Used car safety, rank #71 of 188
Lexus ES 350 Safety Rating (2020-23)
Real IIHS driver death rates for the 2020-23 Lexus ES 350, a midsize luxury car, compared with its class and with the current model.
IIHS 2026 edition Β· 2021β2024 crashes. Results apply only to the model years and drivetrain shown. Read the new release and its limits Β· Browse the older edition. Prices and reliability from older model years have not been carried forward.
The 2020-23 Lexus ES 350 has an IIHS driver death rate of 18 per million registered vehicle years against a midsize luxury cars average of 29, which is 38% below the class average. That places it #71 of 188 used vehicles with a safety score of 63.2/100.
What the Lexus ES 350 death rate means
At 18 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, the Lexus ES 350 beats the midsize luxury cars average of 29 by 38%. The 95% confidence interval is 0 to 37, so the upper end of the range overlaps the class average and the advantage is not certain.
The other-driver death rate of 41 measures the opposite risk: how many drivers of other vehicles died in crashes with a Lexus ES 350. Its 95% confidence interval is 15β66. 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 2 of the 3 shown; the class leader is the Tesla Model 3 electric 2WD at a death rate of 15.
| Vehicle | Years | Death rate | Score | Reliability | Used price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla Model 3 electric 2WD | 2020-23 | 15 (6 to 24) | 68.5 | n/a | n/a |
| Lexus ES 350 (this page) | 2020-23 | 18 (0 to 37) | 63.2 | n/a | n/a |
| Tesla Model 3 electric 4WD | 2020-23 | 39 (23 to 55) | 34.8 | n/a | n/a |
Class average for midsize luxury cars: 29 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years.
Safety recalls for the Lexus ES 350
We do not have a verified NHTSA recall lookup for this nameplate and model year. Check by VIN rather than treating that as a clean record.
Recall campaigns from the NHTSA recalls database, retrieved 2026-09-16. A campaign covers a range of build dates, not every car of the model year, and IIHS reports this nameplate across several years while these results are for one year. Confirm against the VIN. Recalls do not affect the death rate on this page.
Lexus ES 350: Common Questions
Is the Lexus ES 350 a safe car?
Yes, by the measure that matters most. IIHS recorded a driver death rate of 18 per million registered vehicle years for the 2020-23 Lexus ES 350, 38% below the class average (29 for midsize luxury cars). That earns a used-car safety score of 63.2 out of 100 and rank #71 of 188 used vehicles.
What is the Lexus ES 350 driver death rate?
18 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, with a 95% confidence interval of 0 to 37. Drivers of other vehicles that collided with a Lexus ES 350 died at a rate of 41 per million. Source: IIHS driver death rates by make and model, covering 2020-23 models.
How does the Lexus ES 350 compare with other midsize luxury cars?
The midsize luxury cars class averages 29 driver deaths per million; the Lexus ES 350 sits at 18. Among the 3 midsize luxury cars compared above it ranks 2 by safety score; the top of that group is the Tesla Model 3 electric 2WD with a death rate of 15.