Lexus GS430 2005 review: road test

Remarkable because I remember that at the point when the engine, rebuilt just a month before by people professing to be professionals and with a banner which pronounced that quality comes first, decided to weld its internals together thanks to a bad part, I was building great trust in German engineering.

Years later, I would continue to place great trust in products from Germany to the point where a price premium was apparently deserved. That was based on my grandmother's philosophy that: "You get what you pay for."

I am not picking on Mercedes because its product is sensational.

A dynamic mould of metal that is as holy as the motor car, itself, with a history that goes literally to the beginning of plausible motoring, there is, and never will be, anything quite like a Mercedes.

But the Lexus could change my mind.

The GS430 is its latest mid-sized saloon, sitting just beneath the LS430 that is inspired by the Mercedes S-Class, and just above the Lexus IS200 that is also poised for rejuvenation.

Buy it and you will get a four-year warranty. Take it for a service and you get a fresh loan car. Break down and there's 24-hour service.

Drive it and the GS430, the more powerful of the two-engined range which borrows its V8 from the $170,000-plus LS430, rewards with luxury motoring and a sense that there is an element of wishing for more sporting pursuits.

It's quick, relatively quiet, roomy and has a swagful of goodies that, unlike some other German brands, are included in the purchase price.

The GS430 also comes with a proper spare tyre, so you can whisk down to the holiday escape in Busselton knowing that a small 5cm nail won't keep you at the side of the road all night.

To be blunt, I loved this car. It was logical, easy to drive, soft in a way that made driving easy and without any of the firmness for which the Germans are noted and, unlike BMW and Audi, it didn't confuse me with an onboard mouse-pad computer system.

Switches are on the dashboard or steering wheel, not locked away beneath a convoluted Microsoft program, with the exception of some minor controls that have switches behind a fold-down

panel on the right of the dash. It even has cruise control that senses the distance to the car in front.

Everything else is all there in front of the driver, including a central touch-sensitive screen giving quick access to more finicky aspects such as ventilation and navigation.

Aside from the tangible features of the GS430, the car has a healthy 208kW of power that is uses through a six-speed auto box that has semi-manual gear selection.

Off the mark it's one of the quickest saloons on the block.

Aside from being fast, it's relaxingly comfortable. There's a

decent boot, though the rear seats don't fold flat, and lots of selfish features such as airconditioned and heated front seats, an electrically operated rear screen, a central rear armrest and a first-aid kit in the boot.

Though it's a bit porky, it handles well thanks to an electronic steering system that gauges the car's speed and the ability of the driver to select the right suspension firmness to suit driving style and road conditions.

Above all, the GS430 is a nice ride. It's also not perfect.

The foot-operated park brake screams America and is disappointing given the available space on the console for a hand-brake lever.

The steering is so light it transmits nothing back to the driver, and despite the electronic suspension, it's not a sure-footed car. It displays a wishy-washy attitude to corners. It is, in short, very American.

The lack of a fold-down rear seat is annoying, the shape of the car makes it awkward to park, but this top-line GS430 model comes with front and rear park assist alerts. If you can't handle these idiosyncrasies, then get a life.

This is one of the best cars on the market.

Yes, it feels soft to drive, in a manner successfully cloned by the Japanese. But it's so easy to drive, it rewards its occupants without fuss and looks distinctive without being presumptuous.