Drewski123

Hi all. I've developed some back issues and want to get out of my IS 250 and into something that offers a more stable, comfortable ride. I've been looking into a GS 350 (probably F sport).

My father has an ES 350 and it floats on the road. It's probably the smoothest sedan I've driven.

How does the GS's ride quality compare to both of these cars? Thanks in advance

dchar

The GS will be much smoother than your IS, but won't ride as well as the ES. The GS is a lot more fun to drive though and feels more planted, but you will sacrifice some ride comfort compared to the ES. The GS isn't harsh though, so you might want to take it out for a testdrive.

EyeKutr

iTrader: (5)

I had a loaner ES350 yesterday and the GS and ES are miles apart. The interior on the GS is way nicer, the materials are softer and more luxurious. The acceleration is similar, the handling is not similar at all. The ES and GS are very very similar in size but they have different characteristics, one is a good entry into the luxury segment, the other is a luxury sedan that is very sporty

peteharvey

I have both the 3GS and 4GS, and it took me a while to finally realize that the 3GS is very feminine and cushy, while the 4GS is very masculine and hard edged.
I have the 4GS with 18" wheels, and it is still quite firm and aggressive.
If you want a good ride, I'd strongly advise you to get the ES350 with 17" 55 Series tires.

Im2bz2p345

I agree with this assessment.

The IS more of an entry level sporty car. The rear passengers in an IS will be crammed, so it's almost like a pseudo coupe/pseudo aka "compact sedan" imho. I would say it competes well with a BMW 3-series, which I also consider a pseudo coupe/pseudo aka "compact sedan."

The ES is more of a entry level luxury sedan.

The GS is more of a mid level luxury four dour sporty sedan. Great combination of luxury and sportiness. Definitely not "floaty" like the ES. It's more planted on the ground for better cornering, especially in Sport+ mode.

The LS is one step above all three in terms of luxury. It has more interior space for all passengers then the above two models, but I am not sure if any of the LS models (even the F-Sport) is as sporty feeling as the GS.

Really depends on what you're looking for in a car. If you still want to drive a bit more aggressive & have a bit more power, then the GS would be better suited. If you have a large family (or one with teenagers & above for kids ages) and/or want a soft suspension, then the ES is perfect.

As dchar said, it's best to go test drive for yourself otherwise people can comment all day about similarities/differences.

~ Im2bz2p345

AL13NV8D3R

Nothing beats taking both cars out for a test drive. Doesnt matter what I say or someone else say, comfort is very relative and subjective. I may feel it is comfortable but someone else might feel uncomfortable. That being said there are advantages from going either GS or ES and here is my take on it focusing only on comfort since you have a bad back.

The ES would be the better smoother riding car for you. You can get a ES with 17 inch wheels which will make it even softer. You will have more space in the front and back seat in an ES. The front seat in ES is not as comfortable as on the GS.

The GS is almost just as good but a bit more firm for better handling. You MUST get a GS with Adaptive Veriable Suspension if you want a smoother ride out of it. The seats on the GS is 10X more comfortable and has 18 ways of adjustment. If you cant get comfortable in a GS seat your probably not human. The ES only has 10 ways of adjustability.

May I recromend a 4th Gen Lexus RX. It ride taller thus making ingress and degress alot easier on your back. Getting in and out of any Crossover is worlds better than any sedan can offer.

mattds

i have both (albeit a last gen ES) and it's true nothing is as smooth as the ES - that is crazy smooth (and i don't get it - part of it is the tires, but it's like it's on glass).

The power is similar, the GS is a bit faster and with the AWD you can always put that power down, while the ES has uber sensitive traction control and will spin and then shut down the engine.

I would suggest the ES, but perhaps put on some sportier tires to slightly firm up the ride and allow you to improve traction/handling.

both great cars!

jjscsix

I agree with Pete above. Tires make w huge difference in ride. If that is really important consider a Luxury package with no bigger than 18" wheels. That is what we have. It rides very well in comfort and even Sport modes, but can be firmed up in Sport +. And it never feels floaty.

AL13NV8D3R

To OP,

Why not consider the Lexus LS?. That is by far the most comfortable riding vehicle ever made right up next to the Mercedes S550 with Magic Ride Control. If you can afford it go with an LS and you will not forget it. If you dont believe me why dont you talk to Steve aka "SW15LS"

Steve where are you when we need you?

vinnier6

Stay away from the f sport if you are looking for a smoother ride...

Drewski123

Thanks again for all the replies everyone. Very insightful.

I'll definitely be test driving all of them, I just wanted some opinions from the experts as a precursor going into these test drives. I'll be at the dealer all day tomorrow to look at my options.

One question- which GS models come with Adaptive Variable Suspension?

Also, the only way I'd be able to consider an LS would be a used one, which is not completely out of the picture whatsoever.

Regarding the GS F Sport, to my knowledge, the suspension is identical with that of a non-F Sport GS until switched into Sport + mode, correct?

jjscsix

F-Sport and Luxury Package have adaptive suspension. I cannot answer the last question, but that would surprise me.

peteharvey

Remember that the adaptive suspension further firms up the dampers (nee shock absorbers) for an even firmer ride.

It doesn't actually make the ride any softer at all.

SW17LS

I'm here

The GS has the best seats in the Lexus lineup if you get a luxury, or to a slightly lesser extent an F Sport. The luxury seats that were in my 13 GS were great, I miss them.

I went from ES to GS to LS. The ES rides better than the GS at low speeds and around town. The GS rides better than the ES on the highway and at speeds over say, 45 MPH. The GS has a much more sophisticated suspension system, and while its not as softly sprung as the ES it rides more solidly, more "vault like" and stays flatter on the highway (more like the LS). The ES is a rather unsophisticated setup typical of a FWD car such as a Buick, or an Avalon (which it essentially is) and it kind of sways and floats on the highway. The GS is much more solid.

The ride penalty of the GS at low speeds is not significant enough to outweigh the benefit at higher speeds. I prefer a ride biased car (obviously), and the reason I got the GS was I was so unhappy with the interior of the new ES in 2013 I upgraded...I was surprised to find the car so comfortable.

The LS on the other hand rides like its on glass, it has the whole package, the soft velvety low speed ride and the solid, heavy highway ride that makes it feel unflappable. Its a beautifully riding vehicle.

BUT...I would be lying if I did not say I don't miss my GS sometimes. It was a lot more fun to drive in the twistys etc.

The refresh ES is much nicer inside, if that had been what was out in 2013 I might not have upgraded to the GS...but I am happy that I did. It and the LS both are much more substantial cars than the ES.

I disagree. I extensively compared the AVS equipped luxury to a premium GS without it and found the luxury to have a more compliant ride over bumps. The shock damping is dynamic, it varies damping based on speed, attitude, etc. That functionality allows for softer damping around town and at lower speeds, and firmer damping otherwise, and the Sport + mode make it sharper still when you want it. A must have for the GS IMHO.

I drove an LS with the air suspension and the AVS and in this car I didn't feel it was worthwhile. It had a comfort mode which I liked, but the non-AVS car felt like the AVS LS in normal mode...in normal IMHO the AVS GS rides better than the non AVS GS.

vinnier6

I believe the f sport has stiffer spring rates...not to mention 19" summer tires with a much lower profile....in the rwd car anyway....

There is no question that the f sport is a stiffer/harsher ride then the non f sport