A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance,
petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.
Ghost Extended Series IIPetrol8-Speed AutomaticCurrent
Price on request
⚡ 420 kW🔧 850 Nm⛽ 6.33 km/l
+Add a 3rd car
At a Glance — Who Wins What
⚡PerformanceGhost Extended
⛽Fuel EconomyES
🛡SafetyGhost Extended
📦PracticalityGhost Extended
🔑OwnershipES
Key Specs Side by Side
The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.
Spec
ES
Ghost Extended
Maximum Power
160 kW @ 5700 rpm
420 kW @ 5000 rpm
Maximum Torque
221 Nm
850 Nm @ 1600 rpm
Engine Size
2500 cc
6749 cc
Claimed Mileage
21.7 km/l
6.33 km/l
Ground Clearance
158 mm
118 mm
Boot / Load Bay
454 l
500 l
Airbags
Side,Knee,Curtain,Driver,Passenger
8
Kerb Weight
1740 kg
2545 kg
Seating Capacity
-
-
Warranty
7 years / 105,000km
4 years; regional conditions apply
= leads in this spec
The Bottom Line
Both ES and Ghost Extended are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.
Where They Actually Differ
Performance
Ghost Extended
+42 pts
Efficiency
ES
+56 pts
Safety
Ghost Extended
+5 pts
Practicality
Ghost Extended
+1 pts
Ownership
ES
+49 pts
What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)
🏆 Overall Winner
ES
Strengths
Better fuel efficiency
Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
Less powerful engine setup
Less comprehensive safety features
Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to:Fuel Efficiency
Ghost Extended
Strengths
More powerful engine output
Stronger safety package
More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
Lower fuel efficiency
Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to:Highway DrivingFamily Usage
Which One's Right for You?
ES
Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind
Ghost Extended
Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
Large families needing more practicality and usability
Full Specs, Side by Side
Spec
ES
Ghost Extended
Model Introduced Year
2021
-
Generation
Current seventh-generation Lexus ES executive sedan
Second-generation Ghost Extended in long-wheelbase Series II form
Facelift History
Current South African ES range; the next-generation local range has not yet received final derivative confirmation
Ghost Extended joined the second-generation Ghost family globally in 2020 and evolved into Ghost Extended Series II in October 2024; its exact South African introduction year remains unverified
Facelift Launched Since
Current South African ES range; the next-generation local range has not yet received final derivative confirmation
2024
Facelift Version Ending
Current South African specification checked 2026-07-17
Current
Body Style
Sedan
Extended-wheelbase four-door luxury saloon
Model Year
2026
2026
Production Status
published
active
Segment
Executive sedan
Extended-wheelbase full-size super-luxury saloon
Vehicle Type
Sedan
Internal-combustion passenger car
Tare Mass Kg
1740 kg
-
Spec
ES
Ghost Extended
Drivetrain Layout
FWD
All-wheel drive with all-wheel steering
Transfer Case
Not Applicable
ATC 13 transfer case
Paddle Shifters
Standard
No
Gearbox
ECVT
8-speed automatic
Number of Gears
Not Applicable
8
Transmission Type
ECVT
8-speed automatic
Drivetrain
FWD
All-wheel drive
4WD Engagement
Not Applicable
Rolls-Royce all-wheel drive
4WD Hi Range
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
4WD Lo Range
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
4WD Selector
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Automatic Shift Paddles
Standard
No
Front Differential Lock
Not Applicable
No lockable differential
Gearbox Type
ECVT
8-speed automatic
Low Range Ratio
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Low Range
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Axle Layout
FWD
All-wheel-drive power delivery with active rear-axle steering
Rear Differential Lock
Not Applicable
No lockable differential
Transmission Speeds
Not Applicable
8
Gear Shift Type
Automatic
Satellite Aided automatic gear selection
Differential Lock
-
No lockable differential
Final Drive Ratio
-
2.81:1
Clutch Type
-
Torque converter
Spec
ES
Ghost Extended
Claimed Mileage
21.7 km/l
6.33 km/l
Fuel Tank Capacity
50 l
90 l
AdBlue Tank Capacity
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Auto Start Stop
Standard
Automatic start/stop: Yes
Average Fuel Consumption
4.6 l/100km
15.8 l/100km
Claimed Fuel Consumption
4.6 l/100km
15.8 l/100km
Fuel Efficiency
4.6 l/100km
15.8 l/100km
Charging Port Type
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Charging Type
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Combined Consumption
4.6 l/100km
15.8 l/100km
Combined Consumption L 100km
4.6 l/100km
15.8 l/100km
Fuel Economy Combined
4.6 l/100km
15.8 l/100km
Fuel Tank Litres
50
90
Combined Driving Range
Not Applicable
570-588 km (calculated from 90 L and 15.3-15.8 l/100 km WLTP)
Electric Consumption
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Range Real World Highway
Not Applicable
-
Range Real World Mixed
Not Applicable
-
City Mileage
-
5.10 km/l
Highway Mileage
-
8.08 km/l
Emission Standard
-
Euro 6e (B6e)
Spec
ES
Ghost Extended
Airbags
Side,Knee,Curtain,Driver,Passenger
8
ABS
Standard
Four-channel Anti-lock Braking System
Electronic Stability Control
Standard
Dynamic Stability Control
Traction Control
Standard,,
Dynamic Traction Control
Hill Start Assist
Standard
Hill Start Assist
Child Safety Lock
Standard Rear door
Rear child-safety locks
ISOFIX Mounts
Standard 2
ISOFIX child-seat mounts
Brake Assist
Standard
Dynamic Brake Control
Tyre Pressure Monitor
Standard
Low tyre-pressure warning
Engine Immobiliser
Horn/ Intrusion Sensor
Engine immobiliser
Alarm System
Horn/ Intrusion Sensor
-
Seatbelt Warning All Seats
Front + Rear/ Buzzer
Driver and front-passenger seatbelt warning sensor
Front Parking Sensors
Standard Intelligent Clearance Sonar,Rear Cross Traffic Alert + Braking
Park Distance Control, front and rear
AEB
Standard
Collision Warning with Brake Function; pedestrian/bike warning with brake function
BA
Standard
Dynamic Brake Control
Curtain Airbags
Standard
Front Head Protection System
Driver Airbag
Standard
Driver airbag
EBD
Standard
Electronic Brakeforce Distribution
Engine Immobiliser
Horn/ Intrusion Sensor
Engine immobiliser
Hill Hold
Standard
Hill Start Assist
Passenger Airbag
Standard
Front-passenger airbag
Seatbelt Pretensioners
ELR,Pretensioner,Force Limiter,Tension Reducer -
Front and rear three-point pretensioning seatbelts; front force limiters
Side Airbags
Standard
Front side-impact airbags
TCS
Standard,,
Dynamic Traction Control
Knee Airbag
Standard
Active front knee protection
ABS EBD
Standard
Four-channel Anti-lock Braking System
Anti Theft Alarm
Horn/ Intrusion Sensor
-
Seatbelt Reminder
Front + Rear/ Buzzer
Driver and front-passenger seatbelt warning sensor
Stability Control
Standard
Dynamic Stability Control
Hill Descent Control
-
Hill Descent Control
Rear Cross Traffic Alert
-
Rear Cross Traffic Alert
Spec
ES
Ghost Extended
Cruise Control
Standard Adaptive,All Speed
Dynamic Cruise Control; Active Cruise Control available on the exact current Ghost family
Adaptive Cruise Control
Standard Adaptive,All Speed
Active Cruise Control
Lane Keep Assist
Standard Steering Vibration,Lane Trace Assist
Lane Departure Warning with Active Return
Lane Departure Warning
Standard Steering Vibration,Lane Trace Assist
Lane Departure Warning with Active Return
Blind Spot Monitoring
Standard With Rear Cross Traffic Alert
Lane Change Warning with Blind Spot Detection
Parking Sensors
Standard Intelligent Clearance Sonar,Rear Cross Traffic Alert + Braking
Park Distance Control, front and rear
Rear View Camera
Display Audio// Panoramic View Monitor
Rear View Camera
360 Degree Camera
Display Audio// Panoramic View Monitor
Surround View Camera with 3D view
Autonomous Emergency Braking
Standard
Collision Warning with Brake Function; pedestrian/bike warning with brake function
Auto Highbeam
Standard
High-Beam Assistance
Auto Wipers
Rainsensing,Standard
Rain-sensing variable-speed windshield wipers
Rear Parking Sensors
Standard Intelligent Clearance Sonar,Rear Cross Traffic Alert + Braking
Performance
Ghost Extended +42
Efficiency
ES +56
Safety
Ghost Extended +5
Practicality
Ghost Extended +1
Ownership
ES +49
Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.
Why this scoreView full breakdown
Overall Winner
ES
Performance
58/100
Efficiency
85/100
Safety
94/100
Practicality
62/100
Ownership
93/100
Ghost Extended
Performance
100/100
Efficiency
29/100
Safety
99/100
Practicality
63/100
Ownership
44/100
So, Which One Should You Buy?
🏆Lexus ES
wins with 77 pts
vs 71 pts for Ghost Extended
In structured scoring, ES emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Ghost Extended may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.
Other Comparisons Worth Checking
See how similar cars go head-to-head — you might find a better fit than you expected.
On our scoring the ES edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.
Efficiency scores: ES 85 vs Ghost Extended 29. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.
Safety scores: ES 94, Ghost Extended 99. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.
Long-term ownership scores: ES 93, Ghost Extended 44. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.
Practicality scores: ES 62, Ghost Extended 63. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.
Performance scores: ES 58, Ghost Extended 100. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.
Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.
Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.
Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The ES edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.
The ES scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.
In Depth — Breaking It All Down
The comparison between ES and Ghost Extended in South Africa
evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.
Performance: ES scores 58 vs 100.
Efficiency: ES scores 85 vs 29.
Safety: ES scores 94 vs 99.
Practicality: ES scores 62 vs 63.
Ownership: ES scores 93 vs 44.
Final structured scoring gives ES
the advantage in this comparison.
Compare
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