2021 Lexus ES vs 2020 Toyota Camry

The 2020 Toyota Camry had a renewed focus on quality and appeal, aiming to reclaim its reputation for reliability and value. Its expressive styling, including a bold front fascia and taut lines, marked it as the sportiest Camry yet. The interior featured uniformly nice materials and a driver-focused dashboard, making even the base trims feel upscale. The TRD model added red trim accents, giving it a sporty edge. Despite its improvements, the Camry remained a mainstream sedan with a starting price of $25,380, not quite reaching the luxury or sport sedan status.

The 2021 Lexus ES, particularly the ES 350 F Sport, offered a more luxurious and sporty experience. It featured a 3.5-liter V6 engine with 302 horsepower, adaptive variable suspension, and multiple driving modes. The Black Line Special Edition added unique styling elements and exclusive features like a two-piece set of Zero Halliburton luggage. The interior boasted high-quality materials, sport-bolstered seats, and a striking black and white color scheme. Despite its sporty enhancements, the ES maintained its reputation as a comfortable cruiser, with a price range from $40,000 to $50,910.

The 2020 Toyota Camry offered four distinct powertrains: a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with FWD or AWD, a 3.5-liter V6 with FWD, and a hybrid powertrain. The 3.5-liter V6 produced 301 horsepower and was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, providing a smooth and powerful driving experience. The 2.5-liter four-cylinder, with 203 horsepower (206 in XSE trim), was lighter and offered a more engaging drive, especially in the sporty XSE trim. The AWD system, similar to that in the RAV4, could send up to half of the engine's 184 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels, enhancing traction in slippery conditions. Fuel economy varied, with the FWD four-cylinder achieving 31 mpg combined, the AWD version 28 mpg, and the V6 models around 25-26 mpg.

The 2021 Lexus ES 350 featured a 3.5-liter V6 engine generating 302 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It offered Normal, Eco, and Sport driving modes, with Sport+ and Custom modes available with the adaptive damping suspension. The ES 350 accelerated to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds and had an EPA fuel economy rating of 25 mpg combined. The F Sport trim provided a firmer ride, flat cornering stance, and overall athleticism, making it a genuinely enjoyable drive. However, it remained a sporty sedan rather than an outright sports sedan, with the IS 350 F Sport and upcoming IS 500 F Sport Performance filling that role.

The 2020 Toyota Camry was user-friendly, with most controls easily accessible. The front seats offered increased legroom and hip room compared to the previous generation. However, the rear seat had reduced legroom and overall passenger volume, making it tighter than competitors like the Honda Accord. The trunk space was 15.1 cubic feet, similar to the smaller Honda Civic. The addition of AWD did not compromise the trunk or passenger space, thanks to modifications in the floor structure and fuel tank.

The 2021 Lexus ES had a daring yet functional interior layout. The ES 350 F Sport featured sport-bolstered front seats with 10-way power adjustment, heating, and ventilation. The rear seats provided good foot and legroom, with supportive cushions and a comfortable backrest angle. The trunk measured 13.9 cubic feet, slightly more than a Toyota Corolla. The test car's optional hands-free power trunk added convenience. Storage was plentiful but oddly configured, with nooks and crannies rather than wide trays and large bins.

The 2020 Toyota Camry added Android Auto to its standard features, joining Apple CarPlay, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and a three-month trial of SiriusXM satellite radio. The standard infotainment system, while functional and quick to respond, felt dated with low-resolution graphics. The base models had a 7-inch screen, with an optional 8-inch upgrade. Higher trims featured a 7-inch multi-information display and an optional 10-inch head-up display. A three-month trial of WiFi Connect and a one-year trial of Remote Connect were also included.

The 2021 Lexus ES had a problematic touchpad interface, requiring drivers to look at the screen while navigating the cursor. However, the climate and stereo controls were separate and easily accessible. The dynamic voice command technology was excellent, allowing drivers to bypass the touchpad. The optional 12.3-inch widescreen display looked terrific but needed to be a touchscreen. All ES trims included Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, SiriusXM satellite radio, HD Radio, and connected services. The 12.3-inch display added dynamic navigation and Destination Assist, with free trial periods ranging from three to ten years. A 10-speaker premium sound system was standard, with an optional 17-speaker Mark Levinson system available.

The 2020 Toyota Camry included Toyota Safety Sense, featuring a pre-collision system with emergency braking and pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning with steering assist, and automatic high beams. A one-year trial of Safety Connect was included, offering emergency assistance and stolen vehicle locator services. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert was optional. The Camry earned a five-star rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS. There was one NHTSA recall for leaking engine coolant, affecting up to 44,191 cars with 2.5-liter engines.

The 2021 Lexus ES included Lexus Safety System 2.0, bundling forward-collision warning with pedestrian and cyclist detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, lane-centering assistance, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, road-sign recognition, and automatic high beams. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were standard on all trims except the base. The ADAS proved effective, though occasionally the lane-centering technology struggled. The ES earned a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA.