Lexus has brought the eighth-generation ES sedan to its home market, following the sedan’s earlier debut in the US and Europe. The hybrid and electric powertrains carry over unchanged, but Japanese buyers get access to a wider selection of optional accessories, including subtle bodykits and interior lighting.

Review: We Drove The 2026 Lexus ES Hybrid And EV, And One Version Stands Out

The standout from the official catalog is the Lexus Genuine Aero Parts Set. It drops the sedan’s stance and sharpens its aerodynamics, with a splitter, side skirts, and a rear bumper extension finished in glossy black. The kit also pairs with droplet-shaped fins on each D-pillar, which Lexus says steady the vortices along the rear quarters to improve stability and steering response.

Lexus

For buyers chasing something different, Modellista has its Advanced Luxury Package. It adds body-colored pieces that cut ground clearance along the profile by up to 26 mm (1 inch). The side skirts are illuminated and paired with mirror covers that integrate fins. Rounding it out is a set of 21-inch forged aluminum wheels in dark premium metallic.

More: New Lexus ES Looks Great But This F-Sport Render Looks Even Better

While Japan has all of these options for the exterior, US buyers are currently restricted to black emblems, wheel locks, and protective films. Another difference between the two markets is the variety of lighting accessories.

Lighting And Projections

Lexus

The Japanese-spec ES can be had with Projection Welcome Illumination, which casts a Lexus emblem onto the pavement ahead of the car, joined by side-projection lighting that throws geometric graphics down the flanks.

The catalog also covers illuminated door sills, a cargo sill, and Lexus-branded puddle lamps, all available in the US too. Buyers who want more can add illuminated cup holders and door pockets in a range of colors.

More: This Lexus Wagon Looks So Good It’ll Make You Mad It’s Not Real

The rest of the interior list runs to headrest pillows, a rear footrest with deodorizing properties, seatback storage pockets with a tablet holder, and premium floor and luggage mats. The lineup also includes the ES350e Rr Comfort package, the equivalent of the US-spec Executive Package, aimed at owners who prefer the back seat. Lexus also doubles down on anti-theft measures with physical locks for the wheels and the steering wheel.

Japanese Pricing

Lexus

The Lexus ES is on sale in Japan starting at ¥7,900,000 ($49,200) for the entry-level hybrid ES350h FWD. At the top sit the electric ES350e FWD with the Rr Comfort Package and the ES500e AWD Version L, both at ¥9,200,000 ($57,300). The US-spec car runs a bit higher, between $51,095 and $60,295 depending on trim.

More: Lexus’s New ES Infotainment Acts Like A Tablet, Talks Back In The Gender You Pick

In terms of optional upgrades, the Lexus Genuine Aero Parts Set retails for ¥293,700 ($1,800), the Aero Stabilizing Fins for ¥22,000 ($140), and the Modellista package for ¥642,400 ($4,000), with the 21-inch wheels adding another ¥964,700 ($6,000). The Projection Welcome Illumination is priced at ¥55,000 ($340) for the grille and ¥83,600 ($520) for the side.

And last but not least, Lexus offers a deodorizing footrest, for the driver and passenger whose feet have become a known issue, at ¥46,200 ($290), the headrest pillows ¥38,500 ($240), the seatback storage pocket ¥17,600 ($110), and the luggage mat ¥30,800 ($190).

Modellista

Ford’s European business has spent recent years shrinking faster than an Ozempic’d waistline. Now the company’s planning a comeback, and apparently the answer involves “rally-bred” styling and handling, Broncos, a Fiesta revival, and a direct fight against fast-growing Chinese automakers like BYD flooding Europe with affordable EVs and hybrids.

The company this week confirmed plans to launch five new passenger vehicles across Europe by 2029, including a Bronco SUV that riffs on the look and attitude of the US version, while being entirely unrelated. A single teaser image showed the Euro Bronco on the far left looking suitably tall and square. It will be built by Ford in its Valencia plant in Spain from 2028, offering a mixture of powertrain types.

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Before buyers can get their hands on the Bronco, though, Ford will launch a new small electric hatch that’s almost certain to revive the Fiesta name. It’ll be based on the AmpR Small platform and running gear from the Renault 5, and will be joined by a related electric crossover that’s effectively Ford’s answer to the Renault 4, and a replacement for today’s Puma Gen-e. Both will be built by Renault.

Two additional crossovers using multi-energy platforms are also in development and will hit showrooms by 2029. It’s believed that one will replace the petrol-powered Puma, while the bigger one will take over from today’s Kuga. The automaker didn’t detail the powertrains, but mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrids look likely. And finally, Europe is also getting its hands on the tough, work-ready Ranger Super Duty that’s already available in Australia.

Ford Can’t Win A Price War

So why the big push? A decade ago, Ford ranked among Europe’s biggest automakers. Today, it’s slipped badly after axing household names like the Fiesta and Focus while betting heavily on VW-based electric SUVs and crossovers such as the Explorer and Capri. Meanwhile, brands like BYD have stormed into Europe with aggressively priced EVs and rapidly rising sales.

Rather than trying to outfox China on pricing, which it knows it could never do, Ford’s strategy appears focused on personality – something CEO Jim Farley has already talked about. The company says every new passenger model will feature “rally-bred” character inspired by decades of World Rally Championship success with icons including the Escort RS Cosworth, Focus WRC, and Fiesta WRC.

Ford Europe boss Jim Baumbick told Autocar magazine the company wants to deliver unmistakably Ford driving dynamics, even when using partner platforms from companies like Renault. “We don’t just want to compete, we’re here to play to win,” he said.

The company’s also openly questioning Europe’s aggressive EV mandates.

“We don’t build vehicles to meet regulatory mandates; we build them for people,” Baumbick said. “The fastest route to zero emissions is the one customers will actually take. We can accelerate emissions reductions today with hybrid technologies that let customers drive electric whenever they can.”

Whether rally nostalgia alone can reverse Ford’s European slide remains unclear. But doing nothing isn’t an option, and making the most of your heritage – something Chinese buyers don’t have – seems like a good one.

Ford, Nissan