Used Lexus ES models cars for sale

The ES is quite a large car, especially in length – it's almost five metres long. That puts it in a similar ballpark as other executive cars like the BMW 5 Series, Audi A6 and Mercedes E-Class. Consequently, you expect plenty of passenger space and, for the most part, the ES delivers in spades – there's loads of legroom in the first and second rows. The only downside is that very tall rear passengers will find their heads close to the ceiling thanks to the ES's dramatic curved roofline.

Its abundant length does mean the ES isn't the easiest car to thread into a tight parking spot. However, all models come with a reversing camera and all-round parking sensors to make the task a little less hassle. You'll also find a 360º parking camera if you venture further up the ES range.

All ES models share the same 454-litre cargo area. That's a respectable figure and should be enough for a big weekly shop or a couple of big suitcases. It does lag a few litres behind its key rivals, however, and the saloon bodyshape mean boot height and boot access are both a little on the tight side.

Annoyingly, you can't fold the rear seats, either. That means larger loads like bikes, flatpack furniture or your four-legged friend, will have to find another means of transport.

The answer's easy here because there's just one engine offered in the UK. ES 300h models use a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine paired with a couple of electric motors, a hybrid battery pack and an automatic gearbox.

This is an exclusively 'self-charging' hybrid that only recaptures energy when you slow down or brake, and has no external plug for recharging, unlike PHEVs or full EVs. As a result, it can only travel short distances on electric power alone, but that still makes it impressively efficient when trundling through urban traffic with barely a whisper from the engine.

Its 8.9-second 0-62mph time is nothing to write home about and is a little slower than almost all its key rivals. However, rapid responses from the ES's hybrid motors means low-speed acceleration is reasonably nippy and there's enough overall grunt to whisk you to motorway speeds without complaint.

The hybrid engine setup also means the ES is one of the cleanest cars you can buy in this segment without swapping to a plug-in hybrid or full EV. Low CO2 emissions means low company car tax rates and average fuel economy can reach as high as 50mpg if you're careful with your right foot.