Test drove the GS300 RWD, M35x, M45 Sport. My impressions.
03-13-05, 12:07 PM
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Test drove the GS300 RWD, M35x, M45 Sport. My impressions.
I took a couple weekends to test drive the GS300 RWD (almost everything except Levinson), M35x (Journey and Tech) and M45 Sport (Journey and Tech). I am someone who is “into” cars, my wife (more like the average person) is someone who is NOT “into” cars. Here are my (and my wife’s) impressions.
Exterior:
M: I really like the aggressive, yet classy front end treatment of the M. The profile is okay, but not emotive. The rear end is pretty bland, except the very large tail-lights. My wife just said the car “looks okay.”
GS: The GS has the best looking profile in this class. It flows well and looks luxurious. The rear is just okay. What I don’t like is the front. The front is not aggressive looking at all, the bulge on the headlights gives it a bug-eyed look, and the separate headlights are too “cluttered” looking. My wife agreed that the profile looked good, but really hated the rear end, saying that it looks like a Civic but bigger. Personally, I don’t see the resemblance to a Civic’s butt. She also harped on the grill of the GS for some reason.
Interior design:
M: The M tries to do something different, and overall the effect is pretty good. I like the large, colorful screen. There is the right amount of wood in the car, and I got used to the matte finish after a while. However, although the orange lighting makes the car more sporty, it is not a personal favorite of mine. Orange reminds me of some of the computer screens from the 80’s.
GS: Lexus took the safe route, giving the GS a generic, yet familiar center stack design. The glossy wood looks good. I really like the machined finish of the instrument clusters, as well as the white lighting.
My wife did not like the “font” on the buttons on either car. (???)
Interior materials:
Very good materials on both. I felt and rubbed the materials on both cars, and I could not tell that those inside the GS were any better, contrary to what some others have reported. If anything, the thin strip of “aluminum” around the screen in the GS felt somewhat tacky. The leather seats in the GS were definitely softer, and the leather in the M was somewhat between the “soft” leather in the GS and the “hard” leather in the German cars. Matter of personal preference here, but I prefer softer leather.
One thing, I hate the feel of wood steering wheels, as in the GS. It looks good, but even regular old vinyl feels better in your hands.
Ergonomics:
Although overall ergonomics in both cars are pretty good, I would say that the GS edges the M in this regard. The buttons on the GS are more conveniently reachable, and I love the 10 way power adjusts on the passenger seat. I hate the fact that the front portion of the passenger seat cushion in the M cannot be adjusted separately. My wife likes to have the seat high, and felt that the front portion of the seat sloped too far down relative to the rear portion.
Room:
The M was just more spacious than the GS in basically every dimension. I was surprised by how cramped the GS felt. Even my wife (5’4) noticed this. There was a guy about 6’2 there, and he was saying how much he liked the GS, but just could not fit in it. The trunk on both cars is not that great, but the opening on the GS is just horrendous. A box of normal size won’t be able to fit through that opening.
Stereo:
The 5.1 Bose in the M was really nice, even with a regular CD playing. Unfortunately, the GS wasn’t equipped with Levinson, and the regular setup was really disappointing. The speakers just crackled and could not handle some low bass coming from an FM station. This was confirmed from a friend of mine who bought the 2006 GS300 without Levinson, and he said the stereo is pretty weak.
Acceleration:
The M35x, even with all that additional weight, just felt more powerful and faster than the GS300 RWD. The M35x did have that trademark VQ growl (coming mostly from the exhaust I think), which may get tiring after a while, depending on your preferences. The GS300 felt more sluggish than I anticipated. Even my wife said that she had to “push the pedal down further” to get the car to go, and it didn’t seem any faster than her 2004 Accord EX V6 auto.
The M45 was simply smooth and POWERFUL.
Handling and ride:
The GS300 was typical Lexus smooth. The road-feel and handling were pretty good, although I felt that the handling was too light and too boosted. Even though the M wasn’t as smooth as the GS, I was surprised to find how well the M35x and M45 Sport soaked up road irregularities, contrary to the reports of others. The handling of the M was very precise and “German” in feel, and there was definitely less body roll than the GS. Some people have said that the handling edge of the M won’t be apparent other than on a track, but I felt that it was definitely apparent in normal driving.
Exterior:
M: I really like the aggressive, yet classy front end treatment of the M. The profile is okay, but not emotive. The rear end is pretty bland, except the very large tail-lights. My wife just said the car “looks okay.”
GS: The GS has the best looking profile in this class. It flows well and looks luxurious. The rear is just okay. What I don’t like is the front. The front is not aggressive looking at all, the bulge on the headlights gives it a bug-eyed look, and the separate headlights are too “cluttered” looking. My wife agreed that the profile looked good, but really hated the rear end, saying that it looks like a Civic but bigger. Personally, I don’t see the resemblance to a Civic’s butt. She also harped on the grill of the GS for some reason.
Interior design:
M: The M tries to do something different, and overall the effect is pretty good. I like the large, colorful screen. There is the right amount of wood in the car, and I got used to the matte finish after a while. However, although the orange lighting makes the car more sporty, it is not a personal favorite of mine. Orange reminds me of some of the computer screens from the 80’s.
GS: Lexus took the safe route, giving the GS a generic, yet familiar center stack design. The glossy wood looks good. I really like the machined finish of the instrument clusters, as well as the white lighting.
My wife did not like the “font” on the buttons on either car. (???)
Interior materials:
Very good materials on both. I felt and rubbed the materials on both cars, and I could not tell that those inside the GS were any better, contrary to what some others have reported. If anything, the thin strip of “aluminum” around the screen in the GS felt somewhat tacky. The leather seats in the GS were definitely softer, and the leather in the M was somewhat between the “soft” leather in the GS and the “hard” leather in the German cars. Matter of personal preference here, but I prefer softer leather.
One thing, I hate the feel of wood steering wheels, as in the GS. It looks good, but even regular old vinyl feels better in your hands.
Ergonomics:
Although overall ergonomics in both cars are pretty good, I would say that the GS edges the M in this regard. The buttons on the GS are more conveniently reachable, and I love the 10 way power adjusts on the passenger seat. I hate the fact that the front portion of the passenger seat cushion in the M cannot be adjusted separately. My wife likes to have the seat high, and felt that the front portion of the seat sloped too far down relative to the rear portion.
Room:
The M was just more spacious than the GS in basically every dimension. I was surprised by how cramped the GS felt. Even my wife (5’4) noticed this. There was a guy about 6’2 there, and he was saying how much he liked the GS, but just could not fit in it. The trunk on both cars is not that great, but the opening on the GS is just horrendous. A box of normal size won’t be able to fit through that opening.
Stereo:
The 5.1 Bose in the M was really nice, even with a regular CD playing. Unfortunately, the GS wasn’t equipped with Levinson, and the regular setup was really disappointing. The speakers just crackled and could not handle some low bass coming from an FM station. This was confirmed from a friend of mine who bought the 2006 GS300 without Levinson, and he said the stereo is pretty weak.
Acceleration:
The M35x, even with all that additional weight, just felt more powerful and faster than the GS300 RWD. The M35x did have that trademark VQ growl (coming mostly from the exhaust I think), which may get tiring after a while, depending on your preferences. The GS300 felt more sluggish than I anticipated. Even my wife said that she had to “push the pedal down further” to get the car to go, and it didn’t seem any faster than her 2004 Accord EX V6 auto.
The M45 was simply smooth and POWERFUL.
Handling and ride:
The GS300 was typical Lexus smooth. The road-feel and handling were pretty good, although I felt that the handling was too light and too boosted. Even though the M wasn’t as smooth as the GS, I was surprised to find how well the M35x and M45 Sport soaked up road irregularities, contrary to the reports of others. The handling of the M was very precise and “German” in feel, and there was definitely less body roll than the GS. Some people have said that the handling edge of the M won’t be apparent other than on a track, but I felt that it was definitely apparent in normal driving.
03-13-05, 12:39 PM
#2
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Originally Posted by jrock65
The GS300 was typical Lexus smooth. The road-feel and handling were pretty good, although I felt that the handling was too light and too boosted. Even though the M wasn’t as smooth as the GS, I was surprised to find how well the M35x and M45 Sport soaked up road irregularities, contrary to the reports of others. The handling of the M was very precise and “German” in feel, and there was definitely less body roll than the GS. Some people have said that the handling edge of the M won’t be apparent other than on a track, but I felt that it was definitely apparent in normal driving.
I also like the leather more in the GS, & I feel more comfortable in it than the M despite it being less spacious than the M, maybe because I'm used to driving smaller cars. I don't mind the wood steering wheel of the GS, I think it's a nice touch & appropiate for a luxury sedan even a more sporty one, I don't think the grip is super important anyway as they are not real sports car & not meant to be driven like a Porsche. In Canada, unlike in the U.S., you don't get wood steering wheel unless you choose the premium package for the GS300, but it's standard for the GS430. There's more growl in the sound of the M35 than the GS but not as pronounced as in the G35 sedan. On the whole I can't say which is better, just different, but compared to the M powerwise, the GS needs the upgrade to the GS350.
03-13-05, 01:41 PM
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Great job on the write up. You really paid close attention to both cars. Nice touch adding your wife's perspecive. Its so hard to pick up on subtle things when test driving a car. Your team approach whether intended or not gives you a big advantage when evaluating these great cars. Its easy to get overwhelmed on a test drive but you (and your wife) clearly kept your wits about yourself.
03-14-05, 08:00 AM
#5
Lexus Test Driver
Another good comparison
Thank your wife for me because these impressions are important to us at Lexus. This forum is generally enthusiast bent and it makes more of a real world comparison vs. a Car and Driver point of view. Next try out the GS430 which you will find only with Nav/Mark Levinson, 18"s 5 spoke, Adjustable damping, Hughes brakes, rear spoiler and ventilated seats.(heated/cooled) If it's a wet day try out the VDIM system. Great write up.
03-16-05, 08:29 PM
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Thanks.
Rockville,
I'd have loved to test drive the GS430, but they didn't have one available for test drive. Maybe some other weekend when I get the chance.
blacksc,
The GS is a nice car, but it's out for me simply because I hate the small trunk opening. Also, I wouldn't get the 3.0 when I know the 3.5 is coming next year.
The M is a fine car too, but I want more adjustments for the passenger seat. I'm pretty particular about nitpicky things like that. They made the FX passenger seat 8-way one year after its release, hopefully that'll happen with the M as well. I don't need a new car right away, so I'll probably hold off until next year. If not, I might even go for, GASP, an SUV.
Rockville,
I'd have loved to test drive the GS430, but they didn't have one available for test drive. Maybe some other weekend when I get the chance.
blacksc,
The GS is a nice car, but it's out for me simply because I hate the small trunk opening. Also, I wouldn't get the 3.0 when I know the 3.5 is coming next year.
The M is a fine car too, but I want more adjustments for the passenger seat. I'm pretty particular about nitpicky things like that. They made the FX passenger seat 8-way one year after its release, hopefully that'll happen with the M as well. I don't need a new car right away, so I'll probably hold off until next year. If not, I might even go for, GASP, an SUV.
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03-16-05, 08:55 PM
#8
Lexus Test Driver
What part of Va. are you in jrock65?
If you are near DC sometime come up 270 to exit 8 and come see us. We only have one GS430 to drive but you are welcome to it. We rocks have to stick together.....Say hello to the Mrs. Rock.
03-20-05, 08:09 AM
#9
Lexus Champion
I test drove the GS430 last weekend, so I've also had the chance to compare it to the M45. Here are my impressions...
I've always been a fan of the GS exterior styling, so no problem there. The long nose immediately stood out in the dealer lot, kinda like the 1st gen SC Coupe, and the 18" wheels looked fantastic. I found the M styling nice, but generic, and it needs the 19" wheels to stand out at all. The GS would be the one I would sneak out to the garage at night to admire.
I'm not so blown away by the interior in the GS, especially compared to the 2nd gen GS, and I wish Lexus had moved away from the touch screen. My '03 GS had a touch screen, and so did my $35k Acura TL. Most of the cars in the GS's class have moved on, and have also introduced more extensive voice recognition, and I wish Lexus would as well. Not saying progress is always better (i.e. I-Drive), but using the touch screen brought back memories of having to spend more time than necessary changing settings. I personally prefer the M interior as I think it has a warmer, more "retro" look, but it might get a bit tiresome over the long haul. The GS interior is spartan in comparison, but it is a clean design that should stand the test of time. I find the materials in the M to be on a par with those in the GS.
My driving impressions of the GS430 were good, but not great. Since I've read mixed comments in this forum, I drove with "Sport" and "Power" settings on at all times. The car is definitely QUIET... no argument there...but I felt detached from the driving experience. Even my RL feels a bit more connected. The most disappointing aspect of the drive was flooring the gas from a standstill only to find a significant delay in response. It reminded me of the first time I test drove an '01 GS430 and the salesman said "step on it". I did, and nothing happened. I was like... "what's the big deal? Where's the 300hp" That was also the case with my SC430, but I got used to it over time. I know it has to do with throttle-by-wire. Anyway, it was a big surprise and not something I experienced with the M. Don't get me wrong... once I got the GS up to speed it was very responsive. The transmission was also extremly smooth, and the handling was decent. And I'm not easy on my test drives. (Sometimes I scare the salesmen.
) The M has a more visceral feeling, but the GS is more than competent for everyday driving.
From a sound system standpoint, I found the Bose and Levinson systems to be pretty well matched. I took "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" in DVD-A on both test drives and was more impressed in the M, mostly because of the speakers on each side of the headrest. "U2, 1990-2000" in standard CD sounded better in the GS.
I guess that pretty much covers it. As I've stated several times before, my remarks are unbiased because there is a good chance I will be trading my RL for one of these cars in the not-too-distant future. IMHO, the M wins hands down for driving, technology, and interior detail. However, there's something about the style and overall quality of the GS that appeals to my emotional side. I also think the GS will have more longevity in the marketplace. Think about it... even the 1st gen GS still looks pretty good. It's a tough choice, but both are great cars.
I've always been a fan of the GS exterior styling, so no problem there. The long nose immediately stood out in the dealer lot, kinda like the 1st gen SC Coupe, and the 18" wheels looked fantastic. I found the M styling nice, but generic, and it needs the 19" wheels to stand out at all. The GS would be the one I would sneak out to the garage at night to admire.
I'm not so blown away by the interior in the GS, especially compared to the 2nd gen GS, and I wish Lexus had moved away from the touch screen. My '03 GS had a touch screen, and so did my $35k Acura TL. Most of the cars in the GS's class have moved on, and have also introduced more extensive voice recognition, and I wish Lexus would as well. Not saying progress is always better (i.e. I-Drive), but using the touch screen brought back memories of having to spend more time than necessary changing settings. I personally prefer the M interior as I think it has a warmer, more "retro" look, but it might get a bit tiresome over the long haul. The GS interior is spartan in comparison, but it is a clean design that should stand the test of time. I find the materials in the M to be on a par with those in the GS.
My driving impressions of the GS430 were good, but not great. Since I've read mixed comments in this forum, I drove with "Sport" and "Power" settings on at all times. The car is definitely QUIET... no argument there...but I felt detached from the driving experience. Even my RL feels a bit more connected. The most disappointing aspect of the drive was flooring the gas from a standstill only to find a significant delay in response. It reminded me of the first time I test drove an '01 GS430 and the salesman said "step on it". I did, and nothing happened. I was like... "what's the big deal? Where's the 300hp" That was also the case with my SC430, but I got used to it over time. I know it has to do with throttle-by-wire. Anyway, it was a big surprise and not something I experienced with the M. Don't get me wrong... once I got the GS up to speed it was very responsive. The transmission was also extremly smooth, and the handling was decent. And I'm not easy on my test drives. (Sometimes I scare the salesmen.
) The M has a more visceral feeling, but the GS is more than competent for everyday driving. From a sound system standpoint, I found the Bose and Levinson systems to be pretty well matched. I took "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" in DVD-A on both test drives and was more impressed in the M, mostly because of the speakers on each side of the headrest. "U2, 1990-2000" in standard CD sounded better in the GS.
I guess that pretty much covers it. As I've stated several times before, my remarks are unbiased because there is a good chance I will be trading my RL for one of these cars in the not-too-distant future. IMHO, the M wins hands down for driving, technology, and interior detail. However, there's something about the style and overall quality of the GS that appeals to my emotional side. I also think the GS will have more longevity in the marketplace. Think about it... even the 1st gen GS still looks pretty good. It's a tough choice, but both are great cars.
Last edited by dseag2; 03-20-05 at 08:13 AM.
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