georgee01

I like the placement of the Nav display on the 4GS. It's high so you don't have to look away from the road, and it's recessed to reduce glare. That display placement is not compatible with a touch screen, the reach would be too far, so you need a remote interface device.

The current 2nd generation remote touch has a relatively steep learning curve. You need to tweak the feedback force in the settings. You also need to get familiar with the UI and navigation. Once you do that, it works quite well. I was able to have an extended evaluation of the GSh before I made my purchase decision. If I'd only had a short test drive, I would not have bought the car. This vehicle has so many personalization settings, it takes time to get it dialed in. If you invest the time, it's worth it.

That being said, I've had a brief opportunity to try the new RTI w/ touchpad on a pre-production GS and, combined with the UI tweaks on the new Enform software, it provides a more natural experience. To SW13GS earlier comment, we probably will not see RTI w/ touchpad in 2015 GS production models, although we will get many of the new Enform software features. Final detail will be out shortly with activation of the MY15 GS for dealer ordering this month.

SW17LS

Thats exactly my point. You need more than 1000 miles of seat time spread out over 4 months to get it figured out and become accustomed to it.

ItzFilyO

I'll be happy if they fix the Bluetooth phone sound in the new models.

georgee01

It's possible, but no details have been announced.

The high bandwidth audio you hear when streaming music from your phone uses the Bluetooth Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP). A2DP is designed to uni-directionally transfer an audio stream in up to 2 channel stereo using the SBC codec. It sounds great through either the Premium or Mark Levinson sound system.

For conversational audio (like a phone call or Siri dialog), the Lexus system uses Hands-Free Profile (HFP) to establish a bidirectional, monaural audio channel to the phone. Up until HFP 1.5, the bandwidth of this channel was only 8 kHz.

The latest version 1.6 of HFP adds optional support for wide band speech with a 16 kHz monaural configuration of the SBC codec used by the A2DP profile. This would noticeably improve the quality of the sound with phones that also support HFP 1.6.

jjscsix

I never said anyone was wrong for not agreeing with me. Why are you so defensive?

jjscsix

I have it figured out, I just don't like it. And if it helps, my wife was out of town for a week and I drove the car the entire week without driving my BMW at all that week. I put about 450 miles on it that week, most of it in a five day period.

georgee01

It's interesting to consider going back and forth between vehicles. Since the systems operate differently, you have to re-adjust. You may very well prefer one or the other in a relative comparison.

Lexus Enform w/ RTI is available only on Lexus, iDrive only on BMW, COMAND only on Mercedes, etc. It would be nice if you could pick the car, and then pick the system, but that's not currently an available option.

For me the Entertainment/Nav/Telematics system was an exclusion criterion. It wasn't the primary reason to select the vehicle, but I would exclude the vehicle if I didn't think I could live with it.

My first impression of Lexus remote touch was not good, but a few days into my evaluation, I decided I could adjust to it, and moved on to comparison of styling, performance, driving dynamics, comfort, fuel economy, etc. At the end of the day, an 338 hp hybrid touring sedan that gets 35 mpg and can deliver very sporting driving dynamics with the twist a dial trumped any quirks in the RTI.

ItzFilyO

I want surround sound for my phone calls George!!

1111GS

Talk me out of this guys Seriously... what do you guys think? I always get good feedback from 4GS folks

LexRuger

LS? Go for it

natnut

The 4GS is the new Lexus developed from ground up under Akio Toyoda's new direction. The LS is based on an old chassis dating from 2006 and no amount of facelifting can disguise its dated chassis and dynamics. It might have more creature comforts and added superficial luxuries but the new gen LS is probably coming 2015. Your LS is going to be outdated next year.

ItzFilyO

That's a GX.

NewSpace

Thumbs up. The dynamics of the GS are world class (basis for IS and RC) and modern.

Plus it's goldilocks size for most every purpose. Practical + sporty.

Only thing to wait for is the FREAKIN' GS F.

sick21

I just got my GS so it'll be a while from now but when my lease is up my finances will be getting tighter because it's about the same time my wife and I will be looking to buy a new house. So I'm thinking Kia Optima SX-L. I really like those cars.

SW17LS

Trading your GS for a GX? Are the SUV attributes something you need/want? If not I wouldn't choose to have any SUV as my daily driver, especially a body on frame SUV.