I recently purchased a Certified 2018 Lexus GS 350 F Sport in November. I spent about 9 months debating if I should get a brand new ES f sport instead. Mainly because Lexus had not been updating the GS and it lacked car play and other gadget features. Through my research it was about 70/30 of people/reviews saying to go with the GS. I never drove the ES, but once I drove the GS I was sold.

I just had my vehicle serviced at my local dealer (complimentary through L/Certified) and was given an ES loaner. Now, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I am not knocking if someone else's opinion is different than mine. If anyone is debating which way to go, the GS is UNDOUBTEDLY the hands down winner. And it's not even close. I couldn't wait to get my car back. And it definitely showed the difference when I pulled off from the service department. I know you guys know this already, I am just saying thanks to those who have been saying this all along. The ES I had as a loaner only had a few thousand miles on it too!

But, whatever makes someone's boat float is fine by me!

 

LOL they are 2 different purpose type of cars depending on what you like and want.

From someone who now currently owns both.

 

Of course! Totally get that! I'm speaking more for those who don't believe they have 2 different purposes and segments and put them head to head.

 

I test drove a whole bunch of 4GSs (even tried a 3rd gen) as well as the previous body 2018 ES and a new 2020 ES F Sport. I've driven tons of FWD cars and I wanted to see how they did with making the ES F Sport stack up against the GS (it doesn't). At the time I also didn't have a strong affinity for RWD or RWD based AWD vehicles, probably because I mostly remember the RWD cars from the 70s and early 80s - those were a pain in any sort of bad weather. The GS has changed me from a RWD standpoint.

I agree, the ES is a perfectly fine car - but it's not a GS in terms of fun and sportiness. It's also probably not quite there in terms of the level of luxury in it's fit and finish and details compared to the GS (although to some it does very well in terms of a soft luxurious ride). There's a reason the GS was more expensive in it's day. I admit - I LOVE the new grille on the ES - I was waiting for them to do stronger vertical lines to really show off that spindle shape. That grille style on a Lux GS would have been beautiful.

 

The ES is a good car until u hit the first corner.

 

I drove a ES sport for a couple of days while my car was being serviced. Having driven the previous generation which was a a luxury boat, this ES felt better built and more buttoned down. I really liked it. However, the GS feels like it belong two classes above just much better built - stiffer chassis, built with better materials, more luxurious and more sporty to drive. I was actually surprised at the difference given the ES is a brand new platform compared to the GS a ten year old platform but it wasn’t even close.

 

I totally agree! I was expecting much more from the ES.

 

I’m in the same boat. I got an ES loaner while my GS was being serviced and I hated every minute of it. The ES isn’t a bad car necessarily, but it’s no GS. I don’t understand why they eliminated the GS instead of the ES, but I’m assuming it’s cost of manufacture.

It sucks that Lexus has basically forced my hand to switch brands to stay in the segment. And after seeing the upcoming Genesis G70, I’m pretty much sold. So unless I absolutely hate driving it that’s probably my next car. Lexus literally does not sell a car that I can buy anymore. Sad.

 

I have to agree. Every other Lexus car I have driven, except the LS and GX, I can't really stand. ES, IS, NX, RX, etc.

The GX is good for what it is, but not a daily

For a true daily driver, I am not sure what it left in the brand that feels high quality enough that still satisfies a "driver".

I have 100k on my 17 GS Fsport and it looks like I am on my way to 200-300k. :-)

 

I would agree. I've owned an IS and serval GS. Every time i've had an ES for a loaner it feels significantly cheeper and not as tight of a car. The fit/finish and materials is not on par. The rear-wheel bias AWD makes for much better handling than FWD. The GS is a fantastic daily and FUN car that fits a family. Every time i drive mine it's a blast. Sadly I've only put 700 miles on in the last 3 months due to working from home. We have put a bunch of miles on the LX through the whole pandemic - we love the SUV for long road trips. Sadly those are the only two cars in the Lexus lineup that I would consider.

 

The GS is such a joy to drive, even if I'm just tootling around the tight city streets, solely thanks to the RWD dynamics.

 

Driving the GS feels like driving a brand new car every day even though u've been driving it every day for the last few years already. Other cars, the feeling wears off after about a month or so.

This is true for my old 2014 GS and now especially with this 2019 model.

 

I appreciate the ES for what it is, but what it isn't is a suitable replacement for the GS. When I was buying my 2020, the finance lady at the dealer and I were talking about the discontinuation of the GS and she said something to the effect of "Lexus is really hoping the new ES can fill the hole left by the GS, they're even adding AWD to it." Ugh. No. Even with AWD, the ES is no GS, as it's still extremely front heavy and in no way is a 2.5 liter 4 cylinder from the Camry a suitable replacement for a 3.5 liter V6. It's just not.

I think the new ES is the best ES they've ever done, but it's still an ES.

So you can count me in the group who will not be able to stay with Lexus when my time with my GS comes to an end, at least with their current lineup.

 

GS is a Legend.

 

I keep getting mailers from the dealer wanting mine for trade towards an ES. If I could only tell them why would I want a downgrade?!