Lexus

GS250/GS450h

Hybrid cars are growing in popularity by the day and with the Lexus GS range, it’s clear to see the attraction. It boasts eye-catching good looks, dazzling interior design and a very impressive level of luxurious specifications throughout. Add fabulous safety features and you have quite a car.

Test Drive

Lexus GS 450h F Sport Mark Levinson

It takes a lot these days to stand out from the crowd, but the Lexus GS 450h does just that. Boasting muscular styling, blistering driving dynamics, all the luxury and sophistication expected in a premium car and a wealth of on-board technology, the car is a beautifully packaged creation.

The petrol-hybrid model in F Sport trim features 19-inch F Sport alloys, triple-LED headlamps with automatic high beam, LED daytime running lights, LED rear lights, F Sport bumpers and grille along with a dynamic rear spoiler.

At £51,495, the model is not exactly cheap and the option of metallic paint on the test car bumped the asking price up to £52,105. But, sometimes you get what you pay for and in this instance it’s a great deal. The closer you inspect the car, the more you appreciate the finer touches featured within. For example, the gorgeous deep red leather seats can be heated or ventilated. They are electrically adjustable and also have memory settings to save a favourite driving position. There is electric lumbar support, electric steering wheel adjustment, Bluetooth connectivity, sports pedals, dual-zone climate control, rain-sensing wipers, dusk-sensing headlights and so much more.

And when it comes to infotainment the Lexus is well equipped to cater for all modern demands. The main 12.3 multi-media screen is navigated via a remote touch control and although it takes a little getting used to initially, it is simple enough to operate. The screen can be split to show different functions such as the sat nav directions and music at the same time and, in addition, there is the option to further personalise the data on the main instrumentation panel in front of the driver.

Powered by a 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine in combination with a 650 volt electric motor, the GS 450h may be a hybrid, but it performs like a sports car. The 0-62mph sprint time is a very fast 5.9 seconds and it tops out at a limited 155mph. Economy is pretty impressive too with combined fuel efficiency of 45.6mpg and carbon emissions of 141g/km.

In busy town centres with lots of traffic, the CVT gearbox is smooth and quiet, and the parking sensors along with a reversing camera help to make very light work of parking. In addition, when reverse gear is engaged the door mirrors automatically angle downwards to improve the driver’s view.

But it’s out on faster lanes and motorways where the GS 450h truly excels. The acceleration is as fast as you want it to be, the steering is precise and the road-holding nicely assured meaning bends can be attacked with confidence. The cabin is well insulated against engine, road surface and wind noise but if any sound should filter through, simply crank up the volume on the 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system!

There are five different driving modes to alter the car’s handling and dynamics, plus steering wheel-mounted paddles if you want to take extra control over gear changes.

Within the cabin five adults can stretch out in comfort and despite its sleek styling rear seat passengers benefit from ample leg, head and shoulder space. The boot has a capacity of 451 litres and there’s a number of handy storage compartments scattered throughout the vehicle.

Lexus has ensured that the GS 450h is kitted out with a comprehensive list of safety features, including blind spot monitor, traction control, rear cross traffic alert, hill-start assist, vehicle stability control and the Lexus Safety System+ which introduces pre-crash safety with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, sway warning, traffic sign recognition and an adaptive high beam system.

So the Lexus GS 450h certainly looks the business, it is packed with technology; it drives beautifully and is as safe as houses. Factor in that it’s not a mainstream brand so you will also enjoy a certain amount of exclusivity and the Lexus could be the ideal premium saloon.

Test Drive

Lexus GS

Promote a new car with the slogan Creating Amazing and it really sets the benchmark – thankfully the Lexus GS easily lives up to the big build up.

For this fourth generation GS – which stands for Grand Touring Sedan – boasts new design both inside and out, fantastic driving dynamics and safety innovations which most people would, in all honesty agree, are pretty amazing!

First impressions are vital and the new-look GS features a new bolder spindle-shape arrangement of the upper and lower grilles. The headlights are set much higher and now feature integrated LED daytime running lights. The deep front bumper and muscular front wings combine to give the car a more powerful and aerodynamic appearance.

But Lexus fans need not fear, because the same high levels of luxury they have become accustomed to over the years have been preserved and improved upon.

The driver-focused cockpit is still uncluttered but is feature-rich with a 12.3-inch colour multi-media screen (the largest in any production car), an incredible sound system compatible with all modern devices, and a state-of-the-art climate control system which helps add moisture to the air and plenty more besides.

As one has come to expect from the premium Lexus brand, the attention to detail and levels of on-board luxury cannot fail to impress with a range of colour schemes and only the very finest of materials and textiles such as brushed aluminium audio controls, satin metal trim and the softest leathers.

The seats offer incredible comfort levels and can be heated or cooled at the press of a button. They also move every which way to find the perfect driving position and feature memory settings.

Buyers can select from two GS models – the GS250 and GS450 hybrid.

The GS250 is available in three trims SE (£32,995) which is expected to account for 10% of sales, the Luxury (£35,995) expected to account for 60% and the F Sport (£39,995) expected to notch up 30% of sales.

The GS450h is also available in three spec levels. The Luxury (£44,495) is expected to gain 50% of sales, the F Sport (£50,995) 30% and the Premier (also £50,995) 20%.

We were lucky enough to test out the car on testing mountain roads and faster motorways through Germany into Austria and it certainly proved up to the challenge.

The automatic gearbox was smooth and very responsive, road-holding very efficient, acceleration punchy and the suspension absorbed any dips and bumps with ease.

The GS450h in F Sport spec was first up and actually proved to be my pick of the bunch, not because it handled any better but because it boasted beautiful dark alloys, a spoiler and more sporty styling. The F Sport badging is another smart move by Lexus and acts as a gentle reminder that this model is that little bit special.

There are driving modes to select from – Eco, Normal, Sport and Sport+, but this car really comes into its own in the sports modes when the driving dynamics are that bit more edgy, sharp and appealing.

Next up was the GS450h in Premier styling. Once again this car coped admirably with any challenge put in its way, but it felt more like a business executive car with a little of the fun-factor removed. However, it still had all the outstanding performance capabilities and handling.

The GS450h is a full hybrid which is capable of operating in petrol or electric modes alone as well as a combination of both.

It is powered by a 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine mated to a compact, water-cooled electric motor offering a combined output of 341bhp.

The second GS model – the GS250 – is powered by a 2.5-litre V6 petrol engine. I tested out the car in SE trim and it proved to be another outstanding drive.

One factor that really impressed me was just how much equipment comes as standard on the car. Few models costing just shy of £33k come fitted with so much kit. That really is one of the beauties of Lexus – there are no hidden extras to jump out at you later down the road.

Lexus listened to customer feedback when designing the new GS and another feature that has really been improved upon is the space for occupants and storage.

In fact, the GS250’s boot capacity has been increased by 30% to 552 litres, while the GS 450h’s boot has increased by a staggering 55% to 465 litres.

As one would expect, the GS features a comprehensive range of safety specifications. Many are more recognisable but there are additional features such as a driver monitor camera that uses near-infrared cameras built into the steering column. If it detects the driver’s eyes are closing then it alerts the driver.

There is also an advanced pre-crash safety system which constantly scans the road ahead to detect obstacles in the car’s path. If there is a high risk of collision, the driver is alerted and if they still don’t react, then the car will brake itself as and when needed to avoid a crash.

Although the E-segment is generally dominated by diesel cars to suit business drivers’ demands, this Lexus will certainly pile on the pressure and is sure to gain the attention of younger premium car fans as well as those with an eye on the environment.

Test Drive

Lexus GS 450h 3.5 V6 SE-L

The masters of hybrid technology have done it again.

Lexus has produced a luxury saloon that boasts speeds up to 155mph, can sprint from 0-62mph in just 5.9seconds and offers fuel economy figures in the region of 35mpg – now that’s impressive.

And the reason for such outstanding credentials is that the awesome V6 engine is assisted by an electric motor. Sometimes you hear the word “hybrid” and can’t help but imagine some hideously looking car spluttering along and seemingly coming up short on all fronts.

But that’s not so with Lexus as the GS 450h proved.

The 3.5-litre engine delivered blistering power as and when needed and the road-holding was superb in all weather conditions.

It’s sleek streamlining is guaranteed to turn heads, but the sound of any engine noise certainly won’t. That’s because the GS 450h is almost silent when running.

Obviously the name Lexus immediately conjures up images of luxurious touches and this vehicle certainly delivers on all counts too.

Every which way you turn there are state-of-the-art creature comforts such as heated leather seats, cruise control, a very effective dual-zone air conditioning system, park assist and bundles more.

One touch that is maybe a little too clever is the smart keyless entry system which means the key only has to be relatively close to the driver’s door for it to unlock. On more than one occasion this clever technology caught me out as I centrally locked the vehicle and then double-checked it had worked, only to unlock it again… and so it went on.

But, that’s just a small gripe that a real owner not a test-driver would get used to after a short time and all in all, this hybrid is a fantastic vehicle to look at and drive.

Admittedly, it’s not cheap but sometimes value for money counts and this is such an occasion. Plus it’s good for our environment too.