so they are slamming them across the board. Even refreshed LC will get it most likely. Honestly they look like low end projectors, no flare to them at all.
S
lets hope there is direct4 production vehicle revealed, that would be exciting!
Otherwise yes, they do vehicle reveals for facelifts too, especially on model so important as ES in China.

Question is - will it also show new turbo 4?
mikeavelli
Gonna be a cool addition. Could replace my wife’s ES. Makes logical sense to add it to the lineup.
S
mediumhot said
They did a batch order of gazillion of those tiny rectangle LED projectors inside ugly housing so they are slamming them across the board. Even refreshed LC will get it most likely. Honestly they look like low end projectors, no flare to them at all.
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I was mainly talking about the overall housing and arrangement, although I also do agree the previous trapezoid style led was much more elegant.
N
mediumhot said
They did a batch order of gazillion of those tiny rectangle LED projectors inside ugly housing so they are slamming them across the board. Even refreshed LC will get it most likely. Honestly they look like low end projectors, no flare to them at all.
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Agreed!

I actually prefer the current headlight design on the ES versus the refreshed version. The ES300h AWD Direct4 (been waiting for years) would make me ignore the new headlight design though.
Gecko
Motor said
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I've been thinking about this a tad, and I could certainly be wrong or led astray with marketing spin...

However, when is the last time Lexus teased a refreshed ES on a curvy road, with anything akin to "Your Road Awaits." ?

I know it's just a refresh, but something feels different about this one. It feels kind of... dare I say it... sporty?
F1 Silver Arrows
Gecko said
I've been thinking about this a tad, and I could certainly be wrong or led astray with marketing spin...

However, when is the last time Lexus teased a refreshed ES on a curvy road, with anything akin to "Your Road Awaits." ?

I know it's just a refresh, but something feels different about this one. It feels kind of... dare I say it... sporty?
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Nah. It's probably just a nice road to drive on for the ES. I doubt it's anything more than that.
S
Gecko said
I've been thinking about this a tad, and I could certainly be wrong or led astray with marketing spin...

However, when is the last time Lexus teased a refreshed ES on a curvy road, with anything akin to "Your Road Awaits." ?

I know it's just a refresh, but something feels different about this one. It feels kind of... dare I say it... sporty?
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That was my first thought also. When was the last time Lexus advertised an ES on a curvy road?
Will1991
After some thought, the first A.I ad ever created showed, briefly, the ES on a curvy road:


This being said, I would love to see the Direct4 coming to this facelift!
Lasse J. Nordvik
Maybe it’s a little late to suggest this, but perhaps we should do a poll on if the hybrid’s all wheel drive system is the direct4, a transplant of the plug-in RAV4 driveline or a rear electric motor added to the current drive line?
S
they have shown direct4 to journalists in camo ES:
newsroom.lexus.eu

LEXUS REVEALS DIRECT4 NEXT-GENERATION ELECTRIC DRIVE CONTROL TECHNOLOGY

DIRECT4 is a core Lexus Electrified technology to achieve unique dynamic performance, or ‘Lexus Driving Signature’, for future hybrid and battery electric vehiclesNew system provides instant electric control to all four wheels to transform dynamic performance, working instantaneously according...
newsroom.lexus.eu newsroom.lexus.eu

so, it is just question of when.
mikeavelli
I just can’t see this being anything other than a mild refresh. That platform is not direct-4 ready to me.
S
I don't expect Direct4 on ES.
S
ssun30 said
I don't expect Direct4 on ES.
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Really? Toyota would never develop it on ES if not to use it.

It is also developed for TNGA platform.
I
Direct4 would be a great step forward. I wonder who would put their car in FWD mode though except to get better fuel economy on the highway.
L
GS facelift brought GS F quite late in the life-cycle on old platform, I don't see why ES facelift can't bring an F Performance model with Direct4 on an up to date platform.

The void of the GS F is filled by the IS 500 F Performance. What fills the void left by the GS 450h?
L
New ES info out, no PHEV, I'm not buying one...

L