2019 Lexus GS 350 F Sport Review by David Colman - It's E15 Approved
One of the best large sports sedans on the market today
By David Colman
Special Correspondent to THE AUTO CHANNEL
![]() 2019 Lexus GS 350 F-Sport |
![]() 2019 Lexus GS 350 F-Sport |
Under the hood lies a well-endowed 2GR-FKS V6 displacing 3.5 liters and making 311hp and 280lb.-ft. of torque. Most of the time, this engine goes about its business silently and effectively. But enthusiast drivers will rejoice in its stentorian exhaust note when prodded hard. The melody comes as rather a pleasant surprise. The 8-speed automatic transmission seamlessly swaps cogs in the Drive quadrant, but always stands ready to maximize engine performance should you chose to shift manually via the floor mounted stick or the provided paddles. While this sedan is not blindingly quick, it always musters enough speed to get the pass or merge done with room to spare. Best of all, it returns 22MPG in overall driving, something of a miracle considering its size, and level of amenities.
![]() 2019 Lexus GS 350 F-Sport |
This Lexus makes an extremely competent long distance touring sedan. In a week of almost constant rainfall, the GS 350 never put a wheel wrong. It afforded excellent traction, even in considerable standing water, and also provided excellent sight lines in all directions. Unless you really boot the loud pedal, this implacable cruiser is as silent as a church and as stable as a top. The only issues that arose in wet weather had to do with the overly complicated operation of the wipers and the lack of a rear window wiper. The wiper stalk proved to be overly difficult to control because it is designed to return to the same central position. That means you never know what position you have chosen. I found myself constantly fiddling with the control stalk, despite the fact that the F Sport Package includes "Rain-Sensing Wipers." As for that rear window, it definitely needs a blade because the provided heating element takes too long to defrost.
There's a rumor that this may be the last year for the aging GS model range, which has been unaltered for several years now. If you seek a sporting variant of this luxury sedan, now's the time to check out the F Sport model, which has surprisingly become one of the best large sports sedans on the market today.
2019 LEXUS GS 350 F SPORT
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ENGINE: 3.5 Liter V6, Direct Injection and Port Fuel Injection
HORSEPOWER: 310hp
TORQUE: 280lb.-ft.
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 19MPG City/27MPG Highway
PRICE AS TESTED: $61,809
HYPES: Instant Handling, Sweet Motor, Refined Interior
GRIPES: Frustrating Wiper Control
STAR RATING: 9 Stars out of 10