Lexus Es350E vs Farizon Supervan

What's the difference?

Since launching in Australia in 1992, the ES has always felt like what it clearly was: an overpriced and overblown Camry that never quite drove well enough to justify its premium positioning.

It felt sub-Lexus in most of the ways that mattered.

The ES350e, however, builds on the Camry basics with unique styling, packaging, steering, suspension and powertrain, while evolving the technology and luxury with the times.

A few ergonomic missteps aside, this is by far the best version ever, and an exceptional value proposition to boot.

In EV guise at least, four decades and eight generations in, the ES has finally come of age.

You’d think Farizon would be onto a winner given it has created a van with cool looks and the packaging benefits that come with a dedicated EV architecture. However, the SuperVan left a sour taste in my mouth.

There are good bones here, but Farizon has a long way to go with fixing the electric motor whine and safety systems.

It’s great the company is aware of the SuperVan’s shortcomings and is currently working on software updates, but it begs the question, why wasn’t it good in the first place?

The Lexus is considerably taller now. That’s because it rides a little higher, like a crossover sedan. Which the traditional Lexus demographic ought to love.

The dimensions tell the story, being 5145mm long (+170mm over the previous ES), 1920mm wide (+55mm), 1555mm tall (+115mm) and with a 2950mm (+80mm) wheelbase.

The fastback styling, aiding aerodynamics, fits in with the current, rakish Toyota Crown sadly not seen in Australia that the ES shares much of its TNGA-K architecture with.

Its low bonnet line, fresh LED lighting signatures, blanked-out grille and edgy details like the heavy side crease lines, unique recessed door handles, frameless mirror casings and 21-inch turbine alloys, give the Lexus EV a boldness that finally banishes the old blobbiness.

Against the sparkling metallic silver, even the hockey-stick side motif has a place, though it may not be to everybody’s taste.

If the ES’ architectural exterior seems fussy, the interior is far calmer, with an inviting warmth and elegant layout that, while still minimalist, avoids the cold, bare, buttonless and oversized screen sameness of many premium EVs nowadays.

Oh, and it’s also massive inside.

This electric van makes a fantastic first impression with its design. It’s futuristic and stands out on the road.

I haven’t driven a car that gets this much attention in a fair while, which is wild given this is a delivery van and traditionally they’re some of the dullest vehicles out there in terms of design.

What makes the SuperVan stand out the most is the variety of colours it comes in. Sure, you can get standard white if you want, but there’s also grey, green and blue. Our tester is finished in the latter which looks cool and modern.

The front continues the futuristic theme with a bright LED lighting signature for the headlights. They’re connected by an LED light strip, as well as an illuminated Farizon badge.

Given this van is electric, it doesn’t need a large, traditional grille to keep an engine cool. Instead there’s a small slotted opening at the bottom of the front bumper to cool the electric motor and high-voltage battery. It’s cool Farizon has made this van obviously look electric with this cue.

Beyond the stylish aero covers for the 16-inch steel wheels, there really isn’t much to talk about in terms of side profile design. It’s very slab-sided which is a classic van look.

It also leans into the trope that vans are essentially boxes on wheels. This is no bad thing because at the end of the day, a van is a work vehicle that’s meant to maximise hauling potential.

At the rear, this version of the SuperVan with the ‘Low Roof’ body style is perfectly square. It looks a little funny, but again this is a work-oriented vehicle that’s the opposite of a mullet - business at the back, party at the front.

Inside, Farizon has made a big attempt to make this electric van look luxurious and contemporary. Having synthetic leather seats is a luxury that many vans don’t have, along with the big digital instrument cluster and touchscreen multimedia system.

I’m a fan of the orange highlights around the cabin as they break up the monotonous black finishes.

Once you sit in the cabin, however, the commercial roots do begin to show. Virtually every surface is rock-hard plastic, which in a way is good because it means it’ll be hard-wearing in the long run.

Fun fact time. The latest ES is also larger than the original Lexus LS400 created to challenge the Mercedes-Benz S-Class in 1990. And the second-gen version from 1995. And the third released in 2001.

Wide doors and a higher-set cabin than in most sedans allow for effortless entry to, and egress from, a comprehensively modernised and impressively roomy interior that progresses in some areas and regresses in others.

Let’s begin with the positives by championing the shapely front seats that cosset and support beautifully the moment you sink yourself in them. Even after hours at the wheel. And heating elements add to their cosy feel on a frosty morning.

In fact, with its subtle diffusion, the highly effective heat-pump-aided climate control system feels lush, radiating within a cocooning, quiet environment that helps isolate its occupants from the outside world.

It isn’t difficult to find a commanding driving position either, assisted by exceptionally large mirrors and a crystal-clear surround-view camera display that help overcome poor side and rear vision that comes with the ES’ inherent shape.

Employing Toyota’s new operating system, as also found in the latest RAV4, results in improved multimedia connectivity, speed and functionality, with localised voice control tech that now understands Australianisms like ‘take me to Woollies’. The audio quality is also great.

Access to most controls is fine, with a special shout out to a redesigned gear lever that feels reassuringly intuitive (not a given in the electrified age), while there is a decent level of storage within the centre console, under it, in the door pockets (though they are too narrow for one-litre bottles) and in the glovebox if you remove the encyclopaedic handbook.

Banishing the Camry-esque mess of the old dashboard design, the new ES brings a far simpler look and cleaner layout, and is better for it.

But perhaps Lexus has gone too far the other way.

If it weren’t for the soft rubber fascia top, lovely bamboo panel inserts, head-up display and sumptuous seating material, it would seem more Chinese generic than Japanese luxury.

Plus, the freshly designed steering wheel’s powdery sheen also feels sub-brand. Like a flimsy handshake, it lacks… substance. Owners of previous models will immediately notice.

Worse still, while the infuriating capacitive switches that render operating the cruise control a guessing game on other contemporary Lexuses like the latest NX and RX have thankfully disappeared here, so have illuminated buttons.

Lexus crows on about the ES’ “hidden switches” on the steering wheel spokes and lower centre console area, with symbols that remain invisible until a hand hovers over them. A stupid guessing game you play at, say, 80km/h, only then can you see where to land a digit, demanding the driver’s attention and consequently taking eyes off the road for a moment. How did this unnecessary distraction and complexity get into production? Are legacy carmakers this bereft of sensibility?

So is eliminating climate controls buttons for touchscreen access only, because Elon Musk decided it was cool a decade ago. And remember how Lexuses used to have a large knob protruding out the side of the binnacle for driving mode settings? Look at last year’s ES to remind yourself. Now, you’ll again need to dive into the central display, rather than intuitively twist or push something probably while travelling at speed. First Mazda CX-5. Now Lexus. Japan, you’re better than this.

Enough whining.

Used examples of the ES enjoy a stellar career as high-end taxis and the reason has always been because of the rear seat.

This time around, with a longer wheelbase than before, there’s even more space for heads, shoulders, legs and knees. And the Lexus goes the extra mile again with perfectly comfortable outboard cushions and (fixed) backrests, a wide centre armrest, face-level vents, USB-C ports, overhead lighting, door sunshades and even longer doors to enter and exit from.

As with the front, the rear’s premium ambience is enhanced by the trim and textures that feel a cut above.

Further back, the ES’ cargo capacity is a handy 517 litres (VDA), and the floor is wide and flat, though the backrests are fixed so the only extra versatility is a ski port into the cabin, while the provided charge cables are not secured anywhere, rolling around inside the boot.

Underneath the floor is a wheel well, but no spare tyre; instead there is a repair kit that cannot fix blowouts, always destroys the tyre after use (even after a minor puncture) and is hundreds of dollars to replenish. No thanks. These are totally inadequate for Australian roads.

While good looks can get you so far, cabin practicality is where things are a little mixed for the SuperVan.

The driver’s seat is generally comfortable, offering a decent amount of support and a centre armrest, but the driving position is heavily compromised.

The worst offender are the pedals as they’re mounted so high that I need to take my foot off the floor to press them. Then the steering wheel only offers tilt adjustment and not reach.

As a result I need to have the seat pushed further back than I’d like to make sure I can press the pedals without making my right ankle hurt in stop-start traffic. Then even with the backrest virtually upright I still need to have arms extended almost fully to reach the wheel.

It’s not the kind of place I’d like to spend a considerable amount of time, which is disappointing because many people who drive this van will likely spend hours behind the wheel at a time.

Thankfully both seats offer both heating and ventilation, which is rather luxurious.

Ahead of the driver, the steering wheel is wrapped in buttery soft synthetic leather, like the seats, and is nice to hold. I appreciate the amount of physical buttons on it. They’re all clearly marked and easy to click.

The steering wheel is also heated and gets hot super quickly. There’s only one setting – on or off.

The digital instrument cluster looks flashy and has a range of informative pages you can cycle through. One even displays a vehicle weight page which is great if you’re unsure if you’re close to the gross vehicle mass (GVM).

Moving across, the touchscreen infotainment system looks glossy and high-definition, but there’s not much to do on it. This also means it’s hard to get lost and even if you do there are shortcut buttons on the right-hand side of the screen.

As standard there’s wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity which is great if you’ve got an iPhone, but terrible if you have an Android phone. This car has no Android Auto support whatsoever.

It’s great to see a continued use of physical switchgear around the cabin for things like the drive modes, regenerative braking settings and most notably the climate control settings. The latter are big and chunky, meaning they’re hard to miss.

In terms of storage up front, it’s fairly mediocre beyond big door pockets. There’s a slide out drawer with two cupholders and another small storage section, as well as another small storage drawer and a glovebox.

Around the side you'll find one of this van's most unique features. When you open up the passenger side front door and slide open the side cargo door, you’ll see this van doesn’t have a B-pillar. There’s only a plastic partition between the passenger and cargo areas.

As a result, the seatbelt for the passenger is mounted on the door. This feels a bit weird in the passenger seat because the seatbelt cuts across more than usual and doesn’t rest on your shoulder.

The SuperVan only comes with a single sliding door. You can’t opt for one on the driver’s side in Australia which is a little disappointing from an ease-of-use standpoint.

At the back there are rear barn doors that have stops at 90 degrees and 180 degrees, before opening all the way up to 270 degrees. This is great because you’ll be able to put whatever is on a forklift into the cargo area.

Speaking of the cargo area, it’s massive. This SWB Low Roof version measures in at 2690mm long, 1795mm wide and 1440mm tall. This equals 6.95 cubic metres, which is considerably more than any similarly sized van, whether that be diesel or electric.

It’s another major benefit of this van being built on a dedicated electric vehicle architecture, rather than a combustion platform that needs to take drivetrain and exhaust components into account.

Payload is 1300kg which is fairly standard for mid-size electric vans.

I like how low the load lip is at the back. This means you don’t have to lift things too high in order to get them in the cargo area.

In terms of amenities there are some lights, tie-down points, as well as three powerpoints for vehicle-to-load (V2L) support at up to 3.3kW. Disappointingly the latter didn’t work in our tester no matter how hard I tried…

Surprisingly under the cargo area is a full-size spare wheel. This is incredibly rare for an EV, especially one that’s all about maximising cargo capacity. It’s great peace of mind if you do long-distance travelling.

The Farizon SuperVan is being offered in Australia in three trim levels. On test here is the entry-level short-wheelbase (SWB) Low Roof option.

Pricing for this variant starts at $71,490 before on-road costs. It’s worth noting that this is for private buyers. If you’re an ABN holder or are buying a fleet of SuperVans, pricing will likely be different.

This is more affordable than the Ford E-Transit Custom, Peugeot E-Expert and Volkswagen ID. Buzz Cargo, but the LDV eDeliver 7 is cheaper again. However, that rival Chinese electric van isn’t built on a dedicated electric platform and doesn’t offer as much range.

As standard the SuperVan comes with a plastic cargo partition, a single sliding side door, as well as rear barn doors that swing up to 270 degrees. You can’t option any other configuration, currently, beyond different wheelbase lengths and heights.

Standard equipment across the line-up includes LED headlights, a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster, a 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system with wireless Apple CarPlay, a heated steering wheel, as well as heated and ventilated synthetic leather seats.

This is generous for a commercial vehicle that’s going to be a workhorse and will need to stand the test of time.

Under the ES350e’s bonnet is a permanent-magnet synchronous electric motor, that sends 167kW of power and 269Nm of torque to the front wheels via a single-speed transmission. It is capable of going from zero to 100km/h in 8.0 seconds flat, on the way to a top speed of 160km/h.

Choosing the ES500e adds an 88kW/170Nm electric motor located on the rear axle, for a total of 252kW of power (Lexus does not quote a combined torque figure) and AWD. This slashes 2.5 seconds off the 0-100km/h time, to just 5.5 seconds, while boosting top speed to 180km/h.

The AWD system can distribute up to 100 per cent of the available torque to whichever axle needs it for optimum traction, though in normal conditions the front/rear split when cornering is between 80/20 and 25/75.

Four driving modes are offered: Eco, Normal, Sport and Range (to maximise distance efficiency), while a Custom setting allows personalisation by altering the various powertrain, steering and suspension settings.

All versions of the Farizon SuperVan in Australia are powered by a single, front-mounted electric motor that produces 170kW and 336Nm.

This is fed by an 83kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery which is sourced from Chinese battery producer CATL.

Farizon doesn’t quote an official 0-100km/h time, though it claims the top speed is 135km/h.

Integrated into the TNGA-K architecture low down between the axles, the ES350e's 74.7kWh lithium-ion battery offers a WLTP range of 510km, which is 45km more than the 500e AWD’s 465km WLTP rating.

Driven at sustained highway speeds of up to 110km/h, via some fast corners as well as through inner urban streets, we were on track to achieve about 380km between charges.

Lexus says the ES350e's WLTP energy consumption is 16.4kWh/100km, or 1.5kWh better than the 500e AWD.

Of the four driving modes – Eco, Normal, Sport and Range – Range locks in front/rear torque distribution to 70/30 whilst restricting outputs to maximise efficiency.

The ES offers 22kW three-phase AC charging, and a maximum of 150kW DC charging.

Claimed range for the SuperVan depends on the body configuration, but it’s up to 376km according to WLTP testing for the SWB Low Roof body style.

The battery pack can be DC fast-charged at rates up to 140kW, which would see the battery charge from 20 to 80 per cent in 36 minutes.

The battery pack can also be AC charged at rates up to 11kW, which would see the battery charge from 15 to 100 per cent in seven hours.

The SuperVan also offers vehicle-to-load through Australian domestic household plugs at up to 3.3kW of continuous power. This allows you to use the van’s battery pack to power appliances, tools, or other emergency backup systems.

Farizon doesn’t quote an official energy consumption figure for the SuperVan, but during my unladen testing I saw an average of 23.5kWh/100km, which would give a theoretical range of 350km. This would likely drop with a heavier load onboard.

Arguably the biggest difference from behind the wheel in the latest ES is not its larger body or the 350e’s single-motor EV powertrain, but the deeper changes made to the TNGA-K architecture that complement it.

While obviously still very related underneath to the previous model’s platform that’s also shared across most mid-sized Toyota and Lexus models, the extended wheelbase, stronger body, heavily revised steering and suspension geometry up front and a multi-link rear end in place of the old trailing arm-type set-up really switch things up.

In the 350e, they transform the ES from a bloated Camry to a proper, athletic-ish Lexus.

Like in most EVs, that starts with instant, rich acceleration and super-smooth power delivery, that translates to immediate throttle response and strong performance. Even in Eco. Select Sport, and you’ll enjoy a feisty, fast point-to-point luxury sedan. Rapid refinement.

That would be a waste if the chassis wasn’t up for some cornering hijinks, which – thanks mainly to the slicker steering and new independent rear suspension – the ES executes with confidence and poise.

Along our ragged hilly road test route festooned with potholes, broken bitumen edges and off-kilter camber, where the old one would sometimes struggle to maintain the driver’s chosen line, this one zips straight through, without being bumped out of shape.

Now, the steering isn’t especially sharp or tactile to the point where the driver feels connected to or as-one with the road, but then it’s not nervous or slavishly following each contour to the nth degree, either, so hits a handling happy medium.

The new adaptive dampers no doubt help keep everything in control here, but their bigger talent is soaking up the bumps and keeping everything cushy, comfortable and quiet – words we would never have collectively described any previous ES, especially ones wearing 21-inch wheels like today’s car. Quality Michelin tyres help.

Apart from a trigger-happy bleating driver monitor, the ADAS tech is sufficiently tuned for Australian road conditions, and that also helps maintain dynamic decorum.

Overall, then, at least in this initial launch driving phase, the new 350e feels safe and planted like a modern Camry to drive, but with a newfound polish and sophistication to finally leap-frog its proletarian Toyota fraternal twin and justify the hefty price difference.

The ES is now a relaxing pleasure to drive, with just enough talent to engage a keener driver. Yes, there are more fun and exciting luxury sedans out there, but this Lexus finally earns its stripes from behind the wheel.

And for that we’re pleasantly surprised and definitely somewhat astounded.

Driving this van is punishing. It’s quite unlike any other modern van I’ve experienced as they can be fun to drive. This SuperVan, however, leaves me feeling like a lot of the elements need finessing.

First up there’s the electric motor. It makes a decent amount of power and easily gets this big box on wheels moving. In Sport mode the front wheels can get overwhelmed if you’re not careful.

However, this van has an incredibly loud electric motor whine. It builds as you gain speed, then once you reach your desired speed it hovers at an annoying high pitch. Some extra sound deadening would likely help.

Additionally, there’s a pedestrian warning sound that plays under 25km/h, as well as a beeping tone when reversing. While this is common for EVs, this one feels like it’s louder on the inside rather than the outside. This somewhat defeats the purpose.

There are three levels of regenerative braking as standard and all of them require you to use the brake pedal to come to a complete stop. This means there’s no one-pedal driving mode.

With all the settings the regen braking is either completely on or off. There’s no in between which creates a thrashy feeling in the cabin, especially when travelling down a hill and you’re trying to coast along without activating regen braking too much. As a result, I like the weakest regen setting the most.

Surprisingly the interaction between the regenerative braking and the traditional friction brakes is rather seamless. Even the brake pedal feels relatively normal, compared to a regular combustion vehicle, which is sometimes uncommon for EVs.

As standard there’s an electric power steering system which, unlike some other new Chinese vehicles, feels like it’s actually connected to the wheels. While you can tell the steering is electrically assisted, you can still feel what the wheels are doing.

Thanks to the dedicated electric architecture, the turning circle is surprisingly good for such a large vehicle. It measures in at 12.2 metres kerb-to-kerb.

Like many commercial vans, the SuperVan has a double wishbone independent front and a rear leaf spring suspension setup. This typically prioritises cargo-carrying ability rather than on-road comfort.

When unladen the SuperVan’s suspension is incredibly jittery and harsh. You can feel every single bump in the road and crossing a speed bump makes me grit my teeth. It doesn’t help that the tyres need to be pumped up high. As standard the rear tyres need to be pumped up to 61psi.

With some added weight onboard the SuperVan’s suspension does settle, but it’s still quite choppy. We didn’t get a chance to test this vehicle at the full GVM, but it would be interesting to see whether the rear springs get a little more compliant then. Range would likely plummet though.

In terms of visibility, you sit up high in the cabin and there’s a large windscreen. These are both big ticks. It also helps there are large side windows and side mirrors that make seeing kerbs easier.

Like many vans however, over-the-shoulder checks aren’t possible in the SuperVan as there are no rear windows, plus seeing out the back through the tiny envelope is virtually impossible.

Thankfully there are front and rear parking sensors as standard, as well as a surround-view camera that has good quality but a choppy camera feed. Having the standard sensors and camera system is great while doing tricky parking manoeuvres.

Lastly, let’s talk about the chimes… They are some of the loudest and most incessant I have ever experienced in a new car. They’re so loud that they honestly scared me at first.

There are a variety of different tones for all the different safety systems. One that grates the most are the intelligent speed limit assist which bongs each time it detects a new speed limit, then again if the system thinks you’re travelling over that limit. It’s particularly annoying because it picks up 40km/h school zones even when it’s not school zone times.

Another chime plays for the driver monitoring system when it can’t detect your eyes. This is annoying if you want to wear sunglasses while driving.

You can turn off these settings in a menu on the touchscreen, but they all default back to on when you restart the car.

Other loud bongs play when you change the drive mode, the regenerative braking setting, even when you turn on the adaptive cruise control. You just can’t escape it.

The Farizon SuperVan hasn’t been crash tested by ANCAP just yet, however it was awarded a five-star rating by Euro NCAP earlier this year.

As standard there’s autonomous emergency braking (AEB), blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, intelligent speed limit assist, a driver monitoring system, front and rear parking sensors, as well as a surround-view camera.

This is a lot of safety kit, especially for a commercial van, but as mentioned above a lot of safety systems are rather intrusive and have obnoxiously loud chimes.

Thankfully Farizon is currently working on a software fix that’ll see all the chimes reduced by 20 decibels. It’s also planning some tweaks to the lane-keep assist and reverse camera which may form as part of the same update.

Lexus offers a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty and roadside assistance, which is no more than average nowadays.

Service intervals are every 12 months or 15,000km, with capped-price servicing available at $625 annually for five years.

Starting from July 1, 2026, new ES owners can join the Encore Signature membership program. Free for five years, it is designed to keep them in the Lexus dealer network, providing access to free service loan vehicles, airport lounge access, hotel/restaurant offers and discounted fuel from Ampol, among other benefits.

There is also a five-year free subscription to Lexus Connected services with SOS and vehicle tracking features, as well as enhanced multimedia functionality.

At the time of publishing, there were 33 Lexus dealers across Australia.

The Farizon SuperVan is covered by a five-year, 200,000km warranty, while the high-voltage battery pack is covered for eight years or 200,000km.

There’s also five years of complimentary roadside assistance.

Logbook servicing is required every 12 months or 30,000km, which is relatively standard for commercial vehicles.

The first five services are capped and all up cost $2730. This averages out to around $550 per service, which is a little on the expensive side for an EV. However, diesel vans can be much more expensive to maintain in the long-term.

Farizon currently doesn’t have a dealer network in Australia and only sells vehicles in Queensland through its website. The company is working on setting up a dealer network in the coming months and is prioritising the eastern seaboard.