Is it just me or does the 3GS downshift anyway when you hit the brake?

As for OP, my father does this too, but then the red light in Taiwan is like 2 minutes long...

 

On heavy braking I def notice a downshifting in my GS

 

yes of course, but if you brake hard, it's definitely more noticeable and aggressive.

that's like every single automatic car i've driven

 

hmm I've noticed other automatic cars do it, but never as aggressive as the gs, I can literally hear it when it downshifts

 

being in my 5th lexus, i think the current generation ecu is pretty darn smart in using engine braking

 

Exactly. This is my first vehicle that does it to the point where I can notice a "jerk." First time my gf drove the 3GS, she thought there's something wrong with the brakes because it slows down (when she first hit the brakes), then it slows down some more (engine braking).

Same here. I never noticed this in my RX.