Lexus ES 350 (XV60, 2013–2018) review: the previous ES, still a smart used buy
3.9/5motorssouq Editorial Team
The XV60 ES 350 is the generation to buy if you want the Lexus badge, cabin hush and V6 smoothness without paying current-ES money. It is not the model still sold new — that is a newer, more efficient car — but as a used purchase it is comfortable, well built, and backed by the same dealer network and workshop familiarity that makes every Lexus easy to own in Bahrain. Favour a post-2016 facelifted car if you want the added safety kit.
Pros
- 2GR-FE 3.5-litre V6 is one of Toyota's most reliable engines, widely shared and well understood by Bahrain workshops
- Noticeably quieter, better-insulated cabin than the ES generation it replaced
- Post-2016 facelifted cars add Lexus Safety System+ on higher grades
- Meaningfully cheaper than an equivalent used Camry once depreciation has run its course
Cons
- Superseded by the current fourth-generation ES — not the model Lexus Bahrain sells new today
- Pre-facelift cars (2013–2015) lack the later Lexus Safety System+ suite
- Comfort-tuned chassis has little in the way of driving engagement
- No independent NCAP figure confirmed for GCC-spec cars
The XV60 generation, sold from 2013 to 2018, is not the ES currently on Lexus Bahrain's showroom floor — that is the newer, more aggressively styled fourth-generation car. This is the one before it: longer, lower and stiffer than the model it replaced, still built on a stretched Camry-derived platform, and still powered by the same 3.5-litre 2GR-FE V6 that Toyota has used across a dozen models for a reason.
What changed from the older ES
Compared with the XV40 that came before it, the XV60 sits on a wider track, gets a proper 6-speed automatic replacing the previous car's ageing transmission, and picks up noticeably better cabin insulation — Lexus's engineers specifically targeted noise, vibration and harshness on this generation, and it shows on a rough section of causeway tarmac where the cabin stays genuinely hushed. A 2016 facelift added Lexus Safety System+ — pre-collision warning, lane departure alert, adaptive cruise — on higher grades, which is worth seeking out specifically.
Living with it in Bahrain
The 2GR-FE V6 is one of the most reliable engines Toyota has ever built, shared across Camry, Highlander, RAV4 and multiple Lexus models, which means Bahrain workshops know it intimately and parts are never scarce. The 6-speed automatic is smooth rather than sporty, and the whole car is tuned for comfort over engagement — exactly what most ES buyers here actually want.
Depreciation has been kind to buyers: a well-kept XV60 ES 350 with full service history now costs meaningfully less than an equivalent Camry with fewer features, because the Lexus badge does not carry the same demand premium once a car stops being the current model. Check for correctly functioning air suspension is not relevant here — it uses a conventional setup — but do check the AC system thoroughly, as with any Gulf-market used car this age.