The GS has always had a reputation for being an old man’s car. But, within the space of a generation, Lexus has managed to endow the latest GS with far more universal appeal, most notably in terms of design.
Take a long hard look at the newcomer… Start at the front and let your gaze glide towards the saloon’s sleek rear – it’s clear the Japanese manufacturer’s medium-sized luxury saloon is stylish and very modern. Open the door and it’s apparent Lexus has tried to use as few parts as possible from Toyota’s bin. Apart from the window buttons and the cruise-control stalk, the rest of the interior seems to be unique to Lexus. This includes the indicator stalk that has a wonderful damped action.
The lower part of the facia, which features the climate-control section, looks rather old fashioned, but it’s the two silver coloured audio-control knobs that draw attention. They appear to have been taken directly from a premium hi-fi. Whenever team members had to turn the volume up or down, they used these controls and ignored the steering-wheel-mounted controls.
The specification level is otherwise impressive, with heated and ventilated seats, a huge information display panel that offers navigation and voice com- mand, as well as a reverse camera.
Equipped with a naturally aspirated 3,5-litre V6 engine, the Lexus builds strong momentum from below 4 000 r/min and crescendos at 6 500 r/min. In this rev range, the sound from the engine amplifies at the same tempo as the power delivery increases. It’s been a while since we experienced such a mechanical engine sound from a car in this market segment, or at this price level.
Select eco mode and this Lexus offers an impressively relaxed ride. Turn the knob (sited to the left of the driver’s left leg on the transmission tunnel) to sport mode and the result is, well … not very different. To really experience what the car has to offer in terms of dynamics, rather flick the gearlever to the manual mode and use the paddles for a more direct and intimate experience. The GS’s ride feels less floaty than the previous model’s when you start to push it through corners, which is surprising if you consider how well it rides on the whole.
Test Summary
Lexus has transformed and evolved the GS into a highly impressive vehicle in terms of design and features. Most members of the CAR test team gave good feedback about the GS, and some even admitted that they might consider it above some of its rivals for a few reasons, price being one. The Lexus GS350 makes a perfect alternative to the German Three and British One for being something distinctive. It is the considered choice.