2007 Lexus GS Road Test - Consumer Guide Automotive

Our road test for the 2007 Lexus GS includes a full evaluation of the 2007 Lexus GS from the inside out. We evaluate not only engine and handling performance for the 2007 Lexus GS, but also interior cabin and cargo space. Let our comprehensive road test ratings for the 2007 Lexus GS help you decide if a 2007 Lexus GS is right for you.

2007 Lexus GS Road Test

Pros	Cons

Acceleration	Rear-seat room

Ride

Quietness

Consumer Guide® Road Test Ratings

Acceleration

GS 430 w/navigation	GS 450h	Class Average
7	7	7

No opportunity yet to test GS 350. GS 430 satisfyingly fast, aided by silky, responsive transmission. Test example did 6.6 sec 0-60 mph. Lexus bills GS 450h as a high-performance hybrid. Hybrid powertrain lacks immediate kick of V8, but 450h does surge ahead with dispatch. Test example did 6.1 sec 0-60. Overall, hybrid system calls little attention to itself.

Fuel Economy

GS 430 w/navigation	GS 450h	Class Average
5	6	4.6

Test GS 430s averaged 17.2-19.5 mpg in city/highway driving that included gas-eating performance runs. Test GS 450h averaged 22.7 mpg in similar driving. All GS models require premium-grade fuel.

Ride Quality

GS 430 w/navigation	GS 450h	Class Average
6	7	6.6

Comfortably unruffled on smooth pavement. But sharp bumps too easily make way through to passenger compartment with 18-inch or available run-flat tires. Some testers also complain of minor float over large humps.

Steering/Handling/Braking

GS 430 w/navigation	GS 450h	Class Average
7	7	7.2

Little apparent difference among the GS models, though none feels as agile as a BMW 5-Series. Still, cornering lean modest, grip and balance good. Steering quick enough, but can feel a bit overassisted. Strong stopping control, but, to some testers, pedal action is either too mushy or too sensitive.

Quietness

GS 430 w/navigation	GS 450h	Class Average
8	8	6.9

Less isolated than the Lexus norm, but equals most any class rival for hushed refinement. The one annoyance is coarse-surface tire thrum. Wind rush impressively low. Classy-sounding V8 engine rises to muted growl at full throttle, 450h sounds slightly raspy. All are nearly inaudible at idle.

Controls

GS 430 w/navigation	GS 450h	Class Average
5	5	6.8

Gauges large, legible. Pleasing dashboard layout, but switches for such functions as power-mirror adjustment, trip-odometer reset, fuel-door release are in a drop-down pod to lower left of steering wheel. This compromises access to these controls and, if left open, can hit the knee of a driver entering the vehicle. Also complicating things is the touch screen control system, which governs too many functions, muddling what should be simple adjustments.

Details

GS 430 w/navigation	GS 450h	Class Average
8	8	8

Lexus-typical cabin decor blends high-grade plastics, leather, and real wood accents.

Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (front)

GS 430 w/navigation	GS 450h	Class Average
8	8	7.4

Six-footers get ample leg room, but only average head clearance. Taller-still drivers will feel cramped. Seats are all-day comfortable. Power tilt/telescope steering wheel standard. Seats set fairly high, so good all-around visibility despite moderately shallow side and rear windows.

Room/Comfort (rear)

GS 430 w/navigation	GS 450h	Class Average
5	5	5.4

Feels less roomy than BMW 5-Series or Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Decent leg room for most adults, but foot room limited and taller riders will want more head clearance. Entry/exit hampered a bit by narrowish door openings.

Cargo Room

GS 430 w/navigation	GS 450h	Class Average
3	2	4.2

Trunk not that roomy, and bulky rear wheel arches intrude. Trunklid swings on noninvasive strut-type hinges, but small opening makes for awkward loading. There's no folding rear seatback, just a slim pass-through. Hybrid's battery is behind rear seats, further reducing trunk room, and eliminating pass-through. Cabin's small-item storage limited.

Value within Class

GS 430 w/navigation	GS 450h	Class Average
6	5	6.1

Ride quality over sharp bumps disappoints, and hiding some controls in a drop-down dashboard pod is counterproductive. But any GS model is comfortable, cultured, and competent. Traditionally strong Lexus resale values and top-notch customer care appeal, too. Overall, the GS 350s are the smart buys here. They're available with all-wheel drive, and their V6 engine now has more horsepower than the costlier GS 430's V8. Lexus's boast for the GS 450h is a tall one, but not unrealistic: that it blends V8-style acceleration with fuel economy typical of 6-cyl cars and exhaust emissions usually associated with 4-cyl engines.

Total Score