Back in April this year, Lexus unwrapped a revised ES. One that promised a more refined experience and premiered tweaked design inside and out. That has now landed in India. And as before, Lexus has kept the choice to just two variants – Exquisite and Luxury. The former costs Rs 56.65 lakh, whereas the latter demands Rs 61.85 lakh. Surprisingly, the revised hybrid costs only Rs 10,000 more than before.

So, let’s get to the obvious question – what’s new? In terms of looks, one will have to stare for a while before spotting the differences. The headlamps, for instance, are sharper in form and feature Lexus’ BladeScan AHS (Adaptive High-beam System) tech. Even the spindle grille has visited the drawing board as it now boasts a mesh pattern with L-shaped components. As for the wheels, they boast a new finish and span 18 inches in diameter. The car also gets two new paint options – Sonic Iridium and Sonic Chrome.

Indoors, the trim has a walnut finish. Also, there’s an option for two new upholsteries – Hazel and Black.  And the dashboard now houses a touch-sensitive multimedia system. To ensure that the controls on the new screen are accessible, Lexus has moved the display towards the driver by 10cm. Even the angle of the housing has been tilted by approximately five degrees to improve reach.

The updated ES has an improved list of creature comforts. Besides BladeScan, a technology borrowed from the RX and the LS models, the sedan also features an upgraded Lexus Safety System+. That incorporates gizmos like Lane Tracing Assist, Pre-Collision System and Dynamic Radar Cruise Control.

Apart from those updates, Lexus has also been busy tweaking things to improve the ride quality and handling. To achieve that, the Japanese carmaker has upgraded the rear suspension to increase rigidity. Also, the electronically-controlled braking system has been updated.

Powering the Lexus ES is a hybrid powertrain that consists of a 2.5-litre petrol mill and an electric motor. The internal combustion engine produces 176bhp/221Nm all on its own, whereas the electric motor generates 118bhp/202Nm. As per Lexus, the total system output is 215bhp.

So, there you have it. The latest Lexus ES is right up there with the best of them, even though it is costlier. It rivals the BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Audi A6 and the Volvo S90.