Sexy, sensible Lexus GS 200t – Two cylinders short of a sport sedan

 

Downsized engine moves the GS into new territory

By Martin Pretorius

The Lexus brand was only five years old when the first generation GS was released, yet it immediately created quite an impression on the market. Designed to take on the European heavyweights in the mid-sized executive sedan segment, it boasted independent suspension all round, rear-wheel-drive and a six-cylinder engine. And, while V8 engines and hybrids became a part of the model range as the GS evolved, a six-cylinder base engine has always been a GS characteristic. Until downsizing arrived at Toyota's gates, that is.

First four-cylinder in a GS

Lexus, and their parent company, Toyota, took their first step into the world of downsized turbo engines with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder mill. First launched in the NX compact crossover, this engine has since spread to the IS and GS sedans, as well as to the RC coupé. This is the first appearance of a four-cylinder engine in either of these sedans, and with the need to fill those big 6-pot shoes, it needs to be pretty special.

It certainly seems up to the task on paper, with more power, lower emissions and improved fuel efficiency compared to the outgoing 2.5-litre V6 (not available in the local GS range). Outputs are class-competitive at 180 kW and 350 Nm, and combined with an 8-speed automatic gearbox, it should provide ample power for the RWD sedans. The 2.0-litre also brings a noticeable weight saving, which should lead to even better agility.

So it's a win-win situation?

In many respects, yes. The GS200t doesn't feel as large as it is when you're behind the wheel, and that's largely due to its surprisingly athletic handling. With a bit more power, it could be a proper sports sedan – which is why the GS350 and GS F exist. But the aim with the GS200t is rather different. This is the sensible one, the one you'd buy when your head overrules your heart's desires, so its accomplished driving dynamics comes as a bit of a surprise.

It's not a terribly immersive driving experience, but there's still some fun to be had when the road gets twisty. There's plenty of road grip, it turns sharply into corners, and it valiantly resists both under- and oversteer, yet it glides over road imperfections like they simply don't exist. The GS200t has a well-resolved ride-handling balance, and rightfully challenges the class leaders in this regard.

The new engine is... not bad

Under these conditions, and on the freeway, the little turbo-engine does an admirable job. The GS200t is not over-endowed with power, and never feels as obviously quick as most of its rivals, but there's a nice and even spread of torque to make overtaking a hassle-free experience. Claimed performance lists the 0 – 100 km/h sprint in 7.3 seconds and the top speed as 230 km/h, but the gentle take-off and languid throttle response suggests that these figures might be somewhat optimistic.

It comes apart a little when driving in traffic, however: there's a significant delay when pulling away from rest (due to the combination of boost lag and gearbox programming), and sudden accelerator applications at low speeds are met with smooth indifference from both engine and gearbox. Switching the transmission to Sport mode livens things up a little, but then the gearbox hangs onto lower gears for far too long. These characteristics are not uncommon in large cars powered by small engines, but it does appear to be quite pronounced in the GS200t.

At least it's light(ish) on fuel…

Lexus quotes an average fuel consumption figure of 8.0 ℓ/100 km, but our road test has shown this to be wishful thinking in real-world driving. With a 50/50 mix of town- and highway driving, average fuel consumption eventually settled on 9.4 ℓ/100 km – somewhat on the heavy side, but not unusually so for a car of this kind. Careful driving could probably see the average consumption drop below 9 ℓ/100 km, but that would take a fairly light-footed driver to accomplish.

The fact remains that this little engine has to work quite hard to move the big GS bodyshell around, and that will inevitably have an effect on its fuel economy. That said, the claimed average is a vast improvement on that of the GS350 F-Sport, which clocks a somewhat disturbing 11.3 ℓ/100 km official figure, and is bound to be thirstier yet in real life.

Even more luxury

As part of the facelift, the cabin air vents have been redesigned and the metal-look dashboard trim has been reshaped. The switches also get some metal detailing, along with the steering wheel, shift lever and infotainment control knobs. The three-zone climate control system gains a new colour display panel, as does the instrument cluster's information centre. Navigation is now standard equipment, and the central interface remote control is updated with even more buttons.

The new navigation/infotainment display is reasonably clear, but still looks a little outdated – as though it would have been cutting-edge three years ago. It's also not terribly user-friendly, simply because the interface is completely different to the norm, but it becomes easy enough to operate after some familiarization. Overall, the GS interior is a pleasant place to spend time: there's ample space for five adults, the trim quality is top-notch, and the overall ambience is refined and serene.

Anything but quiet on the outside

The subdued, classy tone inside the cabin is however not repeated on the outside, where Lexus applied their latest styling language to its fullest effect. The spindle grille is now even more spindle-y than before, and combines with the new slit-eyed full-LED headlights (underscored by the Lexus check-mark-like running lights) to create a vaguely alien appearance. There are multiple creases and folds in evidence as well, making the frontal styling a rather busy affair. The tail lights and rear bumper are also redesigned, but the changes here are far less obvious than at the front. At least the GS200t gets away without the F-Sport's even more outrageous styling additions...

Entry point is lowered

The main reason for the arrival of a four-cylinder GS is however to be found in the price lists, where the new entry-level variant lops a neat R111,100 off a GS350 F-Sport's sticker. That still doesn't mean that it's cheap (or even genuinely affordable), as it still costs R786,000 – but even so, it's less pricey than competitors such as the Audi A6 2.0 TFSI and Jaguar XF. Anomalously, the Mercedes-Benz E200 is almost R70,000 less expensive, but it does lag some way behind both the long specification sheet and the power output of the GS.

By expanding into the “bargain” side of the luxury market, Lexus clearly hopes to capture a larger section of mid-level executive saloon buyers. The merits of the GS200t are apparent, but it maybe needs to hone its motor skills a little more: the four-cylinder mill doesn't really do the excellence of the rest of the GS the justice it deserves. Objectively, it's pretty decent, but just as with its competitors, the real fun still begins with a six-cylinder engine – simply proving that the original GS recipe was perfect all along.

Lexus GS200t EX Specifications

Engine	:1998 cc Petrol, turbocharged and intercooled
Gearbox	:8-speed torque converter automatic, rear-wheel-drive
Output	:180kW @ 5800 r/min, 350 Nm @ 1650-3400 r/min
Performance (claimed)	:0-100 km/h in 7.3 seconds, max speed 230 km/h
Consumption (official)	:8.0 ℓ/100 km average
Luggage compartment	:520 litres
Price (before options)	:R 786,000