Used car safety, rank #8 of 181
Lexus ES 350 Safety Rating (2019-20)
Real IIHS driver death rates for the 2019-20 Lexus ES 350, a midsize luxury car, compared with its class and with the current model.
Safest PickThe 2019-20 Lexus ES 350 has an IIHS driver death rate of 0 per million registered vehicle years against a midsize luxury cars average of 24.8, which is the best possible result. That places it #8 of 181 used vehicles with a safety score of 94.5/100, earning our Safest Pick designation, and it typically sells used for $24,000 to $35,000.
What the Lexus ES 350 death rate means
A driver death rate of 0 means IIHS found too few driver deaths in 2019-20 Lexus ES 350s, relative to how many were registered, to separate the rate from zero. It does not mean nobody can die in one. The 95% confidence interval runs from 0 to 29, so the true rate could plausibly be as high as 29.
The other-driver death rate of 37 measures the opposite risk: how many drivers of other vehicles died in crashes with a Lexus ES 350. It is higher than the Lexus ES 350's own driver death rate, the usual pattern for this class. Remember that death rates describe vehicles and their drivers together: IIHS adjusts for driver age and gender, but not for where or how carefully people drive. Our score weights this model's own rate at 70% and its class at 30%; see how we rank used cars.
Compared with similar used luxury cars
The safest midsize luxury cars in the IIHS study, by our score, with the Lexus ES 350 highlighted. It ranks 1 of the 9 shown.
| Vehicle | Years | Death rate | Score | Reliability | Used price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lexus ES 350 (this page) | 2019-20 | 0 (0 to 29) | 94.5 | 4.0/5 | $24,000 to $35,000 |
| Audi A4 2WD | 2017-20 | 7 (0 to 21) | 85.6 | 3.5/5 | $18,000 to $30,000 |
| Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan 4WD | 2017-20 | 9 (0 to 21) | 84.0 | 3.5/5 | $20,000 to $34,000 |
| Tesla Model 3 2WD | 2019-20 | 15 (0 to 33) | 78.6 | n/a | n/a |
| Audi A4 4WD | 2017-20 | 17 (0 to 36) | 77.4 | 3.5/5 | n/a |
| Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan 2WD | 2017-20 | 28 (5 to 51) | 64.2 | 3.5/5 | n/a |
| Acura TLX 2WD | 2018-20 | 31 (0 to 64) | 59.9 | n/a | n/a |
| Tesla Model 3 4WD | 2019-20 | 52 (9 to 96) | 42.8 | n/a | n/a |
| Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class 2WD | 2017-20 | 64 (11 to 117) | 35.0 | n/a | n/a |
Class average for midsize luxury cars: 24.8 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years.
Reliability and cost of ownership
Reliability: 4.0 out of 5
RepairPal rates the Lexus ES 350 4.0/5, 4th out of 31 in its category. Owners spend about $468 a year on repairs and maintenance, visiting the shop 0.6 times a year for unscheduled work, and 6% of those repairs are severe.
RepairPal detailsUsed price: $24,000 to $35,000
Typical asking prices for 2019-20 Lexus ES 350 listings. For a model with a death rate of 0, that buys more real-world protection per dollar than most alternatives in the midsize luxury cars class.
Safety recalls for the Lexus ES 350
No recalls on record for the 2020 model year.
Lexus ES 350: Common Questions
Is the Lexus ES 350 a safe car?
Yes. IIHS recorded a driver death rate of 0 per million registered vehicle years for the 2019-20 Lexus ES 350, the best possible result (24.8 for midsize luxury cars). That earns a used-car safety score of 94.5 out of 100 and rank #8 of 181 used vehicles, with a Safest Pick designation.
What is the Lexus ES 350 driver death rate?
0 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, with a 95% confidence interval of 0 to 29. Drivers of other vehicles that collided with a Lexus ES 350 died at a rate of 37 per million. Source: IIHS driver death rates by make and model, covering 2019-20 models.
How does the Lexus ES 350 compare with other midsize luxury cars?
The midsize luxury cars class averages 24.8 driver deaths per million; the Lexus ES 350 sits at 0. Among the 9 midsize luxury cars compared above it ranks 1 by safety score.