4th Generation GS Reviews Thread
09-06-12, 08:15 PM
#376
[QUOTE=Mr. Burns;7469007]Are you saying this vehicle is lacking in looks?QUOTE]
To each his own. I'm just surprised he hasn't said anything derogatory about the looks of the car in the past few weeks. The 3GS forum must be really slow right now.
To each his own. I'm just surprised he hasn't said anything derogatory about the looks of the car in the past few weeks. The 3GS forum must be really slow right now.
09-07-12, 04:04 AM
#377
It has looks......just not good looks. You haven't seen my other posts? I've been trying to not say much and hoping it would grow on me. Not there yet.
But to explain, it has a plain looking rear and sides. A plain silhouette. With an over-developed front that looks awkward. A lack of flow in the design.
Criticize the 3GS all you want but from a distance it looks like a luxury car. Up close it has style that flows.
From a distance, the 4GS kinda looks like a cross between a Camry/IS. Then gets closer and you see the bold mouth. Then you're right on it and you take in the rest of the plain silhouette and it's a let down after taking in the bold mouth. The front makes your brain think something exciting is about to happen but them it suddenly lets you down.
A nice kit like Wald is going to really help a lot. So I'm still hopeful the car will grow on me....but it will have to be modded to do so.
Thats fine, its just history repeating itself.
A properly modded 2GS is one of the nicest cars out there....but I wouldn't drive one stock.
But to explain, it has a plain looking rear and sides. A plain silhouette. With an over-developed front that looks awkward. A lack of flow in the design.
Criticize the 3GS all you want but from a distance it looks like a luxury car. Up close it has style that flows.
From a distance, the 4GS kinda looks like a cross between a Camry/IS. Then gets closer and you see the bold mouth. Then you're right on it and you take in the rest of the plain silhouette and it's a let down after taking in the bold mouth. The front makes your brain think something exciting is about to happen but them it suddenly lets you down.
A nice kit like Wald is going to really help a lot. So I'm still hopeful the car will grow on me....but it will have to be modded to do so.
Thats fine, its just history repeating itself.
A properly modded 2GS is one of the nicest cars out there....but I wouldn't drive one stock.
09-10-12, 07:28 PM
#379
Lexus Test Driver
09-10-12, 09:39 PM
#380
Guest
Posts: n/a
Any editor at Automobile that says the F-sport is not sporty is a bloody idiot. The chassis is utterly superb and best in class. I do share the thoughts the steering isn't as tight as I would like even in Sport mode but its not bad at all or a deal breaker.
09-10-12, 09:56 PM
#381
" A plain silhouette" is more of a description for the 3rd generation. How can it look over-developed and awkward from the front but yet "makes your brain think something exciting is about to happen?" Come on tell us the truth 
09-11-12, 12:31 AM
#382
Pole Position
KEY OPTIONS NOT ON THIS VEHICLE:
Lexus Dynamic Handling System ( includes DRS)
Lexus Dynamic Handling System ( includes DRS)
Barrelling along small twisty back roads during my test-drive in the GS450h and GS350 ( both F-Sports, both DRS equipped), I felt the car shrink around me and I always felt in total control. Never once did I feel I was in a 4000lb car. Basically the car negotiates corners like a much smaller vehicle which I feel is a mark of a well sorted sports sedan.
Last edited by natnut; 09-11-12 at 09:34 AM.
09-11-12, 08:03 AM
#383
Guest
Posts: n/a
^^ I recently drove a modified 550M sport and GS 350.... The 550 is clearly faster but the GS simply is the better drive. The 550 cannot mask its mass from the dimensions to the weight, it does not feel nearly as nimble or responsive. The GS even in base trim drives like a smaller car and I prefer the N/A engine to the spool from turbos though you have to make sure its in Sport or the throttle to me can be delayed like a turbo lol. Mind you both are kick *** cars, I am focusing on the drive and sport which was fed to us in droves for years. Now that the GS is sportiest in class things are quiet on the internet 
The 4GS is the FIRST GS I want to purchase due to the drive first then the looks. Previously I loved the looks of the 1/2/3 GS and the drive was secondary and/or I felt I could modify it.
Funny, the previous GS had engines that overpower the chassis and now the 4GS has a brilliant chassis begging for more power.
The 4GS really reminds me of the E39 in how it drives smaller than it is and is really fun.
The 4GS is the FIRST GS I want to purchase due to the drive first then the looks. Previously I loved the looks of the 1/2/3 GS and the drive was secondary and/or I felt I could modify it.
Funny, the previous GS had engines that overpower the chassis and now the 4GS has a brilliant chassis begging for more power.
The 4GS really reminds me of the E39 in how it drives smaller than it is and is really fun.
09-11-12, 10:37 AM
#384
Lexus Champion
09-12-12, 05:05 AM
#387
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
MotherProof
The 2013 Lexus GS 350 is race-inspired and feels sporty with its stiff suspension. With this redesigned midsize sedan, Lexus waves goodbye to the squishy and cushy and hopes to say hello to a new type of driver, the enthusiast.
But how does it work for the family driver? It works out well. My test car, a GS 350 F-Sport, came with the bells and whistles that make the average driver happy without sacrificing the performance that may interest enthusiast buyers. The 5-seater is fun to drive with its 3.5-liter V-6 engine and nimble handling. The GS looks more modern with the updated spindle grille and squared-off taillights.
The GS F-Sport has the Lexus Drive Mode Selector that adapts drivetrain and in-car settings to Eco, Normal, Sport S and Sport S+ modes. I was impressed with how much power the V-6 had in Sport S+ mode. The suspension and steering were tighter, but the steering eased up at slower speeds. In Eco mode, the GS drove more conservatively for better fuel economy, and I was reminded it was in this mode with a blue-illuminated instrument cluster. When in Sport S and Sport S+ modes, the gauge cluster was lit red. In either mode, braking was responsive yet not too grabby.
The 2013 GS 350 has a starting price of $47,775, including an $875 destination charge. My test car, a GS 350 with all-wheel drive and the F Sport Package, cost $58,897.
EXTERIOR
The new GS looks more assertive and modern. It leans forward, looking ready to race at any stoplight or highway fast lane. This is a refreshing change; I like its powerful, sinewy aesthetic.
The sedan's doors were easy to open for everyone in my family. Parents should note that the roofline at the rear doors slopes downward, making it difficult for parents to help little ones get in the car and buckled up. Head bonks and backaches will be the norm until your kids are able to get themselves buckled up.
The trunk is a good size, and parents should have few issues loading oddly shaped items like strollers and portable cribs into it. I liked the grocery hooks that folded down from the trunk and wished there was more than one set. Guess what doesn't fold down? The rear seats. There's a pass-through for longer items, but if you're planning on extra trunk space — don't.
The 2013 GS 350 has a 306-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 with direct injection, and it uses premium gas. It gets an EPA-estimated 19/28 mpg city/highway for the rear-wheel-drive GS 350. The all-wheel-drive version gets 19/26 mpg. These fuel-economy numbers don't exactly scream eco, but maybe if you drive in Eco mode most of the time you can work out a better number.
SENSE AND STYLE
Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Great
Fun-Factor (None, Some, Good Times, Groove-On): Good Times
INTERIOR
The F-Sport Package adds amazing 16-way power-adjustable front seats to the GS 350. There was every adjustment available, including side bolsters and thigh adjustments. I could move the bottom seat cushion forward or back to provide support and prevent fatigue. Add to that the ventilated seat option and this mama rarely wanted to leave the GS' cabin.
Lexus' Enform multimedia system is simple to use. A mouse-like joystick works in conjunction with the display, and the cursor will "snap" into place when you get near your choice on the screen. This is cool, but it still required my eyes to be off the road more than I preferred.
In the backseat, my kids didn't have all the seating options I did, but they loved the rear power sunshade that kept the sun off of them. The rear legroom was fine for them — they're 10 and 8 years old — but it should be noted that a rear-facing infant-safety seat required the front passenger to sacrifice some legroom. At 5 feet 5 inches tall, I would have been OK sitting in front of the rear-facing safety seat, but my 6-foot-tall husband would have been cramped.
IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT
Storage Compartments (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Ample
Cargo/Trunk Space (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Fair
SAFETY
The 2013 Lexus GS 350 has been named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It received the top score of Good in front, side, rear and roof-strength crash tests. It hasn't been crash-tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
There 2 two sets of Latch anchors in the GS 350's outboard rear seats. The anchors are easy to use, so are the 3 tether anchors on the rear shelf. Rear seat belts are partially recessed into the bench, which may be tricky for kids in tall convertible seats to use. Find out how the 2013 GS 350 performed in Cars.com's Car Seat Check.
The 2013 GS 350 has standard rear-wheel drive, antilock brakes with brake assist, an electronic stability system with traction control, a backup camera, active front head restraints and 10 airbags, including rear-seat side-impact airbags. Optional features are all-wheel drive, night vision, front and rear parking sensors, head-up display, adaptive headlights, and lane keep assist and departure warning systems.
09-12-12, 05:42 AM
#388
Lexus Test Driver
The 2013 Lexus GS 350 is race-inspired and feels sporty with its stiff suspension. With this redesigned midsize sedan, Lexus waves goodbye to the squishy and cushy and hopes to say hello to a new type of driver, the enthusiast.
But how does it work for the family driver? It works out well. My test car, a GS 350 F-Sport, came with the bells and whistles that make the average driver happy without sacrificing the performance that may interest enthusiast buyers. The 5-seater is fun to drive with its 3.5-liter V-6 engine and nimble handling. The GS looks more modern with the updated spindle grille and squared-off taillights.
The GS F-Sport has the Lexus Drive Mode Selector that adapts drivetrain and in-car settings to Eco, Normal, Sport S and Sport S+ modes. I was impressed with how much power the V-6 had in Sport S+ mode. The suspension and steering were tighter, but the steering eased up at slower speeds. In Eco mode, the GS drove more conservatively for better fuel economy, and I was reminded it was in this mode with a blue-illuminated instrument cluster. When in Sport S and Sport S+ modes, the gauge cluster was lit red. In either mode, braking was responsive yet not too grabby.
The 2013 GS 350 has a starting price of $47,775, including an $875 destination charge. My test car, a GS 350 with all-wheel drive and the F Sport Package, cost $58,897.
EXTERIOR
The new GS looks more assertive and modern. It leans forward, looking ready to race at any stoplight or highway fast lane. This is a refreshing change; I like its powerful, sinewy aesthetic.
The sedan's doors were easy to open for everyone in my family. Parents should note that the roofline at the rear doors slopes downward, making it difficult for parents to help little ones get in the car and buckled up. Head bonks and backaches will be the norm until your kids are able to get themselves buckled up.
The trunk is a good size, and parents should have few issues loading oddly shaped items like strollers and portable cribs into it. I liked the grocery hooks that folded down from the trunk and wished there was more than one set. Guess what doesn't fold down? The rear seats. There's a pass-through for longer items, but if you're planning on extra trunk space — don't.
The 2013 GS 350 has a 306-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 with direct injection, and it uses premium gas. It gets an EPA-estimated 19/28 mpg city/highway for the rear-wheel-drive GS 350. The all-wheel-drive version gets 19/26 mpg. These fuel-economy numbers don't exactly scream eco, but maybe if you drive in Eco mode most of the time you can work out a better number.
SENSE AND STYLE
Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Great
Fun-Factor (None, Some, Good Times, Groove-On): Good Times
INTERIOR
The F-Sport Package adds amazing 16-way power-adjustable front seats to the GS 350. There was every adjustment available, including side bolsters and thigh adjustments. I could move the bottom seat cushion forward or back to provide support and prevent fatigue. Add to that the ventilated seat option and this mama rarely wanted to leave the GS' cabin.
Lexus' Enform multimedia system is simple to use. A mouse-like joystick works in conjunction with the display, and the cursor will "snap" into place when you get near your choice on the screen. This is cool, but it still required my eyes to be off the road more than I preferred.
In the backseat, my kids didn't have all the seating options I did, but they loved the rear power sunshade that kept the sun off of them. The rear legroom was fine for them — they're 10 and 8 years old — but it should be noted that a rear-facing infant-safety seat required the front passenger to sacrifice some legroom. At 5 feet 5 inches tall, I would have been OK sitting in front of the rear-facing safety seat, but my 6-foot-tall husband would have been cramped.
IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT
Storage Compartments (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Ample
Cargo/Trunk Space (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Fair
SAFETY
The 2013 Lexus GS 350 has been named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It received the top score of Good in front, side, rear and roof-strength crash tests. It hasn't been crash-tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
There 2 two sets of Latch anchors in the GS 350's outboard rear seats. The anchors are easy to use, so are the 3 tether anchors on the rear shelf. Rear seat belts are partially recessed into the bench, which may be tricky for kids in tall convertible seats to use. Find out how the 2013 GS 350 performed in Cars.com's Car Seat Check.
The 2013 GS 350 has standard rear-wheel drive, antilock brakes with brake assist, an electronic stability system with traction control, a backup camera, active front head restraints and 10 airbags, including rear-seat side-impact airbags. Optional features are all-wheel drive, night vision, front and rear parking sensors, head-up display, adaptive headlights, and lane keep assist and departure warning systems.
Thanks for posting. What website?
09-12-12, 06:08 AM
#389
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
cars.com/motherproof
The title of the article is a hot-link to the article: http://www.cars.com/lexus/gs-350/201...s/?revid=58881