How many gears does a Lexus es300 have?
The Lexus ES300 uses a four‑speed automatic transmission across its production years. The ES300 nameplate was later replaced by the ES330 in 2004, which introduced a five‑speed automatic, followed by further gear increases in later ES models.
Gears by generation
The following summarizes the transmission gear counts for the main ES300-era generations and their successors.
- 1993–1994 ES300 — 4‑speed automatic (1MZ‑FE V6)
- 1995–2003 ES300 — 4‑speed automatic (continuing through this generation)
- 2004–2006 ES330 — 5‑speed automatic (the ES300 name was dropped in favor of ES330)
In practice, buyers of the ES300 should expect a four‑speed automatic; the lineup that followed boosted to five speeds with the ES330 and later to six speeds in the ES350 and beyond.
What this means for buyers
If you’re shopping for an ES300 today, verify the model year to confirm the gear count, but most ES300s used a four‑speed automatic. The transition period in 2004 marked a shift to five speeds (ES330), with later generations moving to six speeds (ES350 and beyond) for improved efficiency and performance.
Summary
Across its production run, the Lexus ES300 featured a four‑speed automatic transmission. The model’s successor, the ES330, introduced a five‑speed auto, and subsequent ES models progressed to even more gears. This history matters for buyers focusing on transmission characteristics and fuel efficiency when evaluating used ES300s.
