4th Generation GS Reviews Thread
03-03-12, 01:18 PM
#196
I agree the 4GS is more emotional. Two emotions come to mind, either love it or hate it. I'm neither of those extremes. I just don't think it flows well. Aggressive front on a bland body is just out of synch.
The clincher for me is when someone mods one. A nice fron lip, lowered with 20's...if that doesn't do it for me nothing will.
The clincher for me is when someone mods one. A nice fron lip, lowered with 20's...if that doesn't do it for me nothing will.
Last edited by Ice350; 03-03-12 at 01:27 PM.
03-05-12, 04:56 AM
#197
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
Consumer Guide
Our road test for the 2013 Lexus GS includes a full evaluation of the 2013 Lexus GS from the inside out. We evaluate not only engine and handling performance for the 2013 Lexus GS, but also interior cabin and cargo space. Let our comprehensive road test ratings for the 2013 Lexus GS help you decide if a 2013 Lexus GS is right for you.
ACCELERATION
GS 350 AWD GS 350 GS 350 F Sport w/Lexus Dynamic Handling Pkg. GS 450h w/Adaptive Variable Suspension Class Average
8 8 8 8 7.8
Any GS feels strong from a stop, and has more than adequate power for highway merges and passing. The GS 450h is a bit quicker, but the difference is not that dramatic. The GS 350's 6-speed automatic is very smooth, as is the CVT used in the hybrid GS450h.
FUEL ECONOMY
GS 350 AWD GS 350 GS 350 F Sport w/Lexus Dynamic Handling Pkg. GS 450h w/Adaptive Variable Suspension Class Average
5 5 5 8 5.3
No opportunity to measure. Lexus requires premium-grade gasoline for all GS models.
RIDE QUALITY
GS 350 AWD GS 350 GS 350 F Sport w/Lexus Dynamic Handling Pkg. GS 450h w/Adaptive Variable Suspension Class Average
6 6 6 6 6.2
Our preview drives took place on generally smooth roads in Southern California and Nevada. So tested, the ride is good with small bumps heard more than felt, though larger road imperfections do make their way into the cabin. Even so, the ride never becomes uncomfortably harsh. Also, some GS models never quite feel completely settled at highway speed. Subtle body motions are noticeable, particularly with the available adaptive suspension.
STEERING/HANDLING/BRAKING
GS 350 AWD GS 350 GS 350 F Sport w/Lexus Dynamic Handling Pkg. GS 450h w/Adaptive Variable Suspension Class Average
7 7 8 7 7.4
GS is nimble with minimal cornering lean and good grip. Steering is quick and accurate. Some testers complain that the steering is a bit too quick with the suspension set in its Sport or Sport+ setting. The available dynamic handling package for F Sport-equipped models makes the car feel racier with improved maneuverability.
QUIETNESS
GS 350 AWD GS 350 GS 350 F Sport w/Lexus Dynamic Handling Pkg. GS 450h w/Adaptive Variable Suspension Class Average
7 7 7 7 6.5
Less isolation than Lexus and class norms, but GS remains reasonably hushed under most circumstances. Wind rush is well controlled, but tire thrum and bump noise are noticeable on some surfaces. No matter the model, GS has a sporty, satisfying exhaust note during acceleration but is nearly silent at cruise.
CONTROLS
GS 350 AWD GS 350 GS 350 F Sport w/Lexus Dynamic Handling Pkg. GS 450h w/Adaptive Variable Suspension Class Average
6 6 6 6 6
The gauges are large and clearly marked. All models tested had the available navigation system. It and most audio functions are governed by a computer mouse-like controller mounted on the console. It is fairly intuitive to use, but like other systems that control so many functions, acclimation is required. GS' Enform infotainment works in conjunction with a data-plan-enabled smartphone to provide Internet Radio, restaurant reviews/reservations, movie listings, and Microsoft Bing search capability. Again, with acclimation, the system works fairly well. The climate-control system relies mostly on buttons that are clearly marked but mounted a bit low on the dashboard. The buttons that activate the heating and ventilation of the front seats are located far forward on the console and can be awkward to reach when the cupholders are in use.
DETAILS
GS 350 AWD GS 350 GS 350 F Sport w/Lexus Dynamic Handling Pkg. GS 450h w/Adaptive Variable Suspension Class Average
7 7 7 7 7
Overall the interior is tastefully trimmed in high-grade materials, but a few small details disappoint for the class. Note that these cars were pre-production, so we hope Lexus will improve those bits on production models. GS 450h's available Bamboo wood trim is very well executed, but its appearance may be too bold for some.
ROOM/COMFORT/DRIVER SEATING (FRONT)
GS 350 AWD GS 350 GS 350 F Sport w/Lexus Dynamic Handling Pkg. GS 450h w/Adaptive Variable Suspension Class Average
7 7 7 7 7
Six-footers have ample legroom and, at worst adequate, headroom. The seats are very comfortable, and the standard power tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel helps fine tune the driving position.
ROOM/COMFORT (REAR)
GS 350 AWD GS 350 GS 350 F Sport w/Lexus Dynamic Handling Pkg. GS 450h w/Adaptive Variable Suspension Class Average
6 6 6 6 5
Legroom is class competitive, but not generous. Headroom and foot space feel cramped, even for those under 6-feet tall. Said 6-footers will be most comfortable if the front seats are not pushed all the way back. Entry and exit are straight forward.
CARGO ROOM
GS 350 AWD GS 350 GS 350 F Sport w/Lexus Dynamic Handling Pkg. GS 450h w/Adaptive Variable Suspension Class Average
3 3 3 3 3
Trunk space is not particularly generous, especially in the hybrid, but the cargo hold is wide and easily accessed. The trunk lid's sickle-style hinges are uncovered, but they are placed far outboard so they shouldn't pose many problems with crushing cargo. The trunk's carpeting and other finishing materials are disappointing for the class. Interior small-item storage is good, with a reasonably sized (albeit a bit shallow) center console, glovebox, and door pockets.
VALUE WITHIN CLASS
GS 350 AWD GS 350 GS 350 F Sport w/Lexus Dynamic Handling Pkg. GS 450h w/Adaptive Variable Suspension Class Average
6 6 5 4 6.7
Any Lexus GS is comfortable, reasonably sporty, and tastefully finished. The powertrains are smooth and strong, and the brand's traditionally top-notch customer care offers appeal as well. But we're disappointed in a few interior details, and the unsettled ride reduces the luster a bit too. Overall the 2013 Lexus GS is a solid improvement over the car it replaces. It strikes a decent balance between the sporty character of the BMW 5-Series and coddling of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, but the fact that it doesn't really stand out in any 1 area might put the GS at a disadvantage among discerning luxury-car buyers.
Total Score
GS 350 AWD GS 350 GS 350 F Sport w/Lexus Dynamic Handling Pkg. GS 450h w/Adaptive Variable Suspension Class Average
68 68 68 69 67.9
Total Score: 68
Scores for all Premium-midsize Cars
Low Score
64
Average Score
67
High Score
70
03-14-12, 08:28 AM
#199
Top Gears Review on 4GS
I think this came on better than our 3GS.
http://www.topgear.com/uk/lexus/gs-4...f-sport-driven
http://www.topgear.com/uk/lexus/gs-4...f-sport-driven
03-15-12, 10:19 AM
#200
http://www.freep.com/article/2012031...ort-on-thrills
Please comment on the bottom of this article how poorly it is written and that is lacks review of the F-Sport version before concluding it is short of thrill. IMO this guy is clueless! I commented already and emailed this editor.
Please comment on the bottom of this article how poorly it is written and that is lacks review of the F-Sport version before concluding it is short of thrill. IMO this guy is clueless! I commented already and emailed this editor.
03-18-12, 07:14 PM
#201
Guest
Posts: n/a
http://www.freep.com/article/2012031...ort-on-thrills
Please comment on the bottom of this article how poorly it is written and that is lacks review of the F-Sport version before concluding it is short of thrill. IMO this guy is clueless! I commented already and emailed this editor.
Please comment on the bottom of this article how poorly it is written and that is lacks review of the F-Sport version before concluding it is short of thrill. IMO this guy is clueless! I commented already and emailed this editor.
It is Detroit Free press.
03-18-12, 07:30 PM
#202
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03-19-12, 04:57 AM
#203
Racer
What's so bad about the article? The guy had some pros and cons about the vehicle. As well as you know some people just don't like Lexus as much as we do. From his article I probably would test drive the vehicle. It's obvious the interior and how smooth/quiet this vehicle rides is important to the writer.
I agree he probably should have tested the suspension and gave some performance stats on the vehicle.
I agree he probably should have tested the suspension and gave some performance stats on the vehicle.
Last edited by rogers2; 03-20-12 at 04:48 AM.
03-23-12, 01:02 PM
#204
R&T Compares A7 to GS 350 F Sport [Video]
Watch it here: R&T Compares A7 to GS 350 F Sport
It's a strange comparison, to be completely honest. I imagine the actual competition for the F Sport would be Audi's A6, not the A7. Regardless, it's an interesting video. Check it out!
It's a strange comparison, to be completely honest. I imagine the actual competition for the F Sport would be Audi's A6, not the A7. Regardless, it's an interesting video. Check it out!
03-23-12, 07:32 PM
#205
Pole Position
Could the comparison be more biased? Both writers admitted that the GS was overall superior driver's car yet they nitpicked the A7 to victory : subtracting points here and there for minor issues just so that the significantly more expensive A7 eked out a hollow win.
Last edited by natnut; 03-23-12 at 07:42 PM.
03-24-12, 06:32 AM
#206
I'm not a fan of this comparison. You're kind of comparing apples and oranges. I looked at the A7 when I was buying my GS350. My criteria (I admit that my criteria won't be the same as R&Ts)
Not to say that the A7 is a bad car - it's great. It's just not my type of car. I'm not sure why they didn't compare an AWD GS350 - I know it doesn't have the dynamic rear steering, but wouldn't it be a closer matchup?
- Styling: GS350 (some people love the A7, but I think it's hideous)
- Reliability: GS350 (I'm buying)
- Pure spec performance: A7 (mostly because of the 0-60)
- Price: GS350
- Overall driving feel: (nimbleness, driver position/seats, and all the other "driver experience" stuff: GS350
- Ergonomics/interior/fit and finish: A7 (but somewhat subjective)
Not to say that the A7 is a bad car - it's great. It's just not my type of car. I'm not sure why they didn't compare an AWD GS350 - I know it doesn't have the dynamic rear steering, but wouldn't it be a closer matchup?
03-24-12, 06:54 PM
#207
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
USA 2day
Lexus is fighting injustice.
Its cars aren't as boring as its image would have you believe. But perception becomes reality, so Toyota is overhauling its entire lineup to make the vehicles more stylish and sportier to drive.
Lexus is hoping to earn a BMW-esque reputation, able to draw the younger buyers who will live long and make Lexus prosper by staying within the brand as they get richer and older.
Not a BMW, but a pretty solid start.
Brief detour: You rightly could argue that the small Lexus CT 200h, a feisty hybrid hatchback, is a sporty car. Likewise some IS models and, of course, the hand-built, 200-mph LFA supercar.
But Lexus itself considers the new 350 its initial throw-down in the brutally competitive arena dominated by BMW, Audi and, to a lesser extent, Mercedes-Benz and Jaguar. M-B and Jag, though sporting when forced to be so, still are luxury-oriented in the minds of many potential buyers.
The effort comes just as Lexus surrendered its decade-long status as best-selling luxury brand in the U.S. because it was short of new models, as well as short of cars, period, after the tsunami in Japan a year ago interrupted production.
GS' marquee item is the 3.5-liter V-6 from which the car takes its "350" designation. Carried over from the previous version of the car, but rated 3 more horsepower (306 now) and 3 more pounds-feet of torque (277), it will have you exclaiming "Holy momma" after just a small movement of your throttle foot. And it has the banshee-moan soundtrack to accompany the performance. Even in supposedly fuel-saving "eco" mode it appears uncompromised. Yet the beast never seems high-strung in traffic.
You pay to play. Enjoying the engine resulted in about 16 miles per gallon of pricey premium in suburban zip-and-zoom.
No word on a V-8 GS, as before, but the V-6 makes it seem questionable, if not unnecessary. And the GS 450h hybrid model, later this spring, has even more horsepower, so it might be popular for its scoot as much as its improved mpg. The 6-speed automatic, also a carryover, whips through the ratios with brisk precision, both up and down.
Lexus does not resort for better mileage to the unpleasant automatic idle-stop to shut off the engine at long lights, as BMW does. Thus, the GS is more pleasant in the daily slog.
Brakes feel responsive enough. Steering is firm, but artificially so; more a representation of sporty than truly so.
Where you get cheated is space. Back seat's tight and trunk's less roomy than a BMW 3 Series, which is a smaller car. Seems inefficient packaging for the car's overall size.
Front seat's fine, having roughly an inch more shoulder room. Back seat has nearly 3 inches more hip room, per Lexus specifications. The car's not quite an inch wider outside, so Lexus maximized the extra width.
Styling, ugly in photos, is better in real life.
All-in, GS 350 is a strong start toward an admirable goal.
Lexus GS 350 specifications
•What? Remake of Lexus' midlevel, midsize, 4-door sedan. Available with rear- or all-wheel-drive (RWD or AWD) and with gasoline engine or, later this spring, gas-electric hybrid drivetrain.
•When? On sale since February.
•Where? Made in Japan.
•How much? RWD starts at $47,775 with shipping, same as last year. AWD: $50,325. Hybrid GS 450h will be priced later.
•What makes it go? 3.5-liter V-6 rated 306 horsepower at 6,400 rpm, 277 pounds-feet of torque at 4,800, 6-speed automatic.
GS 450h hybrid rated 338 hp.
•How big? Sized between BMW 3 Series and 5 Series. GS is 190.7 inches long, 72.4 in. wide, 57.3 in tall (57.9 with all-wheel drive) on a 112.2-in. wheelbase. Weighs 3,795 lbs. RWD, 3,980 lbs. AWD.
Trunk: 14.3 cubic feet.
Turning circle diameter 34.8 ft.
•How thirsty? RWD rated 19 miles per gallon in the city, 28 mpg highway, 23 in city/highway mix. AWD rated 19/26/21.
Trip computer in AWD test car registered 16.4 mpg (6.1 gallons per 100 miles) in spirited suburban dash-about.
Burns premium, holds 17.4 gal.
•Overall: Grand start to the sporty image Lexus craves.
•When? On sale since February.
•Where? Made in Japan.
•How much? RWD starts at $47,775 with shipping, same as last year. AWD: $50,325. Hybrid GS 450h will be priced later.
•What makes it go? 3.5-liter V-6 rated 306 horsepower at 6,400 rpm, 277 pounds-feet of torque at 4,800, 6-speed automatic.
GS 450h hybrid rated 338 hp.
•How big? Sized between BMW 3 Series and 5 Series. GS is 190.7 inches long, 72.4 in. wide, 57.3 in tall (57.9 with all-wheel drive) on a 112.2-in. wheelbase. Weighs 3,795 lbs. RWD, 3,980 lbs. AWD.
Trunk: 14.3 cubic feet.
Turning circle diameter 34.8 ft.
•How thirsty? RWD rated 19 miles per gallon in the city, 28 mpg highway, 23 in city/highway mix. AWD rated 19/26/21.
Trip computer in AWD test car registered 16.4 mpg (6.1 gallons per 100 miles) in spirited suburban dash-about.
Burns premium, holds 17.4 gal.
•Overall: Grand start to the sporty image Lexus craves.
03-24-12, 08:25 PM
#208
Guest
Posts: n/a
So the first comparison vs Audi in another mag they test a base GS RWD vs an AWD Audi, the GS basically beats it and clearly was sportier but they award the win to the Audi b/c they like the badge.
Now in this comparison again the GS is the sportier vehicle, much cheaper and as mehran888 and natnut stated a pretty ridiculous comparison and they somehow award it to the Audi based on acceleration and badge appeal.
So let me get this right. All these years they award cars automatic wins seemingly for being the sportiest car. Now here is the GS, sportier than both the A6/A7 and now that doesn't matter as much.
I mean honestly comparisons don't really boil my blood anymore, it is what it is. What Lexus should be very pleased with is acknowledgement that the GS drives better than both the A6/A7 especially when it concerns sport. Two editors in this test picked the GS as the one to drive. That says tons.
Hilarious
Now in this comparison again the GS is the sportier vehicle, much cheaper and as mehran888 and natnut stated a pretty ridiculous comparison and they somehow award it to the Audi based on acceleration and badge appeal.
So let me get this right. All these years they award cars automatic wins seemingly for being the sportiest car. Now here is the GS, sportier than both the A6/A7 and now that doesn't matter as much.
I mean honestly comparisons don't really boil my blood anymore, it is what it is. What Lexus should be very pleased with is acknowledgement that the GS drives better than both the A6/A7 especially when it concerns sport. Two editors in this test picked the GS as the one to drive. That says tons.
Hilarious
03-25-12, 04:03 AM
#209
Pole Position
Where you get cheated is space. Back seat's tight and trunk's less roomy than a BMW 3 Series, which is a smaller car. Seems inefficient packaging for the car's overall size.
•How big? [/B]Sized between BMW 3 Series and 5 Series. GS is 190.7 inches long, 72.4 in. wide, 57.3 in tall (57.9 with all-wheel drive) on a 112.2-in. wheelbase. Weighs 3,795 lbs. RWD, 3,980 lbs. AWD.
Trunk: 14.3 cubic feet.
Furthermore, the reason it is sized between the 5 and the 3 is because both the 5 and the 3 have grown outsized and are encroaching on the next size-class above. It's BMW that has abandoned their sporty aspirations in favor of porky luxmobiles. Typical that the reviewers have taken a dynamic weakness and spun it into a positive for BMW.
Last edited by natnut; 03-31-12 at 02:52 AM.
03-25-12, 07:08 AM
#210
So the first comparison vs Audi in another mag they test a base GS RWD vs an AWD Audi, the GS basically beats it and clearly was sportier but they award the win to the Audi b/c they like the badge.
Now in this comparison again the GS is the sportier vehicle, much cheaper and as mehran888 and natnut stated a pretty ridiculous comparison and they somehow award it to the Audi based on acceleration and badge appeal.
So let me get this right. All these years they award cars automatic wins seemingly for being the sportiest car. Now here is the GS, sportier than both the A6/A7 and now that doesn't matter as much.
I mean honestly comparisons don't really boil my blood anymore, it is what it is. What Lexus should be very pleased with is acknowledgement that the GS drives better than both the A6/A7 especially when it concerns sport. Two editors in this test picked the GS as the one to drive. That says tons.
Hilarious
Now in this comparison again the GS is the sportier vehicle, much cheaper and as mehran888 and natnut stated a pretty ridiculous comparison and they somehow award it to the Audi based on acceleration and badge appeal.
So let me get this right. All these years they award cars automatic wins seemingly for being the sportiest car. Now here is the GS, sportier than both the A6/A7 and now that doesn't matter as much.
I mean honestly comparisons don't really boil my blood anymore, it is what it is. What Lexus should be very pleased with is acknowledgement that the GS drives better than both the A6/A7 especially when it concerns sport. Two editors in this test picked the GS as the one to drive. That says tons.
Hilarious