Talk about Lexus and visions of being swept up in luxury and comfort come readily to mind.
But in this day and age, it would not do to be just a one-trick pony.
To be sure, Lexus has a few sporty models up its automotive sleeve like the GS 350 F Sport we had tested recently.
With that over and done with, the moment has come to revisit luxury in the guise of the GS 250 equipped with the Luxury pack.
Lexus said the fourth-generation mid-size GS marks a big leap over its predecessor in terms of design, technological capabilities and most importantly comfort and drivability for both driver and passenger.
Boasting what Lexus calls “L-finesse” design philosophy, the edgier and bolder design is topped off with the new spindle grille at the front, which will soon be the identifying hallmark of all other Lexus models.
The grille is certainly much more imposing than before and should make other cars move aside in a hurry on seeing the Lexus grow larger in their rear-view mirror.
Apart from a menacing appearance, the grille fully integrates into the front bumper to allow for efficient airflow.
Air inlets located on the outer edges of the lower grille serve as cooling ducts.
Deep-set, high-tech headlamps with a projector beam design and L-shaped LED daytime running lamps (DRLs) further shapes its looks. And that culminates at the rear with a bumper featuring a built-in diffuser and centred aero fins to help control under-body airflow.
Seen from the side square on, the GS projects an image of a spacious performance sedan with a hunkered-down stance.
The tapered lower door sills and the short front overhang give the GS a sense of motion, while the flared wheel arches add an athletic stance.
The redesigned interior is now more spacious and feels built to last.
Like the newly launched Camry, Toyota’s luxury division has found new ways to to make the GS cabin a little bigger all round while sticking to the same exterior dimensions as before. There’s more headroom, knee room, leg room and foot space in the latest GS.
The roof shape has been modified for this purpose and so has the front pillars.
The new layout of the long, sculpted dash gives the driver and front passenger a sense of roominess through its clean centre stack and large, high-resolution display screen.
Most of the comfort and convenience controls such as audio and climate are relocated to provide a cleaner and more sophisticated dash layout.
A fancy albeit energy-saving climate control system called S-Flow uses an occupant-detection system to focus airflow only to the front area where passengers are actually seated.
Revised door openings offer easier entry and exit all round. Boot access is improved with a wider, deeper opening, and luggage capacity is up 25% to allow four golf bags to go in.
Enhancing comfort are the front seats that can be adjusted in an amazing 18 different ways.
Initially, one may think that’s overkill, but the wifey who came along for the drive to Taiping seems to love it as she could really adjust the seat to her liking.
Now there’s a car to keep a good woman happy.
This Luxury variant of the GS 250 claims bragging rights to the world’s largest Electro Multi Vision screen. An entry-level GS 250 is available with an 8-inch screen.
The 12.3-inch screen display is large enough to support simultaneous viewing of a map and audio, climate control or other vehicle information screens that the driver chooses, thus reducing considerably the driver’s eye-movement away from the road ahead.
It’s operated by a little joystick that is at times too sensitive and can be a tad annoying to use. Nevertheless, you get used to it quickly enough; we found out later the sensitivity is adjustable through a menu setting.
And there’s an analogue clock on the dash carved from solid aluminum that gives the cabin a dash of retro modernism. Lending aural delight is a 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system.
Topping it all off is the level of craftsmanship and the top-notch finish that the Japanese typically obsess over, creating a space that is thoroughly classy.
As the GS 300 replacement, the downsized GS 250 has a 2.5-litre V6 engine coupled to a six-speed transmission. It cranks out 206bhp and 253Nm of torque to the rear wheels, with a 0-100kph sprint time of 8.6 seconds.
These are figures that the old GS 300 out-matches but the GS 250 nevertheless remains very driveable and self-assured.
It’s down to the rigid platform and a 14% increase in structural rigidity, a wider front and rear track, a revised, lighter and stronger adaptive variable suspension.
On the road, the steering feels right, being neither stiff nor too assisted for a 1.6-tonner to afford some measure of road feel.
What’s noteworthy is the sound that makes an average acceleration time seemed fast.
The GS 250 shares the same engine as the IS but it somehow almost emulates the growls and barks of the IS-F.
The explanation comes from Lexus engineers who achieved the effect by removing a muffler valve and adding a resonator.
This RM410,000 GS allows one of four drive modes to be chosen via a button on the centre console. Eco, Normal and Sport modes are standard on all models, while Sport+ mode is available to turn on the adaptive variable suspension and allow adjustments to the engine, gearbox and suspension settings.
The GS breezes along on the highway even when it’s on rough surfaces, with little noise intrusion. It can also roll through the variegated turns of secondary roads with the best of them.
It relays a sensation of solidity, offering great traction on its standard 18-inch rims, and changing direction is immediate and accurate.
The electric steering setup makes it easy to maneuver in urban environs and the car is fast enough to keep up with traffic.
For a large luxury car, the GS 250’s performance is more than adequate and comes within spitting distance of the entry-level BMW and Mercedes-Benz that Lexus tries so hard to match.
It’s been 22 years since the Japanese upstart burst onto the scene.
Enough time to sharpen its claws and move up the luxury ranks.
The latest iteration of the GS suggests the continental boys will be looking over their shoulders.