Lexus ES vs Rolls-Royce Phantom

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.

Lexus ES in South Africa

Lexus ES

ES 300h SE Hybrid e-CVT Current
ZAR 1,138,800 ex-showroom
⚡ 160 kW 🔧 221 Nm ⛽ 21.7 km/l
VS
Rolls-Royce Phantom in South Africa

Rolls-Royce Phantom

Phantom Series II Petrol 8-Speed Automatic Current
Price on request
⚡ 420 kW 🔧 900 Nm ⛽ 6.29 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Lexus ES vs Rolls-Royce Phantom: the short answer

ES and Phantom are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification ES Phantom
Maximum Power ES160 kW @ 5700 rpm Phantom420 kW @ 5000 rpm
Maximum Torque ES221 Nm Phantom900 Nm @ 1700 rpm
Engine Size ES2500 cc Phantom6749 cc
Combined Fuel Economy ES21.7 km/l Phantom6.29 km/l
Ground Clearance ES158 mm Phantom136 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

ES

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Efficiency
Specification evidence leader

Phantom

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

ES

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

Phantom

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec ES Phantom
Model Introduced Year 2021 2018
Generation Current seventh-generation Lexus ES executive sedan Eighth-generation Phantom in standard-wheelbase Series II form
Facelift History Current South African ES range; the next-generation local range has not yet received final derivative confirmation The eighth-generation Phantom was presented globally in 2017, introduced in South Africa in 2018 and received its light-touch Series II evolution in 2022
Facelift Launched Since Current South African ES range; the next-generation local range has not yet received final derivative confirmation 2022
Facelift Version Ending Current South African specification checked 2026-07-17 Current
Body Style Sedan Four-door luxury saloon
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status published active
Segment Executive sedan Full-size super-luxury saloon
Tare Mass Kg 1740 kg -
Vehicle Type Sedan Internal-combustion passenger car
Spec ES Phantom
Length 4975 mm 5762 mm
Width 1865 mm 2018 mm
Height 1445 mm 1646 mm
Wheelbase 2870 mm 3552 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 158 mm 136 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 50 l 90 l
Boot/Cargo Space 454 l 530 l
Kerb Weight 1740 kg 2560 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2150 kg 3235 kg
Payload Capacity 410 kg 675 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Doors 4 doors 4 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.9 m 6.55 m
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) - 136 mm
Towing Capacity - 0 kg
Number of Rows - 2 rows
Front Headroom - 1046 mm
Rear Headroom - 978 mm
Front Legroom - 1041 mm
Rear Legroom - 1105 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This ES and Phantom comparison uses the exact South African derivatives selected above. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: ES 58 vs Phantom 96.

Efficiency index: ES 85 vs Phantom 29.

Safety-equipment index: ES 93 vs Phantom 95.

Practicality index: ES 62 vs Phantom 67.

Ownership-cover index: ES not separately scored vs Phantom not separately scored.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

Phantom leads by 2 points

ES and Phantom are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 75 /100
Lead 2 points
Data 79% source coverage
75
#1 Evidence leader

Phantom

79% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Performance 96 Check Efficiency 29
Performance 96
Efficiency 29
Safety 95
Practicality 67
Leads by 2 points
73
#2

ES

68% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 93 Check Performance 58
Performance 58
Efficiency 85
Safety 93
Practicality 62
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Phantom +38 Efficiency ES +56 Safety Phantom +2 Practicality Phantom +5

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

Phantom

Performance 96/100
Efficiency 29/100
Safety 95/100
Practicality 67/100

ES

Performance 58/100
Efficiency 85/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 62/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Rolls-Royce Phantom leads the specification evidence index with 75 pts vs 73 pts for ES

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, Phantom leads. However, ES may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Related comparisons

Continue with closely related South African models and comparable body styles.

ES
ES
VS
GR86
GR86
ES vs GR86 →
ES
ES
VS
Civic RS
Civic RS
ES vs Civic RS →
ES
ES
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SEAL
SEAL
ES vs SEAL →
ES
ES
VS
Civic Type R
Civic Type R
ES vs Civic Type R →
ES
ES
VS
Corolla
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ES vs Corolla →
ES
ES
VS
Polo Sedan
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ES vs Polo Sedan →
Phantom
Phantom
VS
GR86
GR86
Phantom vs GR86 →
Phantom
Phantom
VS
Civic RS
Civic RS
Phantom vs Civic RS →

ES vs Phantom questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.