Top 5 Best Tires For Lexus ES350 [2023 Review]

By Tire Expert, Ryan Nichols

Any sedan with a 300+ horsepower engine like the Lexus ES350 deserves top-notch tires. This left-lane cruiser drives like a dream when firing on all cylinders, but let’s not forget that any car only rides as smoothly as its tires.

You’ll notice that most tire reviews are highly biased towards (or against) one specific brand, and that’s okay. But to be fair, I’ve provided professional advice on which tires to mount up to your Lexus ES350 based on years of tire installation and test driving.

Which are the best tires for Lexus ES350? See our buying guide below to pick out your new set of tires.

Our Top Pick

Mastercraft Stratus AS All-Season

★★★★★ 4.0/5

4.0

Read Review

Best Budget

Falken Ziex ZE950 All-Season

★★★★★ 3.5/5

3.5

Read Review

Best High End

Pirelli PZero All Season

★★★★★ 4.5/5

4.5

Read Review

Most Economical

Bridgestone Ecopia EP422

★★★★★ 4.0/5

4.0

Read Review

Best Tread Life

Michelin Defender T + H

★★★★★ 4.5/5

4.5

Read Review

Updated as of September 13, 2024

Mastercraft Stratus AS All-Season

Our rating:

4.0/5

★★★★★ 4.0/5

Pros and Cons

Ratings

Wet Traction:

★★★★★ 3.5/5

Ride Handling:

★★★★★ 4.0/5

Dry Traction:

★★★★★ 4.5/5

Ride Noise:

★★★★★ 4.0/5

Snow Traction:

★★★★★ 3.0/5

Ride Comfort:

★★★★★ 4.0/5

Tread Life:

★★★★★ 3.5/5

Value For Money:

★★★★★ 4.5/5

Mastercraft Stratus made by Cooper tires are of decent quality and priced excellently. Quite a large portion of Lexus that have come through my bay have been mounted up with Mastercraft tires, and to me it makes sense. These tires match the vehicle in terms of quality and practicality.

Now, these tires only come with a 50 thousand mile warranty (compared to a 70-80 thousand mile warranty on other tires), but you’ll be paying about half the price. Just because they’re inexpensive doesn’t mean they don’t perform, though. These have an ‘H’ speed rating for speeds of up to 130 mph—that’s a step up from most tires on the lower end of the price range.

They also have a 102.0 index rating that supports up to 1874 pounds of weight meaning the sidewalls will hold up to potholes and other potential road hazards.

Granted, the ride quality of Mastercraft Stratus won’t quite be the same as if you bought from a higher-end tire manufacturer, but it’s close enough to make it my top pick for you to buy for your Lexus ES350 based on their accessibility. Commuters, if you grab a set of these off of Amazon and keep them properly rotated, then you’ll likely come out winning when compared to any other option.

Falken Ziex ZE950 All-Season

Our rating:

3.5/5

★★★★★ 3.5/5

Pros and Cons

Ratings

Wet Traction:

★★★★★ 3.5/5

Ride Handling:

★★★★★ 3.5/5

Dry Traction:

★★★★★ 3.5/5

Ride Noise:

★★★★★ 3.5/5

Snow Traction:

★★★★★ 3.0/5

Ride Comfort:

★★★★★ 3.5/5

Tread Life:

★★★★★ 4.0/5

Value For Money:

★★★★★ 4.5/5

There’s always that customer that’s just going to buy the cheapest possible option, and the Falken Ziex is for them. For around a hundred bucks a pop, you can easily replace all four tires

As for the tread pattern on the Falken Ziez ZE950, I like the asymmetrical pattern because it creates a good exiting pathway for water when driving over water to avoid hydroplaning. Just double-check the ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ labels on both sides of the sidewalls are in the correct spot before driving off, otherwise, you might feel slight vibrations.

One thing I’ve noticed about asymmetrical tread patterns is that they can cause longevity problems when one tire wears out unevenly, so I would emphasize that you ensure perfect alignment and eliminate any suspension issues before installing these tire types.

Surprisingly, these inexpensive tires have a ‘W’ speed rating for safe speeds of up to 168 MPH. That’s quite a bit faster than most tires priced at just a hundred bucks a pop.

Now, I’m not saying to not install Falken tires on your ES350. They’ll work just fine for city drivers and short commuters. Just keep in mind that the 3.5L V6 engine inside the ES350 is quite heavy for a sedan, so it’s not uncommon to see tire blowouts caused by inexpensive tires.

I would stick more to the right lane and drive conservatively with Falken Ziex ZE950 on a Lexus even though they’re ultra-high performance rated.

Pirelli PZero All Season

Our rating:

4.5/5

★★★★★ 4.5/5

Pros and Cons

Ratings

Wet Traction:

★★★★★ 4.0/5

Ride Handling:

★★★★★ 4.5/5

Dry Traction:

★★★★★ 4.5/5

Ride Noise:

★★★★★ 4.5/5

Snow Traction:

★★★★★ 3.5/5

Ride Comfort:

★★★★★ 4.5/5

Tread Life:

★★★★★ 4.0/5

Value For Money:

★★★★★ 4.0/5

Drivers who care about performance typically end up mounting up some Pirelli PZero All Seasons, and that would make sense because they‘re super high-performance tires. Although most drivers don’t want to pay the extra price for high-quality tires, those who do will appreciate the better traction and higher potential speeds that Pirelli PZero tires provide. You‘ll likely see Pirellis on F-Sport versions of the ES0350 because of their advanced handling ability.

Speeds demons with lead feet appreciate the ‘V’ speed rating on these tires that allow them to safely drive speeds of up to 149 MPH, no problem. I like the Pirelli PZeros because they have four distinct treads that are beefier than other tires. You’ll also notice when taking these out of the box how much sturdier they are than your average tire.

Pirelli does not mess around with quality. These specific tires have a 94.0 index rating (1,477-pound limit) making them plenty worthy of taking you and whatever else you decide to pack on top of your Lexus without sacrificing performance.

So, if you’re looking to step your driving experience up a notch in terms of the best performance and agility, slap these Pirelli PZeros on your ES350. These exact models will work on the most common 17-inch wheels, but you might have to do some digging on Tire Rack if your ES350 has 18 or 19-inch wheels (also see Pirelli Cinturato P7 summer tires).

Bridgestone Ecopia EP422

Our rating:

4.0/5

★★★★★ 4.0/5

Pros and Cons

Ratings

Wet Traction:

★★★★★ 4.0/5

Ride Handling:

★★★★★ 3.5/5

Dry Traction:

★★★★★ 4.0/5

Ride Noise:

★★★★★ 4.0/5

Snow Traction:

★★★★★ 3.5/5

Ride Comfort:

★★★★★ 4.0/5

Tread Life:

★★★★★ 4.0/5

Value For Money:

★★★★★ 4.5/5

Are you looking for a high-mileage guarantee at a lower price? Check out these Bridgestone Ecopia EP422.

I like these Bridgestones because of their consistent tread pattern that allows you to rotate these tires any which way to maximize tread wear.

I’ve always found Bridgestone tires to be solid and consistently performing tires. They’re most definitely not my favorite option, and I would go with Continentals or Michelin lightyears before these. But hey, if you like the price, then these are not a bad option for a Lexus ES350, and they’ll provide the support for its max speed of 131 MPG with their ‘V’ Speed rating that makes them safe for operating up to 149 MPH.

These Bridgestone are priced in the middle range while offering an impressive 70,000-mile warranty. I’ve noticed that tires with high mileage guarantees also tend to improve fuel economy because of how smooth they run, so I think you’ll notice a significant improvement in ride quality when switching out to these Bridgestones from your previous tires.

I don’t love how well these specific tires handle, but I do think they‘re perfect for commuter speeds and maximizing gas mileage.

See also Brigestone Turanza Quiettrack (also Bridgestone Blizzak for winter tires). I also recommend Continental TrueContact as an economical option.

Michelin Defender T + H

Our rating:

4.5/5

★★★★★ 4.5/5

Pros and Cons

Ratings

Wet Traction:

★★★★★ 4.0/5

Ride Handling:

★★★★★ 4.5/5

Dry Traction:

★★★★★ 4.0/5

Ride Noise:

★★★★★ 4.5/5

Snow Traction:

★★★★★ 3.5/5

Ride Comfort:

★★★★★ 4.5/5

Tread Life:

★★★★★ 3/5

Value For Money:

★★★★★ 3.5/5

It doesn‘t get much better than Michelin Defender for durability and ride quality. 80,000 miles is the best you’re going to find in terms of the warranty. Bottom line is that these tires are for those of you who want the most reliable purchase (i.e., fleet vehicle owners, smart consumers, classy people).

Now, you’re going to be spending more in the short term when buying Michelin Defenders. That being said, if you keep your vehicle maintained and tires rotated, then you’ll likely spend a lot less in the long run because these tires could very well outlast the life of your Lexus ES350.

When I roll out a set of Michelin Defenders to mount up onto a Lexus (or any other car), I’m always excited to take a test drive afterward to feel the difference. Seriously, these tires have such impeccable quality and control that it’s quite a noticeable improvement in terms of smoothness.

The benefit of buying the higher-end option is better quality control and consistency. Michelin puts a lot of research into their tires, and they even have names describing their performance. For example, the MaxTouch construction of the Michelin Defenders helps them make perfectly balanced contact with the road at all times, and Intellisipe tread compound technology incorporates a tread design for excellent traction on wet roads, medium difficulty offroad conditions, and mild winter conditions.

One con to consider is that these Defenders only have an H speed rating, meaning they’re not suitable for speeds faster than 118 MPH, so if you’re a speed demon driving through smooth Idaho or Montana highways I discourage you from using these, especially on a sedan like the ES350 that has a rather large V6 engine.

Take note that these T + H Defenders are for sedans, while the Defender LTX are designed for SUVs and light trucks.

What To Look For When Buying The Best Tires For Lexus ES350?

Here are a few things to look out for when buying Lexus ES350 tires:

Mileage warranty

You get what you pay for, and tires are no different. The length of time that the tires are covered under warranty directly reflects their quality and longevity.

Tread pattern

Aside from visual inspection of the treads, you should note whether or not the tires are designed to be directionally mounted (they’ll have an arrow on the sidewall).

Run-Flat

Hate switching out the spare? Run-flat tires are designed so that the driver can drive slowly to the tire shop if a flat tire occurs. These tires are a bit more expensive but worth can help keep you from getting stranded in vast areas like the American West.

Promos

Make sure to keep an eye on which tires are on sale. Two-for-one tire sales are a very common occurrence, and many times the price matters more than the brand when it comes to all-season tires.

Tire sizes

Don’t forget to match your tire size to your previous set to avoid the hassle. The side of the tire should have tire size and a two-digit manufacturing year labeled.

How Much Do Tires For Lexus ES350 Cost?

Here’s a quick ballpark estimate of what you’re looking at when buying tires for your Lexus ES350.

Four New Tires

Four new tires for a Lexus ES350 cost anywhere from $600-$1200+ depending on which tires you buy and where you have them installed.

Two New Tires

Expect to pay at least $300 on the lowest end of replacing two new tires, and look upwards of $600 for two new high-quality tires.

Single Tire

You’re looking at $90-$200+ for a single tire depending on the circumstances. For example, if you buy the cheapest option on Amazon, you’ll get a good price, but that means you’ll have to fork out some extra cash to get the tires mounted at your local tire shop.

What Tire Size Is Best For A Lexus ES350?

I recommend matching your previous three-number tire size exactly. I do recommend running the stock size which is 255/55/R17 for the best performance and least amount of vibration.

IMPORTANT: Check both front and rear tire sizes. Sport models of the ES350 could have thicker wheels on the back (aka staggered tire sizes).

How Long Should Your Lexis ES350 Tires Last?

When properly maintained, your tires should last for as long as the mileage warranty. Make sure to keep tires properly inflated to spec, and fix any underlying suspension issues to prevent premature tire wear.

When To Replace Tires On Your Lexus ES350?

Generally, replace tires when the tread depth gets down to 2/32” (two thirty seconds of an inch) or 1.6mm. We recommend having your Lexus inspected every few months to keep your tires running smoothly.

The Lexus ES350 is a fairly low-riding vehicle, and that means it’s pretty hard to inspect the inside treads of the tires until it’s raised in the air on a lift.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does The Brand Matter For A Lexus ES350 When Replacing Tires?

Tire brands always matter, so do your research on warranty information, potential sales/promos, and intended use. I almost always recommend all-weather/all-season tires for these unless the customer lives in an extremely mountainous location that receives lots of snowfall. We also recommend tires like General Altimax RT43, Yokohama, Goodyear tires, etc.

Does the Year of Your Lexus ES350 Matter When Buying New Tires?

Yes, the Lexus ES350 has various submodels and tire/wheel sizes, so it does matter which year you’re buying for. You must match the exact three-number tire size displayed on the tire’s sidewall for the correct fit. In other words, you can’t just buy any random ‘tires for Lexus ES350’ and expect them to work—you need to double-check. Most wheels on these are 17-inches and the most common size is 215/55/R17.

What Are The Biggest Tires I Can Put On A Lexus ES350?

Lexus ES350 cars have stock wheels between 17” and 20” (inches). You might be able to get away with putting 20” inch wheels on these with minor modifications, but I wouldn’t try it. Just stick with the stock wheels and tire sizes—they usually perform better anyway because they’re designed specifically for the car.