The GS 350 F-Sport: A Closer Look

That beautiful body

The Lexus GS350 is a good choice for anyone seeking a midsize sedan that provides a combination of excellent handling, comfortable ride, low wind noise, room, and proven reliability. However, the upgraded F-Sport package makes it even better. It provides a rear power sunshade, heated/cooled seats, 19-inch alloy wheels, Adaptive Variable Suspension, four-piston brakes, and minor appearance tweaks. The starting price for all of that is just $52,360, which isn't that bad when you see everything the car has.

Text and photos by Chad Haire 

Engine

The GS 350 is powered by a stout 3.5 liter V6 cranking out 311 horsepower and mated to a silky 8-speed automatic transmission. That powerplant pulls the car to 60 mph in the neighborhood of 6 seconds. Fuel economy is listed at 19 mpg city or 27 highway, and 22 overall which are accurate figures in real-world driving. For those who want more, for those that want their time in the car to feel more visceral, there is the GS-F. It has a powerful 5.0 liter V-8 with 476 hp. For more fuel-efficient needs, a hybrid GS is offered, as well as a smaller four-cylinder turbo. Overall, there is something for everyone here. 

>>Join the conversation about the GS 350 F Sport right here in the Club Lexus Forum!

Brakes/Wheels

These orange brake calipers look great and are only just a $300 option. Other extras include a limited-slip differential for $500 and Dynamic Rear Steering at $1,700. For drivers who wish to have more spirited experiences, these are useful items to check off when ordering.

>>Join the conversation about the GS 350 F Sport right here in the Club Lexus Forum!

LED Headlights

This premium triple-beam LED headlights produce plenty of illumination on the road but are $1,160 extra. But, drivers who do a lot of commuting after dark will find them useful as they light up the road really nicely and are a godsend on stretches where street lights are sparse.  

>>Join the conversation about the GS 350 F Sport right here in the Club Lexus Forum!

Gauges

The instrument panel is well designed and offers plenty of information to the driver. The transmission gears can be chosen manually by operating the paddle shifters located on the steering wheel. 

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Control Knob

The F-Sport package has this fun knob, which offers various drive mode choices: ECO, NORMAL, CUSTOM, SPORT, and SPORT+. There is also a button for SNOW which if you live in a region of the world that gets the white fluffy stuff falling from the sky will be very thankful you have it. The system works very well overall and is definitely worth the extra scratch. 

>>Join the conversation about the GS 350 F Sport right here in the Club Lexus Forum!

Control Stick

On some Lexus models, the infotainment system is operated by a touchpad. Meanwhile, on the GS, there is a stick instead. It controls the icons on the screen: Audio, Phone, Apps, Destination, Projection, Info, Setup, and Climate. FYI, there is a learning curve here but the unit is easy to use after some practice. Above that is the MAP button to summon the navigation system to attention. 

>>Join the conversation about the GS 350 F Sport right here in the Club Lexus Forum!

Price Sheet

The GS F-Sport is loaded up with options, so the final price tab soars from $52,360 to $60,580. For this fee, you'll get a luxury car assembled at the storied factory in Aichi, Japan. Overall, the cost of this vehicle is competitive when compared to what you'd get for the same stack of Benjamins at other automakers. Those seeking a quality sport sedan should for sure give this car a test drive as we will it's the bee's knees for that middle ground of sporty performance without going full GS F.

>>Join the conversation about the GS 350 F Sport right here in the Club Lexus Forum!

For help with service of your car, check out the how to section of ClubLexus.com