Is the Lexus Worth It? Lexus ES 350h vs. Toyota Camry
Video Overview & Insights
Is a luxury sedan worth the extra cash? We compare the 2026 Lexus ES 350h against the 2026 Toyota Camry Hybrid to find out if the Lexus is truly worth the $20k premium.
The Camry gives drivers pretty much everything they need in a midsize sedan. The Lexus ES gives drivers nearly everything they want. Is it worth it to go upscale with the Lexus or would you rather stick with the tried-and-true Toyota?
Lexus ES Edmunds Review - https://www.edmunds.com/lexus/es/?utm_campaign=video_description&utm_source=youtube
Toyota Camry Edmunds Review - https://www.edmunds.com/toyota/camry/?utm_campaign=video_description&utm_source=youtube
The pianoblack vents next to the touchscreen are hideous & the vents at the back come straight out of the 80's. Come on TOYOTA this is 2026 ;-)
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The ES looks like a Tesla got way too fat and needs a diet
It’s a monstrosity
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I rented a Camry on a recent trip and I really liked how it drove. It is different from my 2015 Lexus GS350 AWD, but still very comfortable and capable.
00:00 Intro
00:30 Camry Interior, Tech, & Storage
Love your videos. Could you please make a speculative video on some of the rumored upcoming releases over the next couple of years? I really want to know what you think about the rumored Honda Element revival, Rivian R3, and Scout twins. I know you are a Rebelle rally vet, and I would like to see what you are excited for coming down the pipeline.
03:32 Camry Driving Impressions
04:47 ES 350h Interior, Tech, & Storage
no hp difference between them?
10:15 ES 350h Driving Impressions
12:34 Value
lexus : Luxury,
camry top level : basic premium
14:01 Edmunds' Take
A Lexus is essentially a fancy Toyota, right? To see if that extra cash is anywhere close to worth it, we put the redesigned 2026 Lexus ES 350h head-to-head with our top-rated midsize sedan, the 2026 Toyota Camry Hybrid. Both the Lexus sedan and Toyota sedan boast exceptional fuel efficiency, spacious interiors, and intuitive tech, but they deliver drastically different experiences when you dig into the details.
That rear leg room looks attractive.
The Toyota Camry continues to be a sensible, value-packed powerhouse. Its dimensions make it highly practical, offering generous cargo space and a roomy back seat that easily accommodates bulky child safety seats. On the road, the Toyota Camry Hybrid feels responsive, smooth, and impressively efficient, pulling in up to 43–51 mpg combined.
However, jumping into the Lexus ES reveals where that extra money goes. The Lexus ES hybrid offers a significantly more premium experience. It delivers near-limo levels of rear legroom, high-end synthetic leather, and tactile backlit buttons. In terms of driving dynamics, the Lexus ES 350h provides a serene, ultra-quiet ride that rivals six-figure luxury sedans, seamlessly isolating you from road imperfections.
How do I find Edmunds test data not in the app? The app is quite limited now.
Looking through utube summaries is a silly waste of time.
So, in the ultimate Lexus vs. Toyota battle, who wins? While the base price of the Camry offers unbeatable everyday value, the substantial upgrade in comfort, serenity, and refinement makes the Lexus ES vs. Toyota Camry debate an easy win for those seeking luxury. The cost difference is significant, but if you have the budget, the Lexus is absolutely worth the upgrade.
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The homeliest ES ever…!
Disclaimer: This video's description was generated with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy by the Edmunds editorial team. The video itself was created entirely without the use of generative AI.
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Why are you yelling (the entire time)?
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I dislike that this lady is encouraging manufacturers to increase seat bolster size. I disliked my BMW seats because you felt totally locked in and could barely move on long drives. Camry is made to be relaxing, the antithesis of racing seats. She also forgot that to simply change fan speed requires going into menu settings. SERIOUSLY???
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Suck that Toyota sided with Greedy Google for infotainment navi by subscription ! Japanese just can't innovate and their old school thinking lacks 30 years behind.
#LexusES #ToyotaCamry #Edmunds
Nice review. I just wish Lexus had better looks. It’s a step down vs. the prior generation in every way.
More User Perspectives
2026 Lexus ES 350 starts from a Toyota Crown, not Toyota Camry.
@fun-g4upeak here
@표정-m1nI got the Camry. Some of the biggest downsides of the 2026 Lexus ES IMO were the huge increase in length (165 mm longer than the 2025!) and the lack of a fold down rear seat. Oh yeah, and the big price gap too.
@EugWankerThe Lexus is ugly. The Camry is a better buy.
@lasrazonesdenuestrafe1417Nan just stick to making your home made cookies
@ghs7714The Lexus feels like a downgrade to me in some ways. Overstyled, big intrusive ipad screen versus the Camry's which is well integrated into the dash, and loss of physical controls. I have a 2025 Camry XLE and it feels plenty luxurious to me, it would have felt silly to spend all that extra money for a car that doesn't look as good and has worse ergonomics.
@SuperMistlandI'll stick with my Toyota Crown Platinum. Lexus neutered the new ES hybrid and the EV has far too many downsides.
@JeansHighNTight90You guys are so out of touch with buyers, buyers buying the Lexus are different shoppers than the Camry shoppers, you should be comparing the Camry to the accord, Nissan Altima, etc. your video is useless, why dont you compare a rolls Royce to a BMW? Or an Audi to a Volkswagen. Or a Volkswagen to a Lamborghini. If your going to make dumb comparisons you may as well just continue on with your trend
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Imagine spending $20k more to drive that hideous monstrosity of a vehicle. BMW said they were ruining how their cars look and Lexus said “hold my beer”. Awful.
@OneHundredPunks77review paid for by lexus/toyota.
@djcoronelMy 2018 Optima has a wireless phone charger and tons of features this almost ten years younger Camry doesn't have; and when you closed the doors...Ermahgerd, the sound designers were asleep? Reminiscent of a metal shed.
@SjalabaisLexus es is my favourite car than Mercedes, audi and BMW
@WonderaelWhat a great content, kudos!
Happy new 2026 SE Camry owner here, I could not be more happier, Houston jam daily driver making 55 MPG. Smooth drive and comfortable, I paid low 30 OTD. As I’m always thinking about my own version in the future at my today’s decisions, I’d never pay 20k more for something that exists to fit the commute purpose.😅
The styling of the Lexus alone means I can immediately cross it off my list. Trying too hard to be a Tesla. It’s a Lexla.
@leveraged6694@Edmundscars: When will we see the next Edmunds U-Drag?.... It´s quite a while since the last one....
@petermeister7191Could you talk about dash cam more? Thank you so much
@asta9198Synthetic leather, plastic gear knob, fewer and fewer buttons... Putting cheap things for the same price. Plus the horrible design. Will have the same fate of the LS later on.
@pocok77How can the ES be such a long car have such a small trunk?
@user-si1ik3ye4wWouldn’t it make more sense to compare the Crown to the ES since they are basically the same thing?
@OmegaSoopremeThat Camry ain’t even close to that Lexus es!! The ES is better in leg room ,comfort, technology ,and HP. The only thing that Camry has is lower hp which leads to more gas saved.
@TaySo_RealThe gen 9 Camry is not the best looking car, but why the new Es350 is so ugly? And why it has an EV style dash board??? Isn't the ES suppose to look elegant and rich like the older gens?
@nayatx37So , Lexus make good taxi cars. I wouldn't drive that thing for that price . Lexus lost the touch .
@malokaloMPKNonsense comparison. Toyota is the best for your money. Lexus is a Toyota but at a level above for some who are willing to pay. Can’t go wrong either way. I own both and very satisfied and happy 😃
@seikocitizenwatchesThey are two different category , one is luxury and the other is economy sedan. Lexus customer will not consider a Camry and vice versa.
@vandidandiI may be a little picky here, but when you mention the battery is not flush in the floor like the Camry but sticks out so you lose a little bit there as well. So does that deduct from the 13.3 cu ft? Or your really not "losing a bit there as well" cause the 13.3 cu ft already took that into consideration.
@samconnecticut1485Most of these sedans now is the cost of the paydown on a house 😂😂😂
@kings_chronicle592The Lexus is absolutely UGLY!!!!!
@frankielambardo9268excellent video
@seanh2390You people are STILL pitching the ES against Camry. The ES has not been Camry based for 3 generations now. Enough! You should be comparing ES to Crown NOT the Camry
@mikeanthony706come on edmunds...shouldn't we have compared the new ES to the toyota crown.
@AakashKumar-zn9zpWhy are you reviewing these cars, when you have your own dragon Meleys?
@anchipodWhy didn’t you compare the Lexus ES vs the Toyota Crown. That would make more sense and a more balanced comparison. Thanks.
@alexlomeli2264😂1st time hearing ppl complain abt Lexus’s steering wheel.
@xioliq1212ES should've been compared to Crown
@zhenhuang536An in cabin camera mounted on the steering column a few inches from my face recording and analyzing everything I do is a huge deal breaker for me.
@TruthisauthorityExcellent side-by-side! Thank you!
@davidc8735