So we got an opportunity to test drive the Lexus GS350 F-Sport this weekend. Knowing the GS 350 has been designed primarily as a premium family car, I was curious to know how it fared particularly in terms of interior features when compared with rivals, such as 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Audi A6 or Jaguar XF. Other aspects like drive experience and styling are important too but for families, the real deal is on comfort, safety and entertainment. This is our first hand experience with this midsize luxury sedan.

Style

I miss the signature spindle grille introduced in the newer models like the IS 350 F-Sport we drove last year. It should really be on all the models now. The current grille on GS 350 looks plain compared to the spindle. As a premium family car, it's ok on the looks, nothing spectacular. The headlamps come with LED, auto leveling, 19 inch alloy wheels and chrome exhaust tips. The GS stays within it's comfort zone and keeps it's target audience in mind so even with F-Sport body kit, it's not as sporty looking as IS 350. It does pale in comparison though with the styling of Jaguar XF and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. A few styling chops would do no harm and we recommend that for the next upgrade.

Interior Materials and Finishing

The interior is super comfortable, the seats in our top spec car came with premium quality leather, although newer sedans recently launched like 2014 Hyundai Genesis Sedan have comparable (arguably better?) interiors too, so the interior here is on par with the quality found among other premium sedans. The interior is decidedly premium, unlike that of Audi A6 which is more on the sportier side. Soft touch padding can be found all around the car and the center console material has been used with decent quality materials as well. The steering is designed quite ergonomically and the F-Sport has a nice sporty friction padding that makes the driving experience a bit more macho. The analogue clock is a nice touch, though I suspect practically every 'luxury' sedan in the market is now having an analogue clock so maybe some innovation is required here. The A/C vents are the same as those found in the IS 350 we reviewed and we repeat: they deserve an upgrade in their shape. They are a throwback to the 80's sedan wave, please please change them! I love the ambient lighting, even the door handles have ambient lighting outside which makes the car stand out like a hero in dim lighting. The odometer has fancy blue ambient lighting as well. and the overall ambience is quite luxurious. A family will be delighted to ride in this cozy, comfortable interior.

Interior Features and Technology

I'm sure you've noticed the foot pedals, yes, I like them too. I also love the joystick that makes navigation on the infotainment system a peach. I adore the gearbox, decorated with a sporty stitch and makes shifting fun. The Mark Levinson sound system on our test car is also found on the Hyundai Genesis Sedan and with 17 speakers, sounds great. The 12.3 inch digital navigation and entertainment screen is one of the best we have experienced and ranks up there with the top cars in the segment. The controls are very intuitive, particularly the seat and steering controls. The steering wheel can be adjusted not just for tilt but also for front and back movements. The 10 way adjustable seats have 3 memory options too. All these features make for a great family environment. The safety features are quite decent, with 8 airbags, pre crash system, adaptive cruise control and blindspot. Having said that, newer sedans are coming up with more advanced safety technologies as highlighted in the recent Infiniti Q50 drive, so Lexus might need to play catch up in the safety department.

Interior Space and Visibility

Great leg room at the back and front, lots of practical space in the boot. Front, side and rear visibility is quite adequate as well. The only kink in this armor is the head room in front which is quite low. I could feel it even at my average height of 5 ft 6 inches. Now, the seats can be lowered using the electric controls, however when we do that, the frontal visibility becomes quite low. So we tried adjusting the seating but the frontal visibility issue remained, almost similar to the frontal visibility issue we experienced with the 2014 Honda Odyssey we drove earlier. It's not a terrible issue though, just a small speed bump in the overall spectrum. Lastly, l admire the lack of road noise, it is a noticeably quiet cabin.

Power and Brakes

The GS 350 comes equipped with an all new 8 speed automatic transmission with 3 drive modes, Eco, Sport and Sport +. While the Eco is fairly boring, it is indeed effective in conserving fuel as the RPM takes ages to go up. On Sport + mode, the steering stiffens up noticeably and the pick up is significantly quicker too. So we did a few runs using Sport + drive mode, and found that it takes an average of 7.3 seconds to accelerate from 0 - 100 km, which is much faster than the 3.6 liter Cadillac CTS we tested recently and almost equal to the acceleration we got with the 3.7 liter Infiniti Q50. Not bad at all. The Lexus GS 350 generates 312 horsepower and 378 Nm torque which is plenty for comfortable road trips. Our braking tests showed a braking time from 100 - 0 km in 3.2 seconds, which is not best in class but fairly decent. For some reason, the tires on our test car squealed unusually loud and the car wobbled a bit when braked hard. This is unusual as most test cars of this level normally stay stable when braked and the tires don't scream so much. Also the rev sound of the engine is not the best we've heard, it sounds more like a struggling engine than an actual rev sound. Again, it's not meant to sound like a real sporty sedan, so we don't fault Lexus too much for it.

Suspension and Handling

Suspension, as expected is on the luxury soft side and it's how it should be, as the core audience are families looking for a comfortable drive. It's the handling that took us by a not-so-pleasant surprise. Well, maybe we expected a bit too much. For a family premium sedan, the handling is just fine for the most part. However, if you're expecting sporty-ish handling because you're driving in Sport mode, forget about it. The sharp cornering screams understeer and it's actually boring. We found sharp turns even at 80 km / h to be a struggle for the GS 350. Stick to straight line mode on this one.

Verdict

Despite having an F-Sport body kit, two Sport modes, paddle shifters and a sporty looking steering wheel, there is nothing sporty about the 2014 Lexus GS350. It's an out and out premium luxury sedan and it's great for families. It's spacious, it's comfortable and its practical. It also enjoys a smashing resale value in this part of the world. So do give it a serious look if you're a family man but don't expect much sport from the F-Sport.