New Lexus ES 350h at Rs 66.10 lakh: the sensible Lexus is back
Lexus has launched the new eighth-generation ES 350h in India at Rs 66.10 lakh (ex-showroom) for the Exquisite trim and Rs 71.80 lakh for the Luxury trim. It joins the all-electric ES 500e launched in March, and is locally assembled on the TNGA GA-K platform.
What was announced
The new ES 350h is built on Toyota's TNGA GA-K platform, marking the eighth generation of the nameplate with fresh design inside and out. It is powered by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder strong-hybrid petrol powertrain producing 244hp. The car is locally assembled in India, which helps Lexus hold pricing below the fully-imported ES 500e EV. Bookings have opened today.
At Rs 66.10 lakh the ES 350h Exquisite is the Lexus to buy; the 500e can wait until India's charging network grows up.
Two trims are on offer for the hybrid, alongside the single-variant EV that launched in March 2026:
| Variant | Powertrain | Price |
|---|---|---|
| ES 350h Exquisite | 2.5L strong-hybrid petrol | Rs 66.10 lakh |
| ES 350h Luxury | 2.5L strong-hybrid petrol | Rs 71.80 lakh |
| ES 500e | Electric | Rs 89.99 lakh |
The ES 350h Luxury sits Rs 18.19 lakh below the ES 500e, making the hybrid the value pick of the range. Against the outgoing ES 350h, which ran from Rs 64 lakh to Rs 69.70 lakh, the new car is Rs 2.10 lakh dearer at the entry point, a modest hike for a full generational change on a new platform.
The Car Jury verdict
The ES 350h is the Lexus that makes sense for India right now. At Rs 66.10 lakh, it undercuts the ES 500e by Rs 23.89 lakh and lands squarely in German territory, where the money usually buys a mid-spec Mercedes E-Class or BMW 5 Series shell. The ES gives you a full strong-hybrid drivetrain, Lexus build, and dealer experience that German rivals still struggle to match on ownership costs.
Rachit Hirani of MotorOctane rightly flags that Lexus is leaning hard on the ES nameplate this year with both hybrid and EV pushes. Our read: skip the 500e until public charging matures, and skip the German diesels that no longer exist in this segment. If you want a stress-free luxury sedan with real fuel economy and no range anxiety, the ES 350h Exquisite is the buy. The Luxury trim's Rs 5.70 lakh premium is harder to justify.
