Lexus ES 250 2021 Review

The seventh-generation Lexus ES debuted a few years ago, and for 2021 the four-cylinder-powered ES 250 joins the V6-powered ES 350 and ES 300h hybrid models. It's not as powerful as the V6-equipped ES 350 — 203 horsepower compared to 302 hp — but it comes with just as many features and has a lower price. Plus, it has something no other ES model can claim: standard all-wheel drive.

Aside from the engine, the ES 250 is generally the same as the ES 350 and 300h. This is a comfortable and well-appointed midsize luxury sedan. But how much does having a modestly powered four-cylinder engine dampen the luxury car experience, especially compared to rivals such as the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class? Or should you get an ES 350 instead? Check out the categories of our Expert Rating below for our full in-depth evaluation.

The ES 250 is available in four trim levels: Base, F Sport, Luxury and Ultra Luxury. All ES 250s are powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine (203 horsepower, 184 lb-ft) paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Unlike the other two models, all ES 250s come standard with all-wheel drive. Feature highlights include:

Base Comes reasonably well equipped with:

• 17-inch wheels
• LED headlights
• Sunroof
• Simulated leather upholstery
• Power-adjustable front seats
• Automatic climate control
• 8-inch touchscreen display
• Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Amazon Alexa integration
• 10-speaker Pioneer audio system
• Lexus Enform connected services

Every ES 250 also comes with Lexus Safety System+ 2.0, which includes:

• Adaptive cruise control (adjusts speed to maintain a constant distance between the vehicle and the car in front)
• Lane departure mitigation (warns you of a lane departure when a turn signal isn't used and can automatically steer to maintain lane position)
• Automatic emergency braking (warns if a front impact is imminent and applies the brakes if you don't respond in time)

Optional for the base ES 250 is the Premium package. It adds:

• Heated and ventilated front seats
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Memory settings
• Power-adjustable steering wheel

F Sport As the name implies, the F Sport is the sportiest ES 250 trim available. Upgrades and features include:

• Standard Premium package
• 19-inch wheels
• Sport suspension
• Sportier exterior trim
• Thicker front seat bolstering

Luxury The Luxury trim builds off the base ES 250 and serves as a more comfortable counterpart to the F Sport trim. Features on the ES 250 Luxury include:

• Standard Premium package
• 18-inch wheels
• Wood interior trim
• Ambient interior lighting
• Perforated leather upholstery
• Additional driver's seat adjustments
• Power rear sunshade
• Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while in reverse)
• Rear parking sensors with low-speed automatic braking

Ultra Luxury The top-level Ultra Luxury trim includes features, adding:

• Surround-view camera system (gives you a top-down view of the ES 250 and its surroundings for tight parking situations)
• Heated wood and leather-trimmed steering wheel
• Upgraded leather upholstery
• Rear door sunshades
• Upgraded suspension
• Navigation system

Many of the extra features on the upper trims can be added to the lower trims as options. Other notable stand-alone options include:

• Upgraded headlights
• Head-up display (displays important information in your sight line on the windshield)
• 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system (typically bundled with the navigation system)
• Wireless phone charger