Sophisticated ride

Although the marque is a subsidiary of Toyota, make no bones about it, Japanese luxury automaker Lexus is an entirely different brand with a totally different feel.

The Lexus GS 350 is a mid-sized luxury sedan with more bells and whistles than you can shake a stick at and it’s so sophisticated that the driving experience begins before you’ve even entered the car.

Thanks to the remote sensor activated central-locking, the car automatically unlocks when the electronic key is within a certain distance ... no more fumbling for the keys for this journalist.

Once you slip into the driver’s seat, simply put one foot on the brake, tap the push-start ignition and you’re ready to hit the open road.

In terms of interior design, the GS 350 is practically faultless. The cabin has a refined ambience about it thanks in no small part to the cream leather seats, two-tone finishes and remarkable combination of modern and classic features. A good example of this is the high-tech display screen placed next to an antique-looking analogue clock.

There is a wealth of optional luxury, convenience and technology features, many of which are controlled by a Remote Touch multimedia controller, a joystick-looking gizmo which works a bit like a PC mouse.

It is the main way to navigate through the menu features which are displayed on a screen in the centre stack.
 
It’s a novel idea and is certainly unique, but I found it hard to get used to because it’s quite sensitive. Fortunately, after a while it becomes second nature and pretty soon I was switching from climate control to satellite navigation in three simple clicks.

Under the bonnet, this sleek sedan is powered by a 3.5-Litre V6 that does not disappoint. You can select four different driving modes, normal, eco, sport s and sport s+, to make sure you get the performance you desire.

As it happens, I desired a sport s+ mode and spent most of my drive happily putting this mode to good use. It essentially holds the revs higher for longer which results in a faster acceleration time.
 
The eco mode is designed to reduce fuel consumption, a handy feature if you find yourself running low on petrol in the middle of a journey.
The ride is exceptionally smooth and the GS 350 handles fantastically on an open stretch but, if I were splitting hairs, I did find cornering to be a little cumbersome in comparison.

As a result of its aggressive front grille and seductive curves, people pay attention when you’re cruising in this car. I turned more than a few heads while driving around Seef’s swankiest destinations, although that may have been because the car had ‘test drive vehicle’ written on the side, spoiling the illusion that I’m fortunate enough to own one.

Without a doubt, my favourite feature was the air conditioning. Many modern cars boast duel-zone air conditioning but this car has a quad-zone climate control which means front and rear passengers can control their own temperature.

However, if that’s not impressive enough, the front seats themselves are also connected to the AC which ensures you not only look cool while driving this car, you genuinely are.
 
Lexus’ slogan is ‘the pursuit of perfection’ and they very well might have cracked it with this model.

Prices start from BD22,000. For more details, contact the Lexus showroom in Sitra on 17730730 or visit www.lexus.com.bh