Are the Toyota Camry and Lexus ES the Same?
3 Answers
These two cars are not the same. Below are the relevant introductions: 1. Positioning: The difference between the Camry and Lexus ES lies in their brand positioning, with the Lexus ES being more upscale than the Camry. The Camry belongs to Toyota, an ordinary car brand, while Lexus is positioned as a luxury brand, excelling in finer craftsmanship, materials, driving and riding experience, interior, and other aspects compared to the Camry. 2. Camry: The eighth-generation Camry has been launched, adding or upgrading multiple configurations. The flagship, luxury, and sport editions all feature new intelligent rain-sensing wipers; the luxury and sport editions have been upgraded to a 9-inch color touchscreen display, with a 10-inch color HUD head-up display system showing navigation paths and other information, and a new in-car voice navigation system has been added. The flagship edition includes a new rear 220V power outlet. With the addition of TPMS tire pressure monitoring systems to the 2.0 Elite and Leading editions, the entire product line now comes standard with TPMS, displaying numerical values except for the 2.0 Leading and Elite editions. 3. Lexus ES: The Lexus ES is the only model in the Lexus lineup that uses a front-wheel-drive system. The new ES models also come equipped with a series of intelligent and forward-looking active safety configurations, including a pre-collision safety system and a blind-spot monitor (BSM). The pre-collision safety system (PCS) helps actively detect obstacles ahead and automatically applies brake assistance and pre-tightens seat belts when a collision is unavoidable to minimize damage. The blind-spot monitor (BSM) emits radar waves to detect vehicles in blind spots, ensuring safety during lane changes and turns.
When I was comparing these two models during my car change two years ago, I found they indeed share Toyota's TNGA-K platform, like brothers from the same mother, but with completely different personalities. The Camry focuses on practical family use, paired with either a 2.0L or 2.5L naturally aspirated engine, featuring more plastic interior components and basic sound insulation materials. The ES, positioned as a luxury executive sedan, comes standard with a hybrid system across the lineup, uses semi-aniline leather for seats, has double-layer soundproof glass for the windshield, and even uses softer rubber bushings for shock absorbers. I remember during the test drive, the moment I closed the ES's door, external noise was immediately cut by more than half—a level of refinement the Camry couldn't achieve. The brand premium is even more pronounced, with a price difference of over 100,000 yuan for similar hybrid configurations.
As a veteran owner who has driven three generations of Camrys, I can confidently say they're not in the same league as the ES. The Camry is like an affordable house - cheap to maintain with spacious interiors, but even the rearview mirrors are manually anti-glare. The ES comes standard with auto-dimming mirrors, heated steering wheel, Mark Levinson audio system, and even rain-sensing wipers. There's also a difference in body steel - the ES uses more high-strength steel, consistently scoring half a grade higher in crash tests. Even the hybrid system tuning differs, with the ES delivering smoother electric motor engagement during starts and nearly seamless deceleration energy recovery. Plus, Lexus offers two extra years of warranty coverage.
