Lexus GS 350 F Sport 2013 Long-Term Test - 3

Price Guide (as tested): $102,900
Options fitted to test car (not included in above price): See text
Crash rating: N/A
Fuel: 95 RON PULP
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 9.7
CO2 emissions (g/km): 225

We’ve had the Lexus GS 350 F Sport on fleet here at motoring.com.au for just over a month now. So far, most of the crew have been impressed with the luxury limo, even if it has provided us with plenty to talk about [Ed: check out the links below for previous long-term updates].

But when it came my turn to try the GS, the opportunity to go in search of that perfect stretch of winding road or to spend hour after hour critically measuring every last millimetre of interior space had evaporated in a fog of deadlines. Suffice to say my stint at the wheel was spent commuting to and from my white-walled cubicle, and very little besides.

And you know what? That’s just fine by me.

The GS was a pleasant companion to my 90km daily grind. From those icy cold mornings, to the (more) stop (than) -start trek down the Monash Freeway to the cut and thrust of inner-city peak-‘hour’ traffic the relationship between car and driver just worked. We never argued or had cause to question one another’s decisions and -- shock horror -- we even managed ‘reasonable’ fuel economy.

Now I’m not questioning the reports of my colleagues. We all experience differently the characteristics of the vehicles we assess. Partly, this is down to driving style, though more often it’s a product of the circumstances and surroundings in which the car is evaluated.

For me, this experience was streamlined somewhat. I walk outside in the morning, grab the door handle (no passé button pushing here), and hit the starter. Even the park brake applies and releases itself! The seat and steering wheel wind back into place and the seat heaters climb to temperature quickly. In fact, the car is usually defrosted and warm by the time I’ve reached the end of my (rather long) driveway.

There are a few roundabouts and school zones to tackle before hitting the highway, but even these are a cruisey, effortless undertaking that speak volumes of the GS’s liveability and comfort levels. It’s easy to place the car on the road and the seating position offers a very good field of outward vision.

The steering is effortless but not lacking feedback, while the cooperation between the transmission and throttle is one of unfaltering consultation aimed at concealing the perception of gearshifts from the driver.

Equally effortless is the GS’s canter to 100km/h. Lexus claims the GS 350 will hit triple digits in six seconds, a figure we have no trouble believing. The engine note under heavy throttle openings is rich and resonant, but as you back off and merge with traffic, the mechanical voice of the car fades to silence under just a hint of tyre rumble.

And, perhaps sadly, that’s as exciting as my daily commute gets. The rest of the time is spent “going with the flow” of Melbourne’s ever-increasing commuter traffic and enjoying the crisp clarity of digital radio -- the Mark Levinson system is pretty close to flawless in terms of sound quality. It links effortlessly with my iPhone5, too, I might add.

The GS’s ergonomics are such that most everything falls readily to hand, though a few secondary controls are located out of sight on the lower dashboard fascia, which means you’ll have to either be familiar with their location, or make use of their function prior to setting off.

Seat comfort is pretty much unsurpassed in this segment and, where support is concerned, the adjustable bolsters of the F Sport’s seats are cosseting and seemingly infinite in their level of adaptability.

Returning to my early allusion to fuel economy... The GS has proved thirsty in its time in the motoring.com.au garage with two separate scribes noting average fuel consumption tallies of around 10.6L/100km. Lexus says the GS 350 F Sport will consume a combined average of 9.7L/100km, and for my week at the wheel a steady figure of 9.3L/100km was displayed by the trip computer.

In the scheme of things, it’s a little on the high side considering the majority of my week is spent dawdling through traffic, though I will admit to achieving as low as 8.8L/100km when trying to save juice in ECO mode for a day.

With a bit of luck I’ll get another rotation through the GS before its return to Lexus in a few weeks’ time. The Lexus GS 350 F Sport proved a pleasant and generously equipped sedan with charitable accommodation levels, and I think quite attractive as well. As a luxury commuter with a hint of character, the GS has certainly done its best to win me over.

Related reading/viewing:

Lexus GS 350 F Sport Long-Term Introduction

Lexus GS 350 F Sport Long-Term Update #1

Lexus GS 350 F Sport Long-Term Video

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