Lexus ES 350: Years to Avoid and Best Years to Buy
Lexus ES 350: 15 model years scored from 78 NHTSA owner complaints and 0 recall campaigns. Worst year 2019, best year 2019.
Lexus ES 350: which years to avoid
Across 7 scored model years the Lexus ES 350 ranges from 85/100 in 2019 to 94/100 in 2020 — a 9-point spread, so which year you buy matters. The weakest year’s complaints concentrate in Fuel/Propulsion System (12 of them).
Safest years: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 — scored 70 or better.
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 | 88 | BUY | $3,106 | 4 | 0 |
| 2024 | 87 | BUY | $3,106 | 9 | 0 |
| 2023 | 89 | BUY | $3,230 | 11 | 0 |
| 2022 | 91 | BUY | $3,402 | 11 | 0 |
| 2021 | 93 | BUY | $3,509 | 5 | 0 |
| 2020 | 94 | BUY | $3,596 | 5 | 0 |
| 2019 | 85 | BUY | $3,809 | 33 | 0 |
| 2018 | — | DATA PENDING | $4,060 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | — | DATA PENDING | $4,200 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | — | DATA PENDING | $4,340 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | — | DATA PENDING | $4,480 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | — | DATA PENDING | $4,620 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | — | DATA PENDING | $4,760 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | — | DATA PENDING | $5,300 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 | — | DATA PENDING | $5,440 | 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.
ES 350 sub-models & family
Variants & trims on record
Body, powertrain and trim variants of the ES 350 on the federal record. Variants folded into this nameplate are counted in this page's data; the rest have too thin a record for a page of their own yet.
What goes wrong on the Lexus ES 350
Across every ES 350 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 350 years · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement$680–$1,620
- Service Brakes11 complaints across all ES 350 years · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles$580–$1,140
- Engine9 complaints across all ES 350 years · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System9 complaints across all ES 350 years · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement$540–$1,310
- Air Bags8 complaints across all ES 350 years · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement$600–$1,700
- Wheels5 complaints across all ES 350 years · typical job: Wheel bearing or hub replacement$460–$920
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 350 years to buy?
2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 all score 70 or better. The strongest is the 2020 at 94/100, on 5 complaints and 0 recall campaigns.
What is the most common Lexus ES 350 problem?
14 of the complaints filed against the ES 350 across all its model years sit in the Fuel/Propulsion System group — more than any other component.
Compare with
Sources: NHTSA, EPA · Methodology · Updated 2026-10-04