Econo-box traits at a premium price
Lexus has applied its trademark quality and high-tech to its middle-of-the line-up sedan with the GS (if you want to picture the available sedans as a flowchart in your mind, it would go: IS, ES, GS and LS)
My Autonet tester was the hybrid GS450h, which brings extra power to the platform along with decreased fuel consumption. The car can be had as a gasoline-only model as well, in RWD or all-wheel.
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Wrapped in characteristically understated outward design - don’t get me wrong, it’s not an unpleasant looking car, it just doesn’t grab your attention - the 450h competes well against Euro-lux brands with a package of superior build quality, fit-and-finish and high end electronics.
Under the hood, the 450 combines a 3.5 litre gasoline V6 with the maker’s Hybrid Synergy drive system (from parent company Toyota) to pull together sporty performance and cleaner emissions than a similarly-displaced gasoline model.
It brings a combined output of 339 horsepower to the vehicle (along with 267 lb.-ft. of torque) that allows the 450h to reach cruising and passing speeds in a blink; and the powertrain can be sharpened further with selectable driving modes.
Operated by switches mounted on the center console near the shifter, the driving modes modify how the engine’s torque is put to the wheels. Choices are “snow” mode for slippery conditions, “normal” for everyday use, and “power” mode, which turns the car into a responsive and racy machine.
The ponies are channelled through a CVT, which shows none of the “lag” that dogs some continuously variable trannies; and while it’s not a manumatic, the shifter can be used to provide engine braking with six levels of downshift.
The suspension can be tailored to a driver’s taste in similar fashion as well, with a “sport” option that tightens up the car noticeably in quick turns and on winding roads (it will also make the ride harsher, obviously) and works with the variable gear ratio power steering to keep the driving experience enjoyable and engaging.
In any of its custom modes, steering in the GS is very good, providing responsive feedback and a feel of confidence through the wheel; and all the power is backstopped with very good braking.
There is a host of other onboard features, as you would expect from a car at this price - intelligent cruise control, backup camera and parking assist, and obstacle detection via front and rear mounted sensors, among others.
The interior of any GS is an opulent affair of leather seating surfaces and flawless quality components. The dash is a clean and uninterrupted flow, featuring a prominent multi-function display screen at top-center, with tastefully conceived backlighting for all gauges and switchgear.
It’s a tight cabin, though, and Lexus has reduced clutter by hiding a number of the car’s less-used functions (adaptive headlight controls, side mirror adjuster, park assist switch) in a pop-out compartment to the left of the steering wheel.
Interior space is the only complaint I can muster about the GS, the car is skimpy on headroom, particularly with the power sunroof. In both front and rear seats, the ceiling feels a bit too close to passenger’s heads and I found I had to lean the driver’s seat back farther than I like in order to keep my head from touching it.
That aside, the cockpit is mighty quiet and the ride extremely smooth, particularly in normal-suspension mode. The test vehicle was equipped with a Mark Levinson sound package (part of the “Ultra premium” option package that also added a backup sensor, DVD navigation system and added six grand to the price tag).
Stereo and nav system were operated through the multifunction display, and the large touch-screen interface is relatively easy to understand and use without cracking the owner’s manual.
The display can be turned off as well, which is a good thing, as it defaults to a large diagram displaying how the hybrid system is operating when you don’t have it in navigation mode.
Naturally, hybrid fuel economy will be at its best in city driving, where the GS450 can maximize its gas-sipping by turning off the V6 engine when stopped at lights. The GS will also operate on electric power alone, at low speeds.
I put a lot of highway kilometres on the tester and found that even with the gasoline engine engaged for most of my time in it, the car still managed a respectable average of 10.0 litres per 100 km.
The GS450h is available basically as one well-equipped trim, with a few option packages available to further round out the trappings of luxury; and it comes with a fairly steep MSRP (it is obviously positioned against similar sedans from Germany but not so much against lower priced North American offerings like Cadillac’s CTS, which offers similar performance numbers and overall size).
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