Add some fun to your Lexus ES with F Sport

Five years ago, we were introduced to the current generation of the Lexus ES. It was an exciting shift for Lexus as the sedan took bows with a much more athletic and spirited design scheme. Like mothership Toyota’s approach, early Lexus models put little emphasis put on exterior style. Lexus was branded on luxury and that took place inside the cabin – and then things changed.

Lexus saw a wider marketing approach should include a younger target consumer, as well as answering the bell on a sport sedan market that was booming and had left them behind. The F Sport design and handling provide a distinct aesthetic and an enhancement to the performance, though it is still a luxury-first approach.

F Sport

For 2023, Lexus has added a few updates to the ES. Most notable is the expansion of its F Sport line to include the ES lineup. The F Sport design packages are available on all trims of the ES: ES 250, ES350 AWD, and the hybrid ES 300h. I recently tested the hybrid version ES 300h.

At its core, the F Sport is the ES sedan with the upgrade Premium Package. That’s a wonderful place to start with any Lexus and you would be hard-pressed to say anything bad about a Lexus featuring these Premium accouterments.

On the exterior, the first statement you notice on an ES 300h with the F Sport treatment is the 19-inch wheels with a gorgeous, gloss-black finish. This does add a slightly younger feel to the ES, as does the rear spoiler, front bumper, and edgy grill surround. While the ES 300h is a handsome sedan, the F Sport elevates athleticism and fun.

Inside you get all the luxury features of the Premium Package, including a crazy high-quality Mark Levinson sound system, panoramic roof glass, and rear sunshade. The F Sport Handling package, available only for the ES 350 and ES 300h, adds custom drive modes, including a Sport+ mode and an Adaptive variable Suspension tuned by F Sport.

The F Sport benefits inside the cabin were both visual and tactile. Whether it’s the aluminum pedals or the heated steering wheel with Hadori aluminum trim, the interior is elevated above the normal Premium Package.

The interior of my ES 300h had several new features for 2023, including a new infotainment system with a big 12.3-inch display ($1,030) featuring Drive Connect and Cloud Navigation. The center console of the ES has been redesigned with larger, adaptable cup holders and a distinct space for sunglasses.

Performance & handling

Let’s just say from the get-go that there are other competitors who provide more spirited performance than the ES 300h, even with the F Sport handling package. The Lexus hybrid engine is a competent 2.5-L Inline-4 that delivers 215 hp @5700 rpm and 163 lb-ft @3600 rpm. I found the Continuously Variable Automatic (CVT) Transmission to be slightly sketchy on a few shifts, which is common for CVTs. The big payoff for the CVT (and the hybrid technology) is the fuel economy upside, which is 44 mpg combined.

Pricing

The Base ES 250 AWD and ES 350 start at $42,490, and the ES 300h starts at $43,690. Adding F Sport design to my ES 300h tester had a starting point of $48,835 and the ES 300h F Sport Handling will take things to $49,985.

My tester added some nice upgrades that are not in the Premium Package, including $500 for Head-Up Display; $1,215 for Triple-Beam Headlamps; $1,030 for the Interface upgrade with the 12.3-inch screen; and $550 for the power trunk. The final price was $54,255, which is competitive with the few offerings in this class, and pretty impressive given the exterior visual appeal and handling offered by the F Sport package.

• John Stein is a freelance journalist based in Chicago. He has more than 25 years’ of experience driving, testing, and writing about the automotive industry, its latest innovations, and vehicles.