Can someone with AWD post a review?

[Tieber]

Kind of looking for a real world review of the AWD. Someone that has had some seat time in both would be great. I am wondering how this will stack up in the gs350.

[Rockville]

impressions. Last year when the GS300 AWD's arrived I got to test one with 18" wheels and it was hard to break loose unless there was some sandy debris on the road. I drove it in the snow numerous times and I would say you still need to slow down for turns but uphill and standing starts were easy to launch. The car lacked low end torque but if you revved it you had plenty of performance. I would advise the GS300 AWD owner to keep the transmission program on PWR unless it's wet and then use SNOW. The RWD's will be available with 18's and that should be a good combination of looks and performance. The new GS350 should satisfy the enthusiast driver's need for speed......

Rock

[LeighCM]

I just sold my 2006 GS300 AWD (soon to be replaced by 2007 GS350 RWD). I drove it for 14 months/12,000 miles. It's a great car...I loved the handling, the styling, the beautiful interior, the comfortable, supportive sport seats, and the impressive soundproofing. It was a little underpowered for me, but that was my only complaint (however, my other car is a 911 Turbo, so my perception of power is a little skewed). It helped a lot to leave it in PWR mode and to get the RPMs up a bit. You can break it loose on dry pavement, but it's pretty hard to do.

[flipside909]

There was a GS350 AWD next to the fully loaded $51k sticker GS350 RWD I drove this afternoon. I guess i'm gonna have to find time tomorrow and drive the AWD.

[Tieber]

Thanks for the responses. I am curious if the AWD will out handle the RWD and have close to the same power.

[flipside909]

As in each AWD variant either IS250 or even the previous 06 GS300, it is slower than the RWD variant. Outhandling the RWD vs AWD. Perhaps in rainy or snowy conditions the AWD will prevail, but in dry, you will not see a real difference other than the steering feeling a little more heavier or with some resistance in short tight parking maneuvers as with any AWD/4wd drivetrain. The AWD version however will sit higher than the RWD version by about .5 to 1" in height.

[Gohawks63]

http://www.edmunds.com/apps/vdpconta...5/article.html