The Lexus ES has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The G80 doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.
The ES has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The G80 doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.
Both the ES and the G80 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Lexus ES is safer than the Genesis G80:
|
ES |
G80 |
|
Driver |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
HIC |
120 |
202 |
Neck Injury Risk |
24% |
28% |
Neck Compression |
30 lbs. |
31 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Lexus ES is safer than the Genesis G80:
|
ES |
G80 |
|
Front Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
85 |
101 |
Chest Movement |
.6 inches |
.7 inches |
Abdominal Force |
160 lbs. |
174 lbs. |
Hip Force |
264 lbs. |
290 lbs. |
|
Into Pole |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Max Damage Depth |
13 inches |
13 inches |
Hip Force |
570 lbs. |
676 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the ES the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 53 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The G80 has not been fully tested, yet.