2013 GS vs ES
#1
Pole Position
Thread Starter
2013 GS vs ES
I recently had my car at the dealership for the ML amp replacement. I needed a loaner and decided to try the 2013 GS350...normally I would get either a '13 RX or ES. This car was not on my radar when I wanted to upgrade to a '13 Lexus mainly because of the GS Hybrid pricing. I felt the ES300h offered more bang-for-the-buck...although without the GSh performance.
GS350 review:
Performance - The car has solid power. My co-worker has the '13 GS F-Sport; now I know a little about what he was telling me about the performance. Of course, the GS loaner had the 18" wheels whereas the F-Sport wears 19".
Handling - Hands down; GS.
Interior - The GS has 'soft materials' on the door panels, dash, etc. versus the ES with mostly plastic. My '11 ES had some if not most these 'soft materials'. So, I've come to the conclusion that Lexus wanted to make a noticable separation between these two models with the new design change hence the material change on the ES (not to mention cost). The 12" Nav screen on the GS is nice but it makes the dash look disjointed...I like the ES dash better. Although both cars have analog clocks the ES one is better looking, cleaner. The ES seems to have more interior room than the GS.
Interior complaints - The armrest on the door is too short. I tried to adjust (moving the seat rearward) to the same sitting position as my ES but ran out of armrest on the door. Also, the door armrest-to-center armrest on the GS are not quite as level as in the ES. The ES wins out in long haul sitting positions. The GS return-to-center turn signal was one of the most annoying feature I have ever seen on any vehicle...this feature is re******. Fake woodgrain...Lexus how could you?
Exterior - (subjective) I like the GS F-Sport better than the regular GS.
Ride comfort - The GS rides nice; quiet and comfortable. But, the ES 350 edges it out...the ES300h widens the margin.
Fuel mileage - Hands down; ES300h
GS350 review:
Performance - The car has solid power. My co-worker has the '13 GS F-Sport; now I know a little about what he was telling me about the performance. Of course, the GS loaner had the 18" wheels whereas the F-Sport wears 19".
Handling - Hands down; GS.
Interior - The GS has 'soft materials' on the door panels, dash, etc. versus the ES with mostly plastic. My '11 ES had some if not most these 'soft materials'. So, I've come to the conclusion that Lexus wanted to make a noticable separation between these two models with the new design change hence the material change on the ES (not to mention cost). The 12" Nav screen on the GS is nice but it makes the dash look disjointed...I like the ES dash better. Although both cars have analog clocks the ES one is better looking, cleaner. The ES seems to have more interior room than the GS.
Interior complaints - The armrest on the door is too short. I tried to adjust (moving the seat rearward) to the same sitting position as my ES but ran out of armrest on the door. Also, the door armrest-to-center armrest on the GS are not quite as level as in the ES. The ES wins out in long haul sitting positions. The GS return-to-center turn signal was one of the most annoying feature I have ever seen on any vehicle...this feature is re******. Fake woodgrain...Lexus how could you?
Exterior - (subjective) I like the GS F-Sport better than the regular GS.
Ride comfort - The GS rides nice; quiet and comfortable. But, the ES 350 edges it out...the ES300h widens the margin.
Fuel mileage - Hands down; ES300h
Last edited by KennyLexus; 03-10-13 at 03:10 AM.
#2
Toyota added soft touch surfaces to the door panels of the 2013 Camry:
http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2...hancments.html
Perhaps Lexus will do the same for the 2014 ES350
http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2...hancments.html
Perhaps Lexus will do the same for the 2014 ES350
#3
Pole Position
I recently had my car at the dealership for the ML amp replacement. I needed a loaner and decided to try the 2013 GS350...normally I would get either a '13 RX or ES. This car was not on my radar when I wanted to upgrade to a '13 Lexus mainly because of the GS Hybrid pricing. I felt the ES300h offered more bang-for-the-buck...although without the GSh performance.
GS350 review:
Performance - The car has solid power. My co-worker has the '13 GS F-Sport; now I know a little about what he was telling me about the performance. Of course, the GS loaner had the 18" wheels whereas the F-Sport wears 19".
Handling - Hands down; GS.
Interior - The GS has 'soft materials' on the door panels, dash, etc. versus the ES with mostly plastic. My '11 ES had some if not most these 'soft materials'. So, I've come to the conclusion that Lexus wanted to make a noticable separation between these two models with the new design change hence the material change on the ES (not to mention cost). The 12" Nav screen on the GS is nice but it makes the dash look disjointed...I like the ES dash better. Although both cars have analog clocks the ES one is better looking, cleaner. The ES seems to have more interior room than the GS.
Interior complaints - The armrest on the door is too short. I tried to adjust (moving the seat rearward) to the same sitting position as my ES but ran out of armrest on the door. Also, the door armrest-to-center armrest on the GS are not quite as level as in the ES. The ES wins out in long haul sitting positions. The GS return-to-center turn signal was one of the most annoying feature I have ever seen on any vehicle...this feature is re******. Fake woodgrain...Lexus how could you?
Exterior - (subjective) I like the GS F-Sport better than the regular GS.
Ride comfort - The GS rides nice; quiet and comfortable. But, the ES 350 edges it out...the ES300h widens the margin.
Fuel mileage - Hands down; ES300h
GS350 review:
Performance - The car has solid power. My co-worker has the '13 GS F-Sport; now I know a little about what he was telling me about the performance. Of course, the GS loaner had the 18" wheels whereas the F-Sport wears 19".
Handling - Hands down; GS.
Interior - The GS has 'soft materials' on the door panels, dash, etc. versus the ES with mostly plastic. My '11 ES had some if not most these 'soft materials'. So, I've come to the conclusion that Lexus wanted to make a noticable separation between these two models with the new design change hence the material change on the ES (not to mention cost). The 12" Nav screen on the GS is nice but it makes the dash look disjointed...I like the ES dash better. Although both cars have analog clocks the ES one is better looking, cleaner. The ES seems to have more interior room than the GS.
Interior complaints - The armrest on the door is too short. I tried to adjust (moving the seat rearward) to the same sitting position as my ES but ran out of armrest on the door. Also, the door armrest-to-center armrest on the GS are not quite as level as in the ES. The ES wins out in long haul sitting positions. The GS return-to-center turn signal was one of the most annoying feature I have ever seen on any vehicle...this feature is re******. Fake woodgrain...Lexus how could you?
Exterior - (subjective) I like the GS F-Sport better than the regular GS.
Ride comfort - The GS rides nice; quiet and comfortable. But, the ES 350 edges it out...the ES300h widens the margin.
Fuel mileage - Hands down; ES300h
#4
Pole Position
Thread Starter
The '13 GS loaner I drove last week had the exact same faux wood they have in a '12 Toyota Sequoia Platinum. I test drove the Sequoia and thought to myself "for +65 grand they could at least put real wood in here". If it is wood grain, it is really low grade...it looked awful.
Now, the loaner may have been a base model but I don't really know how GSs are optioned. Another co-worker of mine has a '13 GS and it has real wood just like the one I saw on the showroom floor when they first came out...beautiful real wood.
Anyway, I feel even a base model '13 GS should have real wood. The base model '13 ES loaner had real wood. I don't understand why Lexus would offer faux wood in the GS.
Now, the loaner may have been a base model but I don't really know how GSs are optioned. Another co-worker of mine has a '13 GS and it has real wood just like the one I saw on the showroom floor when they first came out...beautiful real wood.
Anyway, I feel even a base model '13 GS should have real wood. The base model '13 ES loaner had real wood. I don't understand why Lexus would offer faux wood in the GS.
#5
Moderator
iTrader: (20)
I recently had my car at the dealership for the ML amp replacement. I needed a loaner and decided to try the 2013 GS350...normally I would get either a '13 RX or ES. This car was not on my radar when I wanted to upgrade to a '13 Lexus mainly because of the GS Hybrid pricing. I felt the ES300h offered more bang-for-the-buck...although without the GSh performance.
GS350 review:
Performance - The car has solid power. My co-worker has the '13 GS F-Sport; now I know a little about what he was telling me about the performance. Of course, the GS loaner had the 18" wheels whereas the F-Sport wears 19".
Handling - Hands down; GS.
Interior - The GS has 'soft materials' on the door panels, dash, etc. versus the ES with mostly plastic. My '11 ES had some if not most these 'soft materials'. So, I've come to the conclusion that Lexus wanted to make a noticable separation between these two models with the new design change hence the material change on the ES (not to mention cost). The 12" Nav screen on the GS is nice but it makes the dash look disjointed...I like the ES dash better. Although both cars have analog clocks the ES one is better looking, cleaner. The ES seems to have more interior room than the GS.
Interior complaints - The armrest on the door is too short. I tried to adjust (moving the seat rearward) to the same sitting position as my ES but ran out of armrest on the door. Also, the door armrest-to-center armrest on the GS are not quite as level as in the ES. The ES wins out in long haul sitting positions. The GS return-to-center turn signal was one of the most annoying feature I have ever seen on any vehicle...this feature is re******. Fake woodgrain...Lexus how could you?
Exterior - (subjective) I like the GS F-Sport better than the regular GS.
Ride comfort - The GS rides nice; quiet and comfortable. But, the ES 350 edges it out...the ES300h widens the margin.
Fuel mileage - Hands down; ES300h
GS350 review:
Performance - The car has solid power. My co-worker has the '13 GS F-Sport; now I know a little about what he was telling me about the performance. Of course, the GS loaner had the 18" wheels whereas the F-Sport wears 19".
Handling - Hands down; GS.
Interior - The GS has 'soft materials' on the door panels, dash, etc. versus the ES with mostly plastic. My '11 ES had some if not most these 'soft materials'. So, I've come to the conclusion that Lexus wanted to make a noticable separation between these two models with the new design change hence the material change on the ES (not to mention cost). The 12" Nav screen on the GS is nice but it makes the dash look disjointed...I like the ES dash better. Although both cars have analog clocks the ES one is better looking, cleaner. The ES seems to have more interior room than the GS.
Interior complaints - The armrest on the door is too short. I tried to adjust (moving the seat rearward) to the same sitting position as my ES but ran out of armrest on the door. Also, the door armrest-to-center armrest on the GS are not quite as level as in the ES. The ES wins out in long haul sitting positions. The GS return-to-center turn signal was one of the most annoying feature I have ever seen on any vehicle...this feature is re******. Fake woodgrain...Lexus how could you?
Exterior - (subjective) I like the GS F-Sport better than the regular GS.
Ride comfort - The GS rides nice; quiet and comfortable. But, the ES 350 edges it out...the ES300h widens the margin.
Fuel mileage - Hands down; ES300h
Last edited by bigblack06; 03-10-13 at 05:03 PM.
#6
Lexus Fanatic
The '13 GS loaner I drove last week had the exact same faux wood they have in a '12 Toyota Sequoia Platinum. I test drove the Sequoia and thought to myself "for +65 grand they could at least put real wood in here". If it is wood grain, it is really low grade...it looked awful.
See the website:
http://www.lexus.com/models/GS/features/
Matte dark brown walnut interior trim
STD STD - -
STD STD - -
The GS return-to-center turn signal was one of the most annoying feature I have ever seen on any vehicle...
The ES wins out in long haul sitting positions.
I like the ES dash better.
Ride comfort - The GS rides nice; quiet and comfortable. But, the ES 350 edges it out...the ES300h widens the margin.
ES300h and ES350 ride identically, any difference is in your head, the suspension is the same.
The ES seems to have more interior room than the GS.
Last edited by SW17LS; 03-10-13 at 05:21 PM.
#7
Overall I think the interior of the ES is a significant improvement over the previous ES. Certainly some areas have some lower quality materials, but mostly those areas are places you aren't going to touch/see, and I think the leather-ish stitched dash is such a huge quality look improvement its worth the tradeoff.
The difference is that in the 5 (and the GS) those plastics are still soft, dull & rubbery, slightly padded, whereas the plastic on the ES in these areas, and more is absolutely hard, slightly glossy, and non-rubberized, similar to the type of plastic you find in economy car interiors.
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#8
Lexus Fanatic
And now, it feels like this board constantly gets a fresh reminder of your revised thoughts on the subject. I think we got it.
#9
Well of course for another 10k you're going to get nicer materials everywhere, RWD, extra sportiness and more available toys. With the only trade off being rear legroom and trunk room. To each his own and what you're willing to spend for it.
#10
Lexus Fanatic
My frustration is that $40k and the ES used to buy you a lot of what you have to move up to the GS now to get.
#11
I think Lexus did a much better job on differentiating their ES,GS and LS customers with these 2013 models. Now the GS truly fits between the ES and LS much better rather than being too far Left from the middle.
#12
Pole Position
#13
Lexus Fanatic
#14
Moderator
iTrader: (20)
Totally agree, it finally fits where it belongs.