This year saw the end of the fourth generation of the ES sedan. Lexus would continue to tinker with its design, power plant, and above all its image. The arrival of a larger engine in 2007 would signify the beginning of a new generation. In 2006, the option of satellite radio was the only addition to the ES 330. Also worth noting are new SAE testing procedures, which lowered the sedan's horsepower rating by seven.
Lexus continued with the same 3.3 liter V-6, boosted in power and made more efficient by Toyota's Variable Valve Timing Technology with intelligence. Revised SAE methods dropped the horsepower rating from 225 to 218, but torque remained the same at 225 pound-feet. The ES 330 modestly progressed from 0 to 60 mph in just over eight seconds, but this is the last year in which such sluggish performance numbers would be attributed to the car. Many owners continued to cheer the ES 330 for value in its class. While the ES is considerable departure from BMW or Mercedes with respect to performance, many comparison shoppers found the Lexus interior more inviting. The arrival of a new model in 2007 would add performance to already well-known ES attributes like silken ride and silence interior.