Lexus GS Range Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Car: Lexus GS
Prices: £32,555-£49,585 - on the road
Insurance Group: 16-18
Emissions: 186-296g/km
Performance: [GS300] 0-60mph 7.2s / Max Speed 148mph
Fuel Consumption: [GS300] (urban) 19.6mpg / (extra urban) 39.2mpg / (combined) 28.8mpg
Safety: Twin front airbags, side-airbags, ABS, VSC WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE? (length/width/height) 4825/1820/1430mm

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Our Rating: No Rating Available

Lexus rarely fails, but when they do it usually isn't for very long. One of their perceived failures was the original launch of their GS luxury saloon. When the Lexus GS was first launched it was met with little excitement and owners were disappointed that it didn't live up to what a Lexus normally offers. Of course many car makers would have just scraped the model and moved on to other vehicles or at the very least released it with a different brand. However, this is Lexus and they don't like to fail.

The Lexus GS update is now out and to be frank it is probably scaring the tyres off the German brands. Normally the cars made by Lexus are aimed at the higher-ends of the middle management world, but rarely do they make it into the confines of the board of director's car park. Those parking sports are usually reserved for fancy German cars. That is until the GS hit the streets.

On first glance at a spec sheet for the Lexus GS and its range of options the first thing most people will notice is that the GS is not offered with a single diesel engine. That fact alone may keep it off the must have list for many who normally buy executive class saloons. Diesels after all are considered the power to have under the bonnet. Lexus believes that the world is ready for a luxury car that is run on either petrol or hybrid. The world is changing, but is it changing that much?

The first engine choice for the GS series comes in the GS300 and is a 3.0-litre V6 that produces 245bhp and can get off the line to 60mph in 7.2 seconds. The next step is the GS460 that replaces the old GS430 and comes with a 4.6-litre engine that delivers 342bhp and cuts nearly two seconds off the 0-60mph time. This engine takes the car to 60mph in 5.5 seconds. This is the reason for petrol.

While both these engines are impressive the engine that will set the Lexus GS apart from the German vehicles in the luxury, executive class is the one found under the bonnet of the GS450h. This engine is a hybrid in the form of a 3.5-litre V6 that runs on Hybrid Synergy Energy that runs on an astonishing 292bhp. Even more impressive is that the hybrid engine can get to 60mph in 5.9 seconds.

A true test though of any luxury car is how well it rides. Lexus has made sure the GS rides with a traditional smoothness one expects from the automaker by including an Adaptive Variable Suspension and Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management. Lexus has also tweaked the shocks to make them ride softer and also changed the aerodynamics of the underbody to help keep the car stable at higher speeds.

Standard features are also in line with what one expects from an executive class vehicle and include; remote central locking system, a seven-inch colour display, Bluetooth connectivity, climate control and cruise control. Features can be added, but even the entry level trim class is impressive.

Lexus has done an excellent job re-making the GS, but it remains to be seen if the executives in the United Kingdom ate ready to buy into a luxury brand that doesn't offer a diesel. People who like to wager should never bet against a brand like Lexus. These brands are usually on the forefront of the future.