2012 Lexus GS300 Reviews

Lexus GS300 is an upmarket Japanese sedan with a fair bit of sportiness in its makeup.

Sports and hybrid are words not usually seen together. And while the F Sport version of the second-generation Lexus GS 450h is not exactly stimulating and involving to drive in a sporty sense, it does live up to its claim of performance without penalty.VALUEAt $111,900, the F Sport is $10,000 less than the Luxury Sport version, which comes with features such as a heads-up display, a tyre pressure monitor and eight parking sensors, even polyurethane-coated paint that repairs scratches when exposed to sunlight. The F Sport adds all-wheel-steer hybrid, sports suspension settings, bigger brakes, automatic high-beam, 19-inch wheels, an 18-setting driver's seat, pre-collision and cruise control systems.DESIGNYou expect Lexus quality inside and you get it. The materials, the finish, the layout and even the stitching are flawless. Not so attractive is the angular and aggressive lower lip spoiler included in the sports body kit.TECHNOLOGYPowered by a 254kW hybrid drivetrain, it accelerates from 0-100km/h in 5.9 seconds yet has a combined fuel use of 6.3l/100km, a 20 per cent improvement over its predecessor at 7.9l/100km. Emissions of CO2 have fallen to a class-leading 147g/km.And the benefits continue. A more compact hybrid battery helps expand boot space by 45 per cent to 465 litres and the redesigned chassis provides more interior space. The chassis is also stiffer and with the battery mounted lower the weight distribution is close to an ideal 50:50, which improves handling. The 3.5-litre V6 engine is now an Atkinson cycle, which has improved efficiency by 20 per cent while retaining the previous engine's 254kW output and lifting torque from 317Nm to 352Nm. An Atkinson Cycle engine has a higher compression ratio than a conventional Otto Cycle.DRIVINGMost of the time it feels as if you are guiding the F Sport rather than driving it. The first thing you notice is the lack of starter-motor noise. Push the start-stop button and the dash lights up and signals “Ready''. Flick the gear selector into drive, press the accelerator and off you go, the petrol engine kicking in only when needed and shutting itself down when coasting or stationary. There is no noise on idle and just a slight shudder when the petrol engine kicks in. A low whine when slowing indicates regenerative braking. Driven sedately it potters around without fuss, switching at will between electric and petrol. Bury the right foot and it launches itself with enough thrust to chirp the wheels on a damp surface and delivers enough seamless punch to keep you pinned back in the seat. Power application is silky smooth and linear. Acceleration is strong, even on light throttle, such is the electric motor's high torque at low revs. But the driving experience is all a bit remote; the engine note is so well muted it's barely audible, the steering feels lifeless on the straight and then there is the quirky nature of the switching between petrol and electric. Despite myriad micro-second decisions going on internally, there is no need for the driver to intervene. All the swapping and sharing is done automatically.VERDICTIt’s a large car with flat, agile cornering and a comfortable, well-controlled ride.Lexus GS 450H F SportPrice: $111,900Warranty: 4 years/100,000kmResale: 57 per centService interval: 10,000km/6 monthsSafety rating: 5 starSpare: space-saverEngine: 3.5-litre V6 petrol 215kW/352Nm; 147kW/275Nm electric motorTransmission: CVT auto; RWDBody: 4.9m (L); 1.8m (w); 1.5m (h)Weight: 1910kgThirst: 6.3 1/100km; 91 RON; 147g/km Co2

Until now the Lexus GS has been a smaller edition of its big brother, Lexus LS. With a big emphasis on quietness, smoothness and refinement, the just superseded GS, but no real sporting ambitions, it was steadily losing sales to the German luxury marques.All that has changed and we have just stepped out of a pair of the all-new, fourth-generation GS sedans with big smiles on our faces. In the manner of the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes E-Class and Audi A6, the upmarket Japanese sedan provides plenty of driving pleasure.Cleverly, the Japanese engineers have managed to give the GS 250 and GS 350 twin desirable attributes –it’s smooth and quiet in the Lexus manner when cruising gently but becomes a true sports sedan when you push it along hard. The engine has great induction and exhaust note and the transmission sharpens its actions to get the best torque on tap moment by moment.This truly is an excellent grand tourer, or GT, in the true sense of that often misused acronym. You could travel at high speeds in the Australian bush all day and come back feeling relaxed and refreshed.The styling has taken a new direction at the front and back, though the profile still carries cues of the just superseded GS. At the front the designers have come up with what they call the ‘spindle-grille’. This sees a tightening of the sides of the area to create a most distinctive shape that makes the mid-sized Lexus stand out from crowd.Our only criticism is that the lower areas of the bumper/spoiler look as though they will be vulnerable in carparks and over poorly designed gutter ramps. Lexus is not alone in this – but that won’t reduce the size of the bill from your favourite panel repairer.We love the interior styling of the all-new Lexus for its elegant simplicity. It could be mistaken for an Italian machine in the way the primary instruments are large, clear and easy to read at the fastest glance.The stitching of the leather on the dashboard adds to the Italian theme, as does the centrally mounted analog clock, a feature Maserati has used with great effect for generations.The integration of the centre information and entertainment screen into the central region of the dashboard is brilliant. Too many other marques have satellite navigation screens that look like an afterthought, the Lexus’s is just right. As well as being aesthetically pleasing, the central screen is well shielded from light.We don’t like drivers taking their attention off the road, but in many cases they will do so even when it creates danger, so Lexus has done the right thing in helping people minimise distraction.Lexus GS 250 is powered by a 2.5-litre V6 petrol engine that’s a heavily revised unit installed in the now superseded model. It produces more power and torque (the peaks are 154 kW / 253 Nm) than previously, but the official fuel consumption has been significantly reduced.It’s a similar story with the 3.5-litre powerplant in the GS 350, with 233 kW and 378 Nm it gives the keen driver plenty of sporting flair, yet using less fuel and producing fewer emissions than in the superseded unit.We tested both engines on demanding roads in and out of Albury and up into the Snowy Mountains and found the 2.5 is probably best described as adequate in its performance. Compensating for that is the fact that it’s well mated to its six-speed automatic transmission. The auto is quick to sense the need for more grunt and change down gears at a moment’s notice.As revheads we would go for the 3.5-litre V6 any day, but saner drivers will be more than happy with the 2.5-litre.Up to four modes are offered on the auto and on the sporting models with adjustable suspension and steering the sportier the mode, the more the driver feels in control of the GS. Four-wheel steering on topline models adds further to the sporty feeling of this bid sedan.A hybrid version of the new Lexus GS, tagged the 450h, will be introduced on May 15th. As before, the number 450 doesn’t indicate engine capacity, but the fact that Lexus considers it provides the sort of driving feel that would normally demand a 4.5-litre engine.With a staggering array of passive safety features to help you stay out of trouble, as 10 airbags should things still go badly wrong, the Lexus must be one of the safest cars on our roads.Lexus is currently importing the GS to Australia in no fewer that six grades. Rather than filling in about 10 pages with all the details, may we suggest making an appointment with your local Lexus dealer and you can work together to tailor the best car for your needs.What we will say is that there numerous body and interior colour choices; driver’s seats with as many as 20 electrically adjustable settings; Mark Levinson topline audio systems with 17 speakers; air conditioning that moistens your skin - and much, much more...Lexus’s stunning change of direction with its GS series is a bold move. But we feel it will be immediately successful.