I don't get why so many 'professional' automotive journalists pan the GS, place it 3rd or 4th in all the major 'comparo' tests. They always hate the handling, call the ride 'jiggly and annoying' which may be due to standard run-flats, but usually say the styling is dull. They go on to praise the M35's styling, which is total bs. he M35 looks tall, awkward, and has the worst looking *** since Rosie Odonnel.

If you park all 5 competitors together, there's no way a sane person could claim any of them looked better than the G. It's got that classic long hood short deck stance with the big swoopy cabin and nicely chiseled front end. The near fast back styling rocks.

The 5 looks like the designer Chris Bangle got ahold of some bad acid before he drew it, and then clay modeler might have had a bad ice cube or two in his drink prior to transforming it to 3 dimensions. It's godawful. The only reason the 5 sells is it's a BMW, and those blue propeller status addicts will buy anything with the right logo. Even a Bangle Mangle.

The RL is nice, balanced, and generic. The A6 is the only other good shape, but it seems like we've seen it around for a long time.

What the hell? Why doesn't the G get props for it's looks? Am I blind?

 

GS you mean right? A G is a Pontiac or Infiniti or Benz (G-wagon).

The GS has gotten tons of compliments for its looks. It won a design award in Europe. It is the only sedan in that class to be revirewed by Robert Cumberland in Automobile and Del Coats in Sports Car International.

Now its not perfect and not for everyone but IMO, its right behind the Benz-E class for looks. The 5 has grown on me but still has odd lines. The M35/45 is generic but not ugly except those awful tail lights, your review is spot on. The RL is as bland as it comes but at least not offensive.

What has hurt the GS is the style is no longer original. The 2GS in 1998 looked like nothing else on the road. It was such a succesful design,tons of companies copied it (pretty much evern Nissan/Infintii sedan has a GS styling cue or two for instance) so the GS went from original to not standing out the crowd as much. This even continues as mag reviews have mentioned the new Jag XF has Lexus GS styling cues in its design (and the XF side/rear is wonderful and looks much less stubby than the GS).

Overall I like the 3GS look but it is softer than the more aggresive 2GS.

 

yeah, I mean the GS.
I never liked the first 2 gens of GS's, especially the 2GS, it looks really awkward to me. I'm surprised you consider the 3GS to be less aggressive. It's longer, lower wider, and I think has a much more aggressive stance/proportions overall. Can's see ***** out of it, but I'd rather look cool than see where I'm going.

To me, the only good Lexus were the original SC 300/400 and the 3 GS. Everything else they made is bland / forgettable.

I guess I'm REALLY not getting why anyone thinks the M is good looking, on any level. the proportions are just all wrong: Tall, Narrow, stumpy, with those heinous taillights. And the 5 is even worse. There are fundamental design flaws on the 5. Like, first year Art College Design Center type mistakes that would have been rejected by the instructor.

 

as long as you like it.........

the GS does look a little dull. But so does a jag XF. just a bunch of curvy slabs of sheet metal.

the GS butt is a little too round. But that just makes it bootylicious.

 

You are 100% correct! The GS has such a beautiful sporty yet graceful design that the M or 5 series can't touch. The E class is so feminish and soft looking car and the A6 is too bland. Auto journalist are too limited in their foresights.

 

I subscribe to the big 3 auto magazines.
The Lexus always gets knocked down for handling.
Whether it's a GS,IS or even IS-F when compared to others in the same classes and the reviews are correct.Lexus vehicles do not handle like the others.
The styling both inside and out of the IS and GS is much nicer than the competitors.

 

thing about the auto testers is they drive for numbers on the test track and then at illegal speeds that most of us would get busted for on the open road.

Most of the time in cars is spent dealing with crappy pavement, speed bumps, and annoying stop and go messes. Even as an enthusiast you'll get very tired very quickly of your sport/luxury sedan that can pull .85 gs on the skidpad but breaks your kidney across bott dots.

I can live with their handling analysis, it's a matter of choice, but I think you'd have be smoking crack to choose any other mid-luxury sedan's styling over the '06-'08 GS line. It's not even close, even the Benz is really just a boring 3 box with rounded edges.

but then again I thought the Renaut Avantime Coupe was cool looking.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:R...bleu_front.jpg

 

I agree.
Handling is not as important to me.Ride comfort,quietness and nice interior and exterior look is important to me..
A BMW 5 series has a rough ride.Nice car but not for me.

 

If you read reviews they didn't really bish about the handling, more so the steering and lack of feel.
Automobile took VDIM (did the 60 step process lol) off their 2006 GS 430 long term and LOVED it.

 

HA! tha'ts funny. This is a real geek car, if you get into all the mods you can do. I guess a lot of the whining was about the 430's electronic nannies stepping in and ruining all the fun.

With my awd, I don't have quite so many of those, but the awd does not help out handling or ride. Wish i just had rwd.

 

My big 3 are Motor Trend,Road&Track and Car&Driver.
Out of the three,I like Car&Driver the best.

 

I think C&D is one of the worst publications ever when it comes to reviews and comparos. I do like their editorials. If it wasn't for my $2 subscription, I would burn them in the fireplace on a hot sunny day. What is sad is in the 1990s they were fantastic, IMO.

R&T and M&T are barely better.

By far the best American magazine for cars is Sports Car International. They don't test any SUVs/Trucks, the content is perfect, the pics are fantastic and the reviews are fair and honest.

Outside that I go Euro where they basically don't like the GS
EVO
CAR
Top Gear

But thats only b/c their reviews are heavily favored for handling/steering. So I understand. Case in point while the dislike the GS, they are nuts over the IS-F. That lets me know the are fair for Lexus, they just don't like dull driving cars (to them).

With the first set of mags I listed, its obvious they prefer certian brands and I notice a huge difference in how the reviews are judged.

 

I like the three.Motor Trend the least.
I think Road&Track and Car&Driver are the same owners.
Well worth the few dollar subscription.
The IS-F came in third overall against he C63 and M3.
Still a fine first effort by Lexus.

 

haha... these "'professional automotive journalists" are human and human are subjective. I subscribed 5~6 car magzine each month for the last 16 years as a hobby. Many of the editors really have very little credibility in their writing... so don't let it bother you. Just read the comparasion as a reference, make your you decision accordingly.

 

I think the Gs is the best looking, best mpg, and best value in the class. BUT yes. It handles like ****, has invasive traction control, and weak brakes ( yes even the 350). Lexus need to wake up and stop building cars for the elderly and start setting up their car like BMW ( supple ride yet goes around a corner and stops like no luxury car should). The prob for me with BMW is the insane price relative, and lack of reliability, and bad styling ( I like the 3 series though). LEXUS your customer base is literally dying. Why cant they at least offer a sport package with their cars like infiniti and BMW. larger wheels,brakes,paddle shifters, etc. They need to do some work on their product line in my opinion. The reiability and the service is there, but in a sterile and numb driving experience.