Lexus ES 300h: Years to Avoid and Best Years to Buy
The Lexus ES 300h has 13 model year(s) in the federal index and no scored complaint record yet, so this page carries the catalogue entry and the years we hold rather than a verdict.
Lexus ES 300h: which years to avoid
Across 5 scored model years the Lexus ES 300h ranges from 53/100 in 2019 to 93/100 in 2020 — a 40-point spread, so which year you buy matters more than whether you buy an ES 300h at all. The weakest year’s complaints concentrate in Fuel/Propulsion System (12 of them).
Safest years: 2020, 2021, 2022, 2025 — scored 70 or better.
Check carefully: 2019.
Scored from NHTSA complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. How the score works · every car’s years to avoid.
Year-by-year data table
| Year | Score | Verdict | Running cost / yr | NHTSA complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 78 | BUY | $2,006 | 4 | 0 |
| 2024 | — | DATA PENDING | $2,070 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | — | DATA PENDING | $2,210 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 92 | BUY | $2,364 | 3 | 0 |
| 2021 | 93 | BUY | $2,497 | 2 | 0 |
| 2020 | 93 | BUY | $2,633 | 1 | 0 |
| 2019 | 53 | CAUTION | $2,848 | 29 | 0 |
| 2018 | — | DATA PENDING | $3,060 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | — | DATA PENDING | $3,250 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | — | DATA PENDING | $3,390 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | — | DATA PENDING | $3,530 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | — | DATA PENDING | $3,670 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | — | DATA PENDING | $3,810 | 0 | 0 |
Running cost is fuel or energy plus the maintenance band midpoint for that car at its age today, re-priced to your country. Purchase price, insurance and depreciation are not included.
What goes wrong on the Lexus ES 300h
Across every ES 300h model year in our index, owners report these component groups most often. The cost beside each one is the representative repair for that group at a US independent shop, re-priced to your country.
- Fuel/Propulsion System14 complaints across all ES 300h years · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement$680–$1,620
- Engine8 complaints across all ES 300h years · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System6 complaints across all ES 300h years · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement$540–$1,310
- Service Brakes5 complaints across all ES 300h years · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles$580–$1,140
- Forward Collision Avoidance5 complaints across all ES 300h years · typical job: Radar or camera module replacement and calibration$780–$2,160
- Air Bags5 complaints across all ES 300h years · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement$600–$1,700
Flat-rate labour hours x local shop rate plus a parts band. An estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote. Formula.
FAQ
What are the best Lexus ES 300h years to buy?
2020, 2021, 2022, 2025 all score 70 or better. The strongest is the 2020 at 93/100, on 1 complaints and 0 recall campaigns.
What is the most common Lexus ES 300h problem?
14 of the complaints filed against the ES 300h across all its model years sit in the Fuel/Propulsion System group — more than any other component.
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Sources: NHTSA, EPA · Methodology · Updated 2026-10-04