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Lexus ES350 vs Lexus NX300

What's the difference?

VS
Lexus ES350
Lexus ES350

2019 price

Lexus NX300
Lexus NX300

$39,800 - $61,888

2020 price

Summary

2019 Lexus ES350
2020 Lexus NX300
Safety Rating

Engine Type
V6, 3.5L

Turbo 4, 2.0L
Fuel Type
Premium Unleaded Petrol

Premium Unleaded Petrol
Fuel Efficiency
9.5L/100km (combined)

7.9L/100km (combined)
Seating
5

5
Dislikes

  • Dated multimedia system
  • Narcoleptic driving dynamics
  • Old-gen tech
2019 Lexus ES350 Summary

CT, IS, GS, LS, RC, LC. Yes, that list of letters looks like something you’d read when getting your eyes tested at an optometrist, but they are actually all Lexus models.

Ok, you may have known that already, but did you know that those are just their initials? They actually have full names, too; Compact Touring, Intelligent Sport, Grand Sport, Luxury Saloon, Racing Coupe, Luxury Coupe.

And so this review isn’t just on the new-generation ES, but on the Elegant Sedan, which made it to Australia in 2018. And, as if hinting at things to come, it’s available in ES300h petrol-electric hybrid guise only.

This is the seventh-generation of a model that has been part of the Lexus line-up since the very beginning, way back when the luxury arm of Toyota first stepped onto the world stage in 1989.

So, does the ES300h live up to its Elegant Sedan name? Does being hybrid-only in Australia mean it loses its powerful presence? And is there any reason why you’d get one over a Mercedes-Benz E-Class or BMW 5 Series?

So many questions, but after living with the ES300h in top-of-the-range Sports Luxury guise for a week, we now have all the answers.

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2020 Lexus NX300 Summary

Having been on the market since 2014, the NX mid-size SUV quickly shot up the Lexus sales charts to become the brand’s most-popular model.

The SUV-hungry Australian market ate up the premium crossover, which also had the distinction of offering a hybrid powertrain.

In 2020 though, with SUVs popping up left, right and centre from premium and mainstream brands, can the NX still hold its own as an inner-city cruiser?

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Deep dive comparison

2019 Lexus ES350 2020 Lexus NX300

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