From a distance, the 2009 Lexus GS 350 looks similar to my car, and I mistakenly thought it’d drive just like my car. I quickly realized the error of my thinking as I neared the GS 350. My black Volkswagen Jetta is like a prepubescent Dakota Fanning compared to the GS 350’s Charlize Theron. Where my Jetta is cute with a charmingly ungraceful pep, the Lexus is beautiful, mature and capable of a powerful, award-winning performance.
When I got inside the GS 350, the contrast between it and my car became even more glaring. The GS 350’s supple leather seats cradled my tired thighs and adjusted to the perfect angle for my body. The car felt sturdy but accelerated so easily and lightly that it seemed like I was simply gliding over the streets. Maybe I’d had a few rough days and needed some pampering, but boy, oh boy, did this car feel good to me.
Even the GS’ gas mileage was better than expected. It gets an EPA-estimated 18/25 mpg city/highway, but I averaged about 23 mpg.
It has a V-6 engine that makes 303 horsepower and goes from zero to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds. That will get you through your errands quickly, trust me! In fact, this car was fast enough that my son instructed me to “dust” people – effortlessly fly past them and leave them in our dust – while we were driving.
The GS 350 is offered in both rear-wheel and all-wheel drive. My test vehicle had all-wheel drive, and I’d take it no other way with Colorado as my home. While it didn’t snow during my test drive, it did rain quite a bit. I barely noticed the rain because of this car’s sturdy handling, smooth ride and rain-sensing windshield wipers.
Exterior
Lexus says the GS 350 is “boldly and elegantly styled in such a way to enhance its aerodynamics.” That’s no gimmick. This is a pretty, sinewy car that flies over the streets with languid ease. The body is a bit wider than I expected, but it’s not cumbersome. The polished dual exhaust pipes give it a sporty edge that winks at other driver left in your dust.
You also get 17-inch alloy wheels, power heated side mirrors, a power moonroof and auto-leveling high-intensity-discharge headlights. Adaptive headlights that swivel with the front wheels are available. The doors are heavy, but not heavy enough that my newly minted 3-year-old son couldn’t push them shut.
The GS 350’s brakes are dreamy. I don’t usually give a lot of thought to brakes, but they were one of the first things I noticed in this car. They’re responsive and smooth. I even had a few girlfriends in the car at one point, all of whom commented on the brakes. Who knew?
SENSE AND STYLE
Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Great
Fun-Factor (None, Some, Good Times, Groove-On): Good Times
Interior
The GS 350’s interior is just as delightful as its exterior. Since this is a luxury vehicle, some of the standard features are pretty posh; the leather seats I swooned over come standard, and I assure you, they’re of the very highest standard.
The GS 350 has plenty of other upscale standard features, including automatic dual-zone climate control, power tilt/telescoping steering wheel and an MP3 jack. The only standard feature that I giggled about was the cassette player. A cassette player, really? I grew up with cassettes but thought all new cars had dropped the long-past music player.
A 10-speaker premium audio system is standard, but my test car had the optional 14-speaker Mark Levinson DVD surround-sound system that’s paired with a voice-activated navigation system and backup camera. My music sounded awesome in this car. Not to sound greedy, but I would have loved to try the GS 350 with a few of its other available options like ventilated front seats and an automatic rear sunshade. However, I realize beggars cannot be choosers.
You can seat five in the GS 350. It’s so roomy in the backseat that I was able to easily sit between my little ones’ child-safety seats, which is a rarity in a sedan. There’s plenty of legroom in the second row for adults or rear-facing car seats. If you don’t have someone sitting in the back row’s middle seat, two cupholders pop out of the fold-down armrest.
The trunk was plenty spacious for my geared-up family of four. There is a pass-through from the trunk for your skis (or whatever ski-shaped things you tote around), too.
IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT
Storage Compartments (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Ample
Cargo/Trunk Space (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Ample
Safety
The 2009 Lexus GS 350 includes all of the safety accoutrements you’d expect from a luxury mobile. There are airbags galore, including driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact airbags for both rows and side curtain airbags for both rows. The GS also comes with stability control, antilock brakes with brake assist and traction control. It also has a standard first-aid kit and a tool kit. I’m all about the little things in life, and when I saw these kits I went weak in the knees.
My test car had the optional backup camera, a feature I always appreciate. You can also opt for the Pre-Collision System that uses radar to determine if a collision is imminent. It tightens your seat belts and activates brake-assist to help mitigate impact. Park assist is also available.
One thing that didn’t impress me in the GS 350 was the tough-to-access Latch connectors. Mamas want and deserve to drive luxury cars, but automakers must make those Latch connectors accessible without us breaking our nails, scratching up our hands or chipping our bling just to connect a car seat.
FAMILY LIFESTAGE
In Diapers: There’s tons of space in the backseat for rear-facing child-safety seats as well as in the trunk for strollers and more.
In School: Kids will love the roomy second row that’ll keep their sibling from touching them.
Teens: Teen drivers will be spoiled by all of the incredible features in this sedan.
