Cinmarc17

I just purchased a 2021 ES 300h premium from a Lexus Dealer 3hrs away from me. At the dealership when I told them the seat felt like it was hard they said the leather had to break in. The car I traded was a 2015 ES300H luxury and the seats were comfortable. Driving home in the 2021 after 3 hrs max me feel like I was sitting on a board. Seeing all the posts on this issue tonight I feel like I should return the car. Did you or others ever call Lexus with this problem. Need suggestions.

LexFinally

First, they were lying about the leather breaking in. It was already a used car, and it has stiff seats. What's more, if it's a premium and not a Luxury or Ultra Luxury, it doesn't even have leather, so if they're being quoted accurately they were lying twice.

Lexus will offer you no satisfaction for this problem, unfortunately. There is no way to modify the seats, except cheesy aftermarket solutions like lambskin covers.

If the seats bother you this much, they'll continue to. IMO, if you can return the car, you should.

medku

Honestly, for quite some time I also wished the car were returnable for the same reason. Since it is not, I began to experiment with different pillows. The main thing that was bothering me was the curve of the seat And this is the best set up so far, a small cushion attached to the upper-mid back. You can also add another pillow to the seat itself. Check thigh support pillows.

Shaboom

I, too, was surprised at this when I bought my 2021 ES 350 new. I've accepted it and adjusted to it. I don't think about it any longer. I've had the car for 1.5 years now. The leather gets no softer (what a joke!). Back in the day, my dad bought a new sporty Caddy. Those seats were the same way. I've shrugged it off.
I just got back from a weekend trip. 500 miles in three days. I had no discomfort from these firm seats. But if it bothers you, return the car. Their averment that "the leather will break in" and then the seats will get softer is misleading and your basis for the return. Don't wait though. Get on it immediately.
I'll be more careful with my next car purchase, though. I, too, clearly prefer softer seats like my Volvo I sold to by the Lexus. At times, due to these hard seats, a bit of buyer's remorse.

355F1

The UL model is a requirement for me because of the thigh extender. Once I had this my back pain almost disappeared completely.

I’ll never own an ES without it if I have to go back to needing one as it was a work car I put 30k miles per year on before covid allowed me to work from home.

TechNut

The Luxury model also has it. I believe only the Base or Base+Premium models are missing that feature. My luxury model has it. I suspect this feature’s importance depends on the driver’s height. I am only 5’8” tall and I have never used it. In full disclosure, I just don’t think about it. My wife and I took a road trip in August and neither one of us had any complaints with the seats.

JamesAZ

Just drove a 2020 Lexus NX 300 loaner back home from the dealership, and in comparison to my 2019 Lexus ES 350 UL, those seats are PLUSH! Now, do I prefer them? For the short 1 mile drive back to my house, it was really nice. Especially cause the seats are slimmer and held me in place better. But for longer drives, I may prefer my ES since there can be such a thing as too much plush. Learned that lesson with my first mattress purchase!

5' 6" 125lbs 28year old male for reference.

newguytoda

i sat in them too, didn't like them compared to the nx

Shaboom

The 2021 ES 350 seats are quite firm and short on padding. Unfortunate and uncharacteristic of a true luxury car. That said, after a year of ownership, I've become accustomed to them and don't mind.
I typically get a new car every five years. My greater concern is that come 2026 MY, there won't be a Lexus ES 350 as we know it. May have to simply buy the last one made like mine, probably MY 2024, and drive it rest of my years.

LS500Fan

Wait, what?? Someone in their 20's bought an ES? I'm 46 and I was told the average ES buyer age is mid 50's, people keep telling me I have an old man car LOL but hey I also have a Town Car ha ha.

JamesAZ

Someone with 40 years of experience typically knows a thing or two. So if someone with 40 years of driving experience is out buying a Lexus ES, then who am I to argue!

But jokes aside, I went from a 1994 Lexus SC400, to a Toyota Prius. So I already got my sports car and realized the pros and cons of one. As fun as it was to drive, getting 12mpg on Premium when it was $4/gallon while making $150/week kinda ruined the fun! And then the first time I rode in a Lexus LS 460 L, well, I never looked back!

Shaboom

I would have guessed 55-75 as the Lexus ES demographic.
I shopped for my 2021 ES 350 back in winter of 2021, at the height of the pandemic. Darn few of us "old people" in the Lexus ES demographic were out in show rooms shopping for new luxury cars! I bought mine on line from a very grateful dealer, who pretty much gave it away just to make a sale! My pleasure to help him out!

UltraLux22

Hot Rod Lincoln! I'd drive this "Old Man car!" I was 42 when I got my first ES, a 2019.

Shaboom

Hope it didn't drive your Daddy to drinkin'!

JamesAZ

Just got my ES back after using the NX for the last 2 days. Didn't drive the NX much, probably a total of 15 miles or so, but honestly, after getting back into my ES I feel the ES is more comfortable than the NX. Not sure if it's due to semi-aniline leather vs NuLuxe, the 14-way seat vs the 8, or the way the ES sits vs the NX, but I honestly prefer the ES over the NX. Which should obviously be expected since the SUV equivalent to the ES would be the RX, but regardless.