2024 Lexus ES300h Gets Over 40MPG with Absolute Comfort

Luxury sedans have a VIP pass to my heart regarding vehicle preferences—more than sports cars, super trucks, off-road-ready SUVs and even rebel-yelling muscle cars. Because you can enjoy a luxury vehicle every day more than the rest, a sports car can be fantastic when traffic is light and there’s no cop in sight. However, bookoo horsepower and towering ground clearance have no significant advantage in the unforgiving bumper-to-bumper traffic of the urban landscape. Lumbar support, a noise canceling cabin, and an interior that feels like a home away from home are commodities when your daily grind includes hour long commutes through the hustle and bustle.

The 2024 Lexus ES300h Ultra Luxury is a modern carriage, a barouche, that offers a satisfactory amount of elegance and comfort with a bonus. A hybrid powertrain that matches luxury with fuel economy for the ultimate concrete cruiser priced well under the $60k benchmark.

This sedan sits at the same table as the likes of the BMW 5-Series in terms of size, wheelbase and interior legroom. However, on paper, you’ll find that the performance figures on the Lexus ES lineup don’t measure up to the competition. For example, the ES350 features a 3.5-liter V6 generating a respectable 302 horsepower compared to the 375 hp straight-six you get in a BMW 540i. But that’s okay. Again, power means little in the city and sporty handling can often translate to feeling a joint in your spine when driving over potholes.

The Lexus ES300h features a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine packed by two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors and a 0.9-kWh lithium-ion battery pack for a combined output of 215 hp to power the front wheels. By modern standards, that may seem frugal, but on the road, it feels plentiful. Moreover, the available Sport mode gives it an extra kick, allowing you to feel the engine and electric motors propel you forward with ease. But the best quality the ES300h offers is its fuel economy, estimated at 43 city and 44 highway. I managed to average 45 mpg commuting around San Antonio and driving to Austin and back – with a heavy foot.

This model’s top-tier Ultra Luxury trim level offers all the bells and whistles, starting with a beautiful Palomino semi-aniline leather upholstery accented with open-pore brown walnut trim. It came fitted with the optional Mark Levinson 17-speaker premium surround sound audio system and 12.3-inch touchscreen display (a $1,080 package) and Triple-Beam LED headlamps (a $1,215 option) in addition to the standard creature comforts like a sunroof, radar cruise control, Apple Carplay Android Auto and dual-zone climate controls. Creating an interior atmosphere that’ll have you wishing your commute was longer.

On the outside, the car’s Caviar black exterior paint contrasted beautifully with its focal point chrome grille and 18-inch polished aluminum wheels. The car’s dimensions provide that “big car” aesthetic you want in a luxury sedan. A subtle lip spoiler at the back and the optional Triple-Beam LEDs, which appear like three square diamonds under glass, further complement the car’s elegant presence when it rolls through a parking lot.

Other motoring journalists have stated that the Lexus ES300h feels “slow” compared to its German competitors. Granted, it takes 8.1 seconds for the 300h to reach 60 mph, but that’s not the car’s character trait. This luxury hybrid sedan is perfectly capable of overtaking traffic in the fast lane in sport mode while achieving over 40 mpg. If there’s anything negative about this car, the rear seats don’t fold down. Beyond that little nitpick, the Lexus ES300h delivers luxury and efficiency with little to no compromise.

The starting price for the Lexus ES250 is $43K, and $44K for the ES300h. Stepping up to the Ultra Luxury trim variant, you’re looking at $53K. Considering the car’s excellent ride quality, spacious interior, catalog of standard features, elegant styling and great fuel economy, the ES300h makes sense.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel melancholy when returning the car to Lexus. I wanted to keep it. I wanted to continue chasing the horizon, slipping deeper into the plush seats, muting the outside world with a fool’s grin across my face. The 2024 Lexus ES300h is top shelf luxury at a bargain price.

Engine: 2.5 L inline four cylinder

Transmission: CVT automatic

0 to 60: 8.1 seconds

Starting Price: $43,190 (ES250)

Price as Shown: $55,775 (ES300h Ultra Luxury)