2017 Lexus ES 300h Review

No longer the early-adopter novelty product from a decade ago, hybrid cars are now ubiquitous on American roads. With few exceptions, most hybrids are of the hatchback or family sedan cloth, with only a handful of entry-level luxury sedans such as the 2017 Lexus ES 300h offered for sale. As a hybrid, the ES 300h prioritizes fuel efficiency over power, but it takes its luxury sedan responsibilities seriously, offering all the space and comfort you'll find in the V6-powered ES 350.

Roomy for its class, the Lexus ES 300h is a relaxing place to spend time, with its exquisite interior trim and fit and finish, tranquil ride quality, and a large backseat. What makes this Lexus truly desirable, of course, is outstanding fuel economy. The four-cylinder hybrid powertrain helps the ES 300h achieve an EPA-estimated 40 mpg combined while offering brisk (enough) acceleration. You can still get better fuel economy from, say, a Toyota Prius, but as generously sized luxury sedans go, the 300h is at the top of its class.

One of our few gripes with the ES 300h is its Remote Touch interface. The idea is interesting — use a computer mouselike pad to control infotainment functions — but the reality is that it's just not easy to use while you're driving. If in-car connectivity is a priority, you'll want to give it a thorough inspection during a test drive. The ES 300h's ride quality is also a little disappointing — it's not as smooth as you might expect for a Lexus — but this is more of a quibble than a major drawback.

Overall, the 2017 Lexus ES 300h is a pretty complete package. It's also one of just a few hybrid luxury sedans available. One alternative is the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid. It isn't quite as refined or roomy as the Lexus, but it does offer similar fuel efficiency and costs less. You could also check out a fully loaded Toyota Avalon Hybrid, which is mechanically similar to the ES 300h and comes with a more conventional touchscreen tech interface. Or if the idea of a plug-in hybrid appeals to you, take a look at the BMW 330e hybrid. Still, for a truly roomy car with a premium interior and impressive fuel economy, you're not going to find a better choice than the Lexus ES 300h.

Standard on the 2017 Lexus ES 300h are antilock brakes, stability and traction control, front and rear side airbags, side curtain airbags, front knee airbags, a forward collision warning system with automatic emergency braking,and lane departure intervention. Also standard are a rearview camera and Lexus Safety Connect with automatic crash notification, stolen vehicle location and an emergency assistance button.

Other optional safety equipment includes front and rear parking sensors and a blind-spot warning system with rear cross-traffic alert.

In Edmunds brake testing, an ES 300h stopped from 60 mph in 129 feet, which is longer than average for an entry-level luxury sedan.

In government crash testing, the Lexus ES 300h received a top five-star rating for overall safety, with four stars for total front-impact safety and five stars for total side-impact safety.

The Lexus ES 350, on which the ES 300h is based, received the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's highest rating of Good for its performance in the front-impact, side-impact, roof strength and head restraint/seat (whiplash protection) tests. It also earned a top Superior score for the effectiveness of its forward collision mitigation system.