Lexus GS review - the alternative executive car choice - Interior and Tech
Japanese executive saloons offer a different take on the Germanic norm, with mixed success
The GS is perhaps the most conventionally styled cabin in the Lexus range and that’s no bad thing. The driving position is good and with even the cheapest model getting ten-way electric seat adjustment it’s impossible for those in the front not to get comfortable. The 18-way moveable seats on the higher trims seem like overkill, but the vented and heating element of the Luxury model is a welcome addition. The dash and instruments are all rather sensible, Lexus obviously seeing its GS customers as a bit more conservative than those for its other models.
There’s an undeniable sense of 'expensive Toyota' about it, which does slightly detract from the premium positioning, but it’s all beautifully finished. The satnav and entertainment can be a touch fiddly to operate thanks to the curious moving pad input/controller, but everything else is familiar, the only hint to its hybrid powertrain being the EV button on the centre console and the Charge, Eco, Power dial in place of a rev counter.
Space is good for passengers front and rear, though boot space does suffer thanks to the battery placement for the hybrid system.
That's not a problem in the GS F, whose boot is unaffected by batteries. The GS F's cabin is a step above the regular range too - similar in design, but blessed with a pair of wonderfully-styled and superlatively supportive front seats. The dials are addictively high-tech too, changing their displays according to whether the driver has selected Eco, Normal, Sport S or Sport S+ driving modes.
