Just Drove A New Gs300 Awd!

[vcv10guy]

The new one is at least as big as the old one, I don't think it gained any space but I don't feel it lost any space either. I would be comfortable in it, I dont think its cramped its just too small in the rear to use carting customers around all day looking at houses. Like my ES the space is fine up front.

As for the trunk, the trunk IS small but its probably again the same as the outgoing car. The reason it looks smaller is because Lexus is doing cubbies on both sides of the trunk wall now like BMW, makes the trunk area squarer.

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Ya the GS overall is just as big as it's predecessor, but the trunk is smaller looking (I spent a lot of time comparing the trunks of the IS, new GS, and an '01 GS). I guess the squaring of the trunk does make it look smaller. The new GS has I think 12.7 cu ft. whereas the last generation had 14.8 cu ft (2 cu ft. lost). I carry a lot of passengers and put a lot of stuff in the trunk, so good rear space and a big trunk is a must. Oh well, I'll be looking at a 2nd generation GS in a few months anyway (can't afford a new GS <_< ).

[SW03ES]

You'd have to look into how much of that 2 cu/ft is usable though, room around the wheel wells etc that isn't really usable space.

Its so narrow though I dont know if a set of golf clubs would even fit back there.

[Lexusfreak]

Well, after reading the thread below about the member that just took delivery of his new GS430, I decided I would saunter on down to the Lexus dealer and take a new GS for a spin. I drove it on a test loop, followed by a new LS430, and followed by my ES300, all the same loop. Overall I was impressed with the car, but it didn't blow my socks off. The car I drove was a fully loaded GS300 AWD with nav, the new ML DVD Surround stereo with an MSRP of just over $51,000 (yikes).

EXTERIOR

The exterior of the new GS is very clean, definately more attractive than the aging body of its predecessor. It is very smooth and italian looking, and I feel it looks like a Lexus. If this is the future of Lexus styling, I'm happy. The car definately is more attractive in person than in photos as I knew it would be, and it doesn't look anything like an Avalon.

One thing that really struck me is how small the car is. Its about the same height as an ES, but its at least 4 inches shorter and a couple inches narrower with a sportier stance. Its absolutely dwarfed by the LS430. The car I drove was as loaded as a 300 comes, and it had the 17s with runflat Dunlops we've all seen. It was Matador Red with a Cashmere interior.

INTERIOR and ELECTRONICS

I like the syling of the interior as I did the quality for the most part. There were some rough edged and thinner plastics around the radio face than I'm used to in a Lexus, and sadly the interior colored rearview mirror is replaced by a black one that is made of pretty shoddy plastics. I'd say the plastics in these areas were lower quality than those found on my ES and certainly on the LS, dissapointing. I also have to say I prefer the styling of the LS and ES with the wood high on the door and dash panels, feels more luxurious to me having the wood in your sightlines as you look around the car. The leather is top notch and the seats are amazingly supportive, the lack of support in the LS was immediately apparent after driving the GS, as it was in the ES but to a lesser degree. I love the styling of the center console with the consealed seat warmer ECT switches under the sliding armrest and the concealed mirror and instrument panel buttons on the left side of the steering wheel. Makes for a much cleaner look. All the lighting is LED and it casts a cool HIDish glow over the interior. Better light staging than on the ES or LS, opening the door to the GS at night is an event it is very, very cool.

Space in the rear is no better than my ES which is as I feared, and the LS has 5-6 inches on both of them. With the drivers seat positioned like I like it my knees touched the seat in the ES and GS, but I could cross my legs in the LS. Not a big deal for most people, but this alone will keep me out of a GS as I need the car to carry clients as a Realtor. The trunk is also much smaller than the trunk on the ES or on the LS.

The new gauges are AWESOME, Lexus did such a nice job with them. They really needed to do something as all carmakers have optitron gauges now, and they did. They look very high tech and very expensive. The readouts under the gauges are also much improved. The gauges have 7 different settings and they change automatically depending on the ambient light. All the buttons have a nicely damped feel and operate silently.

Stereo/Nav.

Well, I'm dissapointed in the nav screen. Yes it may be big, but its lower resolution than the one found on my ES and the LS and graphics and backgrounds appear granier. The screen is also positioned in such a way that having the shade pulled back on the moonroof glares on the screen and it cannot be adjusted like on my ES, nor is it inset like on the LS. I also wasn't blown away by the new DVD ML system, the surrpound feature sounded good but it doesn't really sound any better than the ML system in my ES, and I liked the ML in the LS better.

RIDE and DRIVE

Lexus did a great job on the suspension on the GS. Its taut with very little dive when braking or lean in the corners yet it is also very smooth and refined. It drives very much like a BMW now, with a lot of confidence that the ES and LS blatantly dont have and a tauter overall feel. The engine is very responsive and smooth, I would bet the 430 is an absolute screamer. Nicely damped gas and brake pedals, definately a better driver than the previous GS that I wasn't impressed at all with. The runflats were surprisingly smooth and only let you know what they actually are over expansion joints, they'd be the first thing to go for normal tires though.

Overall I'm very impressed with the GS, Lexus did a great job with this car not only in form and function but in the engineering of the suspension also, a great drivers car. My only complaints are the rediculously small trunk and the small quality foibles some places that shouldn't be there on such an expensive car. I won't be buying one, but thats because the size of the car doesn't fit my needs not because of any fault.

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Well said sw! B)

I haven't driven the GS personally, but I did go over the car very carefully both inside & out at the auto show last week. If it's interior room that your looking for, I suggest going for the Avalon (drive one with the new 3.5L V6) as even the back seats recline & much more leg room as you mentioned than the ES or GS. Put the $14k or so in your pocket & next winter (when the real estate market slows down as it does every year), go on a nice, long well deserved vacation! :D

It's weird though, I hate to say it, I found I was much more impressed overall with the Avalon than the new GS So were many other auto show go-ers........there was a line up to sit in the Avalon (probably mostly due to the fact once I sat in it, I locked to door & didn't want to get out for a long while lol ), but hardly a wait at the GS. Perhaps once they saw the asking price, they just wanted to see what all the 'buzz' was at the Toyota booth. ;) B)

[SW03ES]

I wasn't impressed with the Avalon at all, lots of toys but not much of the solidity of the Lexus sedans or the high quality materials. I'm going to post a similar review of it. Its a nice Toyota, but I still would have bought my ES had it been availiable at the time.

[vcv10guy]

I wasn't impressed with the Avalon at all, lots of toys but not much of the solidity of the Lexus sedans or the high quality materials. I'm going to post a similar review of it. Its a nice Toyota, but I still would have bought my ES had it been availiable at the time.

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I look forward to reading your review Steve.

Lexusfreak,

Haven't seen you post for awhile. Been on vacation? :D I was impressed by the Avalon too and it's new powerful engine is very attractive as well. I wonder if that engine is going to find it's way into the ES in the future. I have yet to see the Avalon in person, but I plan to in near future.

[SW03ES]

Review of the Avalon is posted in the General section.

[Lexusfreak]

Lexusfreak,

Haven't seen you post for awhile.  Been on vacation?  :D  I was impressed by the Avalon too and it's new powerful engine is very attractive as well.  I wonder if that engine is going to find it's way into the ES in the future.  I have yet to see the Avalon in person, but I plan to in near future.

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Nope, not on vacation........just switched back to night shift here at work lol. I'm going to Florida in about a week however so everyone can get an additional break from me for a couple weeks ;) j/k. Nice to be back! I've missed the forums.

I really hope Lexus put's that 3.5L V6 in the next gen ES too B) My fingers are crossed. :D

[vcv10guy]

Lexusfreak,

Haven't seen you post for awhile.  Been on vacation?   :D   I was impressed by the Avalon too and it's new powerful engine is very attractive as well.  I wonder if that engine is going to find it's way into the ES in the future.  I have yet to see the Avalon in person, but I plan to in near future.

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Nope, not on vacation........just switched back to night shift here at work lol. I'm going to Florida in about a week however so everyone can get an additional break from me for a couple weeks ;) j/k. Nice to be back! I've missed the forums.

I really hope Lexus put's that 3.5L V6 in the next gen ES too B) My fingers are crossed. :D

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haha, I see that explains why you've been gone. Heading to Florida on business? I hope too that engine makes its way into the ES in the future. I also think the GS' engine should have been as powerful as the Avalon's at least. Oh well, the GS300 is still a lot faster than it's predecessor due to the better engine and 6 speed automatic. It's a quick car. B)

[Lexusfreak]

haha, I see that explains why you've been gone.  Heading to Florida on business?  I hope too that engine makes its way into the ES in the future.  I also think the GS' engine should have been as powerful as the Avalon's at least.  Oh well, the GS300 is still a lot faster than it's predecessor due to the better engine and 6 speed automatic.  It's a quick car.  B)

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Two weeks or R & R with my wife & in-laws. :D Going to see some MLB spring training games & I can't wait. B)

I'm guessing the V6 GS will become the GS350 in the near future. :whistles: B)

[Booyah]

Just saw a new 300AWD at my dealer when I dropped off my RX330 for 5K service----hate to say but my 330 may stay at the dealership while I drive the new GS home:)

Its freakin nice!--but why do they still put the damn ashtray in there????

[lexus ls430]

i think the gs430 is very nice

[027922]

Steve, enjoyed your GS review, thanks. AutoWeek magazine this week has published an intro. article on the 2006 GSs. It talks about the drive wheel power split in AWD. Not a test drive but a description of features. Go to this link for the report - http://www.autoweek.com/article.cms?articleId=101887