2021 Lexus ES 250 Review

Name: 2021 Lexus ES 250 Review
Brand: Lexus
Price: 26399 USD

2021 Lexus ES 250 Luxury Sedan Exterior Shown

+129

The Lexus ES 250 finally brings an all-wheel-drive powertrain to the ES lineup. Unfortunately, the 250's lethargic four-cylinder engine is unworthy of being in a luxury car such as this. Unless you absolutely need the AWD system, the V6-powered ES 350 is a better buy. The ES 250's endearing qualities are otherwise present in the ES 350 as well.

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2021 Lexus ES 250 Review

byReese Counts^{Vehicle Test Editor
Reese Counts has worked in the automotive industry since he started as an intern at Edmunds in 2015. He has written or edited thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Reese is a vehicle test editor at Edmunds and has also contributed to Autoblog. Reese has also been featured on Yahoo! Finance, Engadget and AOL reviewing cars and covering automotive technology, auto shows and more. Reese learned to drive in his father's C4 Chevrolet Corvette and now owns his grandfather's 1999 Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG. A love for cars runs deep in his family.}

Pros

Comfortable and mostly upscale interior
Smooth ride
Standard all-wheel drive on all ES 250 trims
Plenty of space for the price

Cons

Sluggish acceleration with inline-four engine
Finicky infotainment interface
Rear seats don't fold down

What's new

New ES variant with four-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive
Part of the seventh ES generation introduced for 2019

Overview

The seventh-generation Lexus ES debuted a few years ago, and for 2021 the four-cylinder-powered ES 250 joins the V6-powered ES 350 and ES 300h hybrid models. It's not as powerful as the V6-equipped ES 350 — 203 horsepower compared to 302 hp — but it comes with just as many features and has a lower price. Plus, it has something no other ES model can claim: standard all-wheel drive.

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2021 Lexus ES 250 4dr Sedan AWD (2.5L 4cyl 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.50 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio

$151/mo

$219/mo

Avg. Large Car

Calculate my fuel costs

Aside from the engine, the ES 250 is generally the same as the ES 350 and 300h. This is a comfortable and well-appointed midsize luxury sedan. But how much does having a modestly powered four-cylinder engine dampen the luxury car experience, especially compared to rivals such as the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class? Or should you get an ES 350 instead? Check out the categories of our Expert Rating below for our full in-depth evaluation.

Edmunds Expert Rating

Our Verdict^{The Edmunds Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.}

Good

7.7

out of 10

edmunds TESTED

Rated for you by America's best test team.

Performance

7.0/10

How does the ES 250 drive? The ES 250 isn't sporty and fun-to-drive like a 3 Series, but it's competent and stable when going around turns. The steering is a little light and uncommunicative, but it's nonetheless accurate. A smooth-shifting transmission and easy-to-control brakes are among the other highlights.

But these attributes are also generally applicable to the ES 350 as well — a vehicle that doesn't share the ES 250's albatross: the non-turbocharged four-cylinder. Borrowed from the more pedestrian Toyota Camry, it produces nowhere near the power expected of the class. A 0-60 mph time of 8.8 seconds is embarrassing for a luxury car. Unless you absolutely need all-wheel-drive traction, the V6-driven ES 350 is a better buy.

Comfort

8.0/10

How comfortable is the ES 250? Comfort and a sense of isolation remain ES hallmarks. The front seats are firm and supportive and are easy to get in and out of. The rear seats are just as comfortable, if a bit wide and flat. You can sit up front or in back for long stretches without fatigue.

The ES platform is more comfortable cruiser than sport sedan, and it absorbs bumps and road rash without transmitting harshness to the cabin. There's a bit of intrusive wind noise at highway speeds — more than we'd expect of a Lexus — but maybe it's just more noticeable since the car tames road and tire noise so well. Engine noise is palpable, however. The four-cylinder makes such a racket during acceleration you'll ponder why Lexus greenlit this Toyota engine for use in its luxury sedan.

Interior

8.5/10

How’s the interior? Getting in and out of the ES is no trouble thanks to the low seat cushions and wide door openings. There's also a good-size gap between front passengers and door panels that creates a feeling of space. There's loads of room in the back seat, especially between the seatbacks and knees, even for 6-foot-tall passengers. That said, a standard sunroof and sloping roofline create headroom issues for tall folks.

Drivers of most heights and body types should find a comfortable position given the power-adjustable seat and mostly clear views all around the car. Most controls are within reach. It's odd that Lexus didn't put the seat heating and cooling controls near the climate controls, but at least they are physical buttons and not virtual ones buried in a display screen menu. The ES' volume knob is great and feels like one from an old-school stereo receiver.

Technology

7.0/10

How’s the tech? Our test car came with the spectacular-looking 12.3-inch infotainment display. The widescreen navigation maps look great thanks to the excellent color contrast and indicators. But using the touchpad controller while in motion is onerous — a dial-and-button controller would be preferable. Fortunately, you can control many nav, phone, audio and even climate control functions through voice commands. The optional Mark Levinson sound system is well worth its modest cost.

The ES also includes several standard driver safety features, such as adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist, which help minimize lane wandering. This isn't semi-automated driving and the degree of steering correction is limited, but it's useful for occasional lapses of attention.

Storage

8.5/10

How’s the storage? You get a big trunk with the ES 250. Cargo space stands at 13.9 cubic feet, slightly more than most competitors. Unfortunately, you can't fold the rear seats to increase space; there's only a pass-through slot for long items.

Storage for small items inside the cabin is abundant. There's also plenty of space for child safety seats, and they're easy to install. Just detach the plastic tabs over the car seat anchors in the seat cushions. Generous rear seat room means most seats will fit without needing to slide up the front seats.

Fuel Economy

8.5/10

How’s the fuel economy? The ES 250 is estimated to achieve 28 mpg combined (25 city/34 highway). This is a few mpg better than most other four-cylinder-powered midsize luxury sedans with all-wheel drive, such as a BMW 530i xDrive. However, those rival sedans are considerably more powerful.

Value

8.5/10

Is the ES 250 a good value? For a relatively affordable sum, the ES 250 delivers a compelling luxury experience. The upholstery feels supple and substantial, and the cabin shows typical Lexus attention to detail in the tight panel gaps, high-quality controls and detailed stitching. Only the coarse and underpowered engine takes away from the typically excellent Lexus experience. Warranty coverage is on par for the segment.

Wildcard

6.5/10

The Lexus ES 250 does not deliver the driving dynamics afforded by any of its rivals, or even the V6-powered ES 350. The four-cylinder/AWD combo makes this ES feel more ponderous than anything else in the class. Even when you look past the powertrain, there's not much else going on here to stir excitement.

The distinctive design affords the ES 250 some personality, and the interior is larger and more lovingly crafted than the price tag suggests. It's a definite step up from the Toyota Avalon, on which it is based, but it's a shame that the four-cylinder is so groany and loud.

Which ES 250 does Edmunds recommend?

Go for the ES 250 Luxury. This midlevel trim has many appealing extras over the base trim while keeping the price reasonable. Get the optional Mark Levinson audio system too; you'll definitely enjoy its superb sound quality. Don't bother with the F Sport, though — if you want a sporty Lexus, the IS 300 and 350 are better choices.

2021 Lexus ES 250 models

The ES 250 is available in four trim levels: Base, F Sport, Luxury and Ultra Luxury. All ES 250s are powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine (203 horsepower, 184 lb-ft) paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Unlike the other two models, all ES 250s come standard with all-wheel drive. Feature highlights include:

Base
Comes reasonably well equipped with:

17-inch wheels
LED headlights
Sunroof
Simulated leather upholstery
Power-adjustable front seats
Automatic climate control
8-inch touchscreen display
Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Amazon Alexa integration
10-speaker Pioneer audio system
Lexus Enform connected services

Every ES 250 also comes with Lexus Safety System+ 2.0, which includes:

Adaptive cruise control (adjusts speed to maintain a constant distance between the vehicle and the car in front)
Lane departure mitigation (warns you of a lane departure when a turn signal isn't used and can automatically steer to maintain lane position)
Automatic emergency braking (warns if a front impact is imminent and applies the brakes if you don't respond in time)

Optional for the base ES 250 is the Premium package. It adds:

Heated and ventilated front seats
Rain-sensing wipers
Memory settings
Power-adjustable steering wheel

F Sport
As the name implies, the F Sport is the sportiest ES 250 trim available. Upgrades and features include:

Standard Premium package
19-inch wheels
Sport suspension
Sportier exterior trim
Thicker front seat bolstering

Luxury
The Luxury trim builds off the base ES 250 and serves as a more comfortable counterpart to the F Sport trim. Features on the ES 250 Luxury include:

Standard Premium package
18-inch wheels
Wood interior trim
Ambient interior lighting
Perforated leather upholstery
Additional driver's seat adjustments
Power rear sunshade
Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while in reverse)
Rear parking sensors with low-speed automatic braking

Ultra Luxury
The top-level Ultra Luxury trim includes features, adding:

Surround-view camera system (gives you a top-down view of the ES 250 and its surroundings for tight parking situations)
Heated wood and leather-trimmed steering wheel
Upgraded leather upholstery
Rear door sunshades
Upgraded suspension
Navigation system

Many of the extra features on the upper trims can be added to the lower trims as options. Other notable stand-alone options include:

Upgraded headlights
Head-up display (displays important information in your sight line on the windshield)
17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system (typically bundled with the navigation system)
Wireless phone charger

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 2021 Lexus ES 250.

5 (72%)

4 (14%)

3 (0%)

2 (14%)

1 (0%)

4.4

7 reviews

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Most helpful consumer reviews

Great luxury car for the money

Brian , 02/20/2021

2021 Lexus ES 250 Luxury 4dr Sedan AWD (2.5L 4cyl 8A)

Other poster talked about cheap interior and bad stereo. Luxury version has leather seats. Mark Levinson upgrade provides great stereo. Features are as good or better than what you find on higher priced cars. ES250 isn't powerful but I got 37 mpg on a long trip. I would like to see better ambient lighting.

Extremely under powered

John, 01/08/2021

2021 Lexus ES 250 4dr Sedan AWD (2.5L 4cyl 8A)

Brought my older es350 in for service and got a 2021 es250 as a loaner. I was thinking on trading my es350 for newer model since in am nearing 150k miles but after driving the new es250 I will be keeping my old one. Biggest first impression is the vehicle is extremely under powered and takes excessive throttle input to get it to move. 4 cylinder engine is loud and feels like I am …

Love our Lexus

Stephen Bowman, 08/29/2023

2021 Lexus ES 250 4dr Sedan AWD (2.5L 4cyl 8A)

Purchased 2021 ES250, 30,000 miles, Lexus Certified two weeks ago. We absolutely love our car. Quality throughout, very comfortable ride and seats. Roomy. Easy to get in and out of. Love the styling. Top Safety Pick. Loaded with safety features. Getting 34+ MPG highway. Power is adequate. All wheel drive a plus for us.

Old school reliable daily

VaLexusDriver, 10/08/2022

2021 Lexus ES 250 F SPORT 4dr Sedan AWD (2.5L 4cyl 8A)

Traded my beloved Infiniti QX70 Limited but I really like this car. It’s the 4 cylinder so it’s not as powerful as others in the class but the simplicity and old school demeanor and AWD is what sold me. I’m getting high 30’s low 40’s mpg and the luxury look/feel is top notch. I have the F Sport with red interior with every option except the HUD and rear window shade. ML audio and triple …

See all 7 reviews of the Lexus ES 250

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2021 ES 250 Highlights

Trim:

Base

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$40,000
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	28 MPG
Cost to Drive	$151/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	13.9 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	all wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles

See all features & specs

Safety

Our experts like the ES 250 models:

Blind-Spot Monitoring: Uses radar to detect when vehicles are alongside and alerts the driver to potential side collision due to a lane change maneuver.
Lexus Enform Safety Connect: Provides automatic collision notification, stolen vehicle location, an emergency button inside the cabin, and enhanced roadside assistance.
Lexus Safety System+ 2.0: Bundles a variety of standard safety features, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking and lane keeping assist.

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
Overall4 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger4 / 5
Side Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Side Barrier Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front Seat5 / 5
Back Seat5 / 5
Rollover
Rollover4 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover10.5%

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Good
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Good
Side Impact Test – Updated
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Good

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2021 Lexus ES 250 Review

2021 Lexus ES 250 Review

Pros

Cons

What's new

Overview

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2021 Lexus ES 250 4dr Sedan AWD (2.5L 4cyl 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.50 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.}

Edmunds Expert Rating

Performance

Comfort

Interior

Technology

Storage

Fuel Economy

Value

Wildcard

Which ES 250 does Edmunds recommend?

2021 Lexus ES 250 models

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 2021 Lexus ES 250.

Trending topics in reviews

Most helpful consumer reviews

Great luxury car for the money

Extremely under powered

Love our Lexus

Old school reliable daily

2021 ES 250 Highlights

Safety

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2021 Lexus ES 250 Review

2021 Lexus ES 250 Review

Pros

Cons

What's new

Overview

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2021 Lexus ES 250 4dr Sedan AWD (2.5L 4cyl 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.50 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.

Edmunds Expert Rating

Performance

Comfort

Interior

Technology

Storage

Fuel Economy

Value

Wildcard

Which ES 250 does Edmunds recommend?

2021 Lexus ES 250 models

Most helpful consumer reviews

Great luxury car for the money

Extremely under powered

Love our Lexus

Old school reliable daily

2021 ES 250 Highlights

Safety

People who viewed this also viewed

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Vehicle reviews of used models

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Shop used vehicles in your area

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Join Edmunds

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2021 Lexus ES 250 4dr Sedan AWD (2.5L 4cyl 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.50 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.}