Used Lexus GS (Mk4, 2012-2018): owners love this executive oddity

Verdict

Ever since the original GS300 of 1991, Lexus has tried to give the BMW 5 Series, Audi A6 and Mercedes E-Class a bloody nose, but it’s never got close. The German trio have a hold over the segment, thanks to their excellent build quality, wide choice of engines and bodystyles, plus a reputation for user-friendliness. The Lexus offers many of these attributes with reliability and generous kit levels at the fore, but if you don’t want a hybrid saloon, you’re snookered (tiny-selling GS250 aside). If you don’t need a diesel powertrain or an estate, give the Lexus a try, because the chances are that you won’t regret it.

German manufacturers rule the roost when it comes to executive car choices, and for good reason. But if you’re after something a little different, and potentially offering better value for money, it can pay to look a little further afield.

A case in point is the Lexus GS, which sold in much smaller numbers than its more obvious German rivals, but don’t let that put you off. Toyota’s sub-brand has turned the luxury and exec segments on their heads since it was launched in 1989. 

But Lexus has never had the cachet of those German alternatives, which is why its used cars are generally significantly cheaper. That’s despite the fact that the brand regularly leads customer-satisfaction surveys due to its peerless reliability, impressive refinement levels and incredibly generous amounts of standard equipment.

History

The Lexus GS Mk4 went on sale in February 2012, in GS250 and GS450h forms. While the GS250 featured a non-electrified 206bhp 2.5-litre V6 engine, the GS450h had a 286bhp 3.5-litre V6 petrol unit and a 197bhp electric motor. The line-up was bolstered by the arrival of the GS300h model in October 2013, featuring a 178bhp 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine paired with a 141bhp electric motor. 

Facelifted Lexus GS300h and GS450h models went on sale in December 2015, with revised styling, upgraded multimedia and additional driver-assistance systems. A new entry-level GS300h Executive Edition model was also introduced, with the GS250 version being withdrawn.

Which one should I buy?

The GS450h is much faster than the GS300h, but the latter has more than enough performance and is much cheaper to run. All GSs had automatic wipers and bi-xenon headlamps, a rear-view camera, leather trim, dual-zone climate control, a 12-speaker hi-fi with a DAB tuner and Bluetooth, and electrically adjustable heated and ventilated front seats, with memory setting for the driver. 

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Luxury trim added front and rear parking sensors, navigation, blind-spot warning and power folding/auto-dimming door mirrors. The F Sport featured 19-inch rims, a bodykit, automatic high beam, adaptive headlights, adaptive suspension and selectable drive modes. 

The GS450h Premier had premium leather, extra front seat adjustment (18-way), three-zone climate control, plus a premium Mark Levinson sound system.

Alternatives to the Lexus GS

The GS was up against the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class, which offer prestige, space, quality and comfort, plus wide-ranging engine and trim choices. But the Audi wasn’t offered in hybrid form and the BMW ActiveHybrid 5 that arrived in early 2012 sold in tiny numbers, so you’re unlikely to find one. The 530e plug-in hybrid from March 2017 was much more popular, because it’s superb to drive, easy to live with, frugal and beautifully made. 

Mercedes’ E 300 BlueTec diesel/electric hybrid is more engaging to drive than the GS, but you don’t get nearly as much standard kit. The E 350 e from September 2016 was a plug-in petrol/electric hybrid. As with the Lexus, the 5 Series and E-Class hybrids only came in saloon form.

What to look for

Towing

Looking to tow? The GS250 version can pull 1,600kg and the GS450h 1,500kg, but the GS300h is rated at a miserly 500kg.

Wheels

GS had either 18-inch or 19-inch rims, apart from the Executive version, which came with 17-inch alloys. All GSs have a space-saver spare wheel.

Car crime

Theft became an issue later in the GS’s life. Lexus addressed this with retro-fit upgrades, detailed at tinyurl.com/wkwbz65x.

Hybrid health

Dealers can run a hybrid battery health check, but reliability is excellent, and replacements are available surprisingly cheaply.

Interior

The GS’s cabin impresses on many levels and is a big improvement over its predecessor in terms of dashboard user-friendliness and appealing design. Not only is it roomy, with comfortable seats, but the material quality is superb, while ride comfort and refinement levels are also impressive.

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Compared with the GS Mk3, the Mk4 offers much better packaging, so there’s a lot more boot space, while rear-seat legroom is also pretty good, if not necessarily a match for more mainstream rivals. The boot capacity is decent, at 480 litres, but the back seats don’t fold down to increase this volume. There’s also no estate option, which will be a deal breaker for some people.

Running costs

The GS needs to be serviced every 12 months or 10,000 miles, with maintenance alternating between minor and major checks, which cost £340 and £660 respectively. These charges include replacement brake fluid every two years, fresh engine coolant every 10 years or 100,000 miles, plus a change of coolant for the electrical inverter after 150,000 miles, then every 60,000 miles thereafter. 

The GS’s engines are chain-driven, so there’s no cambelt to renew. After the three-year manufacturer warranty has expired, you can receive an additional 12 months (subject to a 10,000-mile limit) of factory-backed cover every time you service your car with an official Lexus dealer. This offer applies until your GS is 10 years old and has covered up to 100,000 miles. Official dealers also offer service plans to spread the cost, and Lexus offers its own insurance programme.

Recalls

Lexus has recalled the GS Mk4 three times so far. The first campaign was launched in April 2018, because 393 GS Fs made between July 2015 and December 2017 could suffer from petrol leaks as a result of the fuel-pump cover breaking. Fitting a new pump fixed things. 

Recall two came in October 2020, and again a new fuel pump was the solution. This time it was because the factory-fitted unit could fail, leading to the engine being starved of petrol. A total of 6,787 GS250s and GS450hs were affected, all built between September 2013 and February 2015. 

The final action was in January 2023, because 20,770 cars were fitted with a fuel-tank vent assembly that could crack, leading to petrol leaks. All GS variants were included, alongside numerous other Lexus models.

Driver Power owner satisfaction

The GS Mk4 made its Driver Power New Car survey debut in 2015, coming 20th out of 200, before climbing to fifth out of 150 in 2016. The GS reappeared in 2019, finishing ninth out of 75. That would be the car’s last Driver Power New Car appearance, but even more impressively for such a niche model, the executive Lexus came top in our 2023 Used Car survey. The Mercedes E-Class Mk5 came 67th out of 75.

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