Lookin’ good Lexus
Build quality can match anything from Germany
LEXUS has thrown a Japanese cat amongst the German pigeons with the launch of its new GS range in South Africa.
The newcomer is not much bigger than before, but it’s evident the designers were working off the less- is-more brief with buyers getting more room inside, and significantly more boot space too.
More exciting are also some of the design lines that have surfaced in this BMW 5 Series, Merc EClass and Audi A6 competitor, adding some Japanese spice to what has become a German clean-line segment. And like Kia has its signature Tiger nose, Lexus has started rolling out its Spindle Grille front end – which has an aggressiveness about it that we like.
After driving it at the media launch I can also tell you that there’s a serious level of premium feel evident in the new cabin. From what Lexus claims as the biggest information screen in the
business, to the hand- stitched leather and soft touches everywhere, it’s safe to say the Japanese have raised the bar.
It feels solid on the road with mature road manners, and comes with petrol and hybrid engines offering performance with economy.
THE new Lexus GS is available in a four-model V6 petrol range comprising the 2.5-litre GS250 EX (154kW/253Nm), the 3.5-litre GS350 EX (233kW/378 Nm), and the hybrids in the form of the GS450h F-Sport and GF450h SE (both 3.5-litre V6s with a petrol/electric combined output of 252kW/620Nm).
The GS250 is a new badge to the range and all models, except the hybrids, get 6-speed auto gearboxes – the hybrids run continously variable transmissions (CVT).
Aesthetically, buyers can expect that Lexus Spindle Grille, already seen on the CT 200h and now on the new GS (being the carmaker’s new signature face we’ll be seeing lots of it going forward). Headlights with daytime running lights are also new.
The newcomer hasn’t changed in length but is 20mm wider and 30mm higher than its predecessor. The biggest changes lie in the boot area with the non-hybrid models growing from 430 to 530 litres (due to C pillar design tweaks) and the hybrid growing from 300 to 465 litres (thanks to thinner battery technology, vertical versus horizontal battery stacking, and the revised C pillars).
Inside the dash is new with highlights being a classy aluminium analogue clock and the world’s largest display screen. Rear passengers will appreciate that the new GS has more head, knee, leg and foot room than before – leg room is especially noticeable.
On the technology front the climate control is now energy saving, which means it will detect and focus airflow only to the front area if that’s where passengers are seated. Other features include a standard reversing camera, ambient and LED lighting, and a remote touch interface to guide you through the various system menus. I still found this finicky to use though, and it’s not as intuitive as BMW’s iDrive or Audi’s MMI setups.
On the suspension front the designers drew inspiration from the Lexus LFA supercar, with a stiffer suspension design, along with front and rear control arms made from aluminium and a newly-designed multi-link suspension at the back. Overall the suspension is lighter and stronger.
The F-Sport badge further translates into firmer springs, an adaptive damping system, thicker anti-roll bars, a variable-ratio steering system, tweaks to the bushes and larger front brakes. Vented discs are standard across the range, as is 18” rubber (the F-Sport wears 19” alloys).
Safety has also been improved. All GS models are now equipped with an impressive 10 airbags (except the GS250 which gets eight), while new Whiplash Injury Lessening front seats reduce the space between your head and the headrest to limit head movement and decrease whiplash in the event of an accident.
We got to sample the GS350 and GS450h F-Sport at the local launch in Cape Town last week and it soon became obvious that plenty of effort was put into getting the GS squarely in the face of its competitors.
The styling is sharp, the interior exudes a very premium feel, the handling is planted and alive, and the build quality comparable to anything German it competes with.
The F-Sport hybrid offers a Sport+ drive mode setting (compared to Eco, Normal and Sport in the others) which made things a little more interesting. All drive modes tweak engine, gearbox and suspension settings, but it became clear that the F-Sport was out there to play the hardest – which makes it surprising that it’s offered only with the hybrid powerplant. In pure performance terms the GS350 felt like the winner in the range with solid pulling power and great in-gear torque.
Don’t ignore the new GS when looking at its competitors, it’s worth checking out.