Polished Performance
There's little not to love when behind the wheel of this spacious sedan. Power delivery from the highly refined V6 is crisp and polished, not to mention potent. The GS 350 is fast. Fast off the line and fast at passing on the highway. I marveled at the seductive performance of the 24-valve mill and its six-speed autobox soulmate. Collectively, they deliver the imperceptible operation of a fine luxury marque while stepping unhesitatingly up to the plate when robust performance is asked for- look for 0-96 kph times of 5.3 or so seconds. Adding to the exhilaration is athletic handling prowess.

Both the V6 and the V8 offer plenty of accelerating power.

The GS 350 successfully melds the bookends of spirited cornering with delightful ride comfort, without compromising either. This is no marshmallow Lexus, albeit it's not a 5-Series Bimmer either. Yet I was more than content with its ability to hold a line through high-speed benders and sharp angle turns. I'm a "car guy," and frankly, the GS 350 delivers all the gallantry in the corners I would ever want or use.

Braking is no different. With little to no fanfare, the four-wheel anti-lock binders dispense with speed like a bank robber with bait money. Pedal responsiveness is progressive and predictable while nosedive is a non-issue. If control factors spiral toward the abyss, an electronic Vehicle Stability Control system (VSC) will intervene with the goal of retaining/regaining vehicular composure. Abetting VSC is a traction control program (TRAC) and Lexus's Hill-start Assist Control (HAC).

Safety and Protection
Should all the onboard technology fail to prevent a collision, Lexus has you covered- in airbags that is. The list of inflatables include knee and frontal airbags for driver and front passenger along with front and rear side curtain airbags. Rear seat side airbags are available as an option on the rear-wheel-drive GS 350, and are standard equipment on the AWD GS 350.

Luxury Not Overlooked
Because the "Lexus" nameplate precedes the "GS 350" badge, this high performance luxury sedan is very well contented indeed. Although my RWD tester didn't have a navigation system, it rocked with a killer audio system, heated/ventilated front seats, smart-key entry and push button start. And with a Canadian base of $59,700, the Lexus GS 350 offers plenty of value when stacked next to some of its European competition.

This car looks and drives like a well-greased rocket. Who needs a V8? The GS 350 is rated at 11.0 and 7.5 litres of fuel per 100K of city and highway driving respectively. Sounds much more appealing than feeding a fuel-hoarding V8 doesn't it?


Stunning performance from silky V6
Beautiful lines
Competent handling
Good value in the premium performance sedan segement


Audible tire/road noise
Headroom compromising for tall folk



None


Photo Credit : Rob Rothwell