What year did Lexus ES change body style?
The Lexus ES changed its body style with the launch of its fifth generation for the 2019 model year, introducing a new design language, updated proportions, and a refreshed interior.
Beyond cosmetics, the shift represented a move to a newer platform and engineering approach, yielding a longer wheelbase and a more streamlined silhouette that aligns the ES with Lexus’ contemporary sedan lineup.
What changed in 2019
Here are the defining elements of the 2019 redesign that signaled a new body style for the ES.
- Introduction of the fifth-generation ES for the 2019 model year, featuring a more modern and aerodynamic silhouette.
- Adoption of a newer platform shared with the latest Camry generation, improving rigidity, ride quality, and interior space.
- Exterior styling overhaul, including a larger spindle grille, slimmer LED headlights, and a more sculpted profile that differentiates it from prior generations.
- Interior updates with improved materials, a revised instrument cluster, and updated infotainment controls for a more premium feel.
- Powertrain options carried over with refinement: gasoline and hybrid variants continued, aligning with Lexus’ electrification push.
Collectively, these changes defined the ES’s body style shift in 2019, and subsequent updates have focused on refinement rather than another complete redesign.
Continued evolution after 2019
Since the 2019 launch, the ES has received mid-cycle updates that enhance technology, trim levels, and minor styling tweaks, rather than another wholesale body-style overhaul.
Summary
The key takeaway is that the Lexus ES underwent its most significant body-style change with the 2019 model year, marking the transition to its fifth generation. This brought a new design language, updated proportions, and a refreshed interior that set the direction for the model in the years that followed.
