Category: Executive 
Price Range: No data available
High-tech safety kit, refinement, hybrid option, Lexus reliability and quality, handsome looks
No diesel option, hard ride, poor steering feel, lack of character; VDIM and pre-crash safety systems only in top-spec models
It's not quite the all-out sports saloon Lexus claims it to be, but it's a comfortable, sophisticated, high-quality choice with some unique touches
The GS is far sharper than before, with pitch and wallow much-reduced and suspension firmer, but it's still some way from seriously challenging the 5-Series in the driver's car stakes, at least the models with a conventional powertrtain. The electric power steering - with variable gear ratios in the GS430, similar to BMW's Active Steering - lacks feedback, feels artificially weighted and doesn't inspire confidence that you can accurately place the car through a fast, tight corner. It really does give the sensation that there is no physical connection between the steering wheel and the wheels themselves. The brake-by-wire system (GS430, 450h) is less disconcerting, but in some cars it was almost over-reactive, biting unexpectedly fast and leading to jerky deceleration.
The suspension and steering in the GS 450h, however, have been modified to handle the extra weight of the hybrid system, and the end result is a saloon tauter and more precise to steer than its counterparts. Rear-wheel drive, it remains predictable and stable, with superb body control and an agility which belies its 2355kg weight and 4825mm length.
For more relaxed cruising, though, the GS is an easy, undemanding drive - and probably absolutely everything that its likely owners will ever want it to be. The cabin and its controls are well laid-out, the multi-adjustable driving position is excellent and the all-round visibility very good, despite the high waistline and high-set corners (parking sensors with rear-view cameras and screen in all but entry-level models). The touch-screen controls for the audio, climate control, sat nav, driver information and other auxiliary functions are easy to understand - it's a far more user-friendly system than BMW's iDrive or similar menu-driven control systems. Some controls - trip computer, rear sunblind, mirror settings - are located in a neat, handy fold-down console by the steering wheel.
As with handling, the non-hybrid GS's performance is more than adequ ate but stops short of being inspirational. The GS300, which has direct injection and variable valve timing, plus an electronic drive-by-wire throttle, is laid-back in nature, with power and acceleration building smoothly and progressively; it'll never struggle, but equally, it won't blow you away. Official figures quote a top speed of 148mph and 0-60mph in 7.2 seconds.
The GS430 (155mph, 0-60 in 6.1 seconds) is also biased towards refinement rather than aggressive tarmac-burning, and is an effortless cruiser at high speeds. Like the V6, it doesn't feel quite as fast as the on-paper numbers suggest, probably because it's just so refined, well-sound-proofed and well-mannered rather than having any actual power or torque deficit. The six-speed auto gearbox isn't the quickest-reacting of its type, either, though it is also smooth and it interjects seamlessly whatever mode it is in: 'power' mode allows for higher engine-revving and faster downshifts, and the sequential-shift facility gives a reasonably satisfying simulation of a manual gear-change, should you want it.
The performance model is the GS 450h: 0-60mph in 5.9 seconds, and a top speed electronically limited to 155mph; acceleration between 50-57mph takes just 4.7 seconds. It's deceptively quick, too - as the engine is so quiet and smooth, even under hard acceleration, and the CVT (continuously variable, or stepless, transmission) gearbox so seamless, acceleration is utterly effortless. There are no uncouth noises, no squirming torque-steer, no roars to the redline and very little to indicate quite how fast the car can be, bar the blurring of the scenery and the needle of the speedo. It's just so civilised. The adaptive variable suspension does have a "Sport" setting, which also reduces the steering ratio, and the gearbox does have a sequential-shift mode, with six pre-set "gears", but somehow, using these isn't quite in character and given the responses in the normal settings, hardly necessary anyway.
Lexus is, sensibly, positioning the GS450h as more of a performance car than a super-green eco-friendly option. It's keen to stress that the electric motor's contribution is as much about aiding acceleration, as well as quietness and smoothness, as saving fuel, though of course, we shouldn't overlook the fact that it can run for up to 2km and at up to 40kph in electric-only mode, and that the engine shuts down and restarts automatically when idling in traffic queues. The electric-only range may be limited (though it's better than that of the heavy RX 400h), and fuel consumption still high at motorway speeds and when out on open roads, but where the motor really comes into its own is when it kicks in to assist the engine at the low to medium end of the rev range. This is how that sub-six second 0-60mph acceleration time is achieved.
