Nico72

By the way, I love your plate number! you car looks really good too...

Have a great time Robert. Let us know how this went and post some pictures of the car once you have sealed the deal...

Thanks Robert. These Japanese cars (unlike the German ones) are quality built to last forever...

One way to find out is on the centre console, the premier and F sport would have Sport and Sport + as standard, and the high end sound system as standard and I also think they have got the larger sat nav as standard. The Luxury model has only got the sport option, and it has blind spot assist as standard (same for Premier and F Sport) and comes with a smaller size sat nav system (but still big enough to enjoy the system. These are the things I have noticed from driving mine and I am very happy with the Luxury model. Shahpor is right about advising you to make sure the car is absolutely perfect when you pick it up. If the vehicle has been in the showroom for a while, get them to check the battery and if it is below the normal charge, request a new one (it has happened to mine recently, and the dealer changed it under warranty)... However, don't be put off because the car has been in the dealership for months. Lexus will make sure it is working in full order. You will not regret whichever model you go for, the GS gen 4 is a fantastic luxury car... Send us pics once you have done the choosing.

Thanks for sharing your detailed insights. No doubt it is a good car. Glad to hear that there is no real difference felt as a front wheel drive. The economy is very good. I will check this video - thanks!

That is a hard one to leave the 450 for a 300, additionally I think he could be missing the rear wheel drive feel with ES. In my honest opinion, I think the GS is a better built quality car overall but I do like the look of this new ES car... I am now managing 32.1 mpg driving in town (up to 30mpg) and I am very impressed given the size of this engine... Would be interested to know what the ES 300h would achieve likewise...

I agree with you that about the stealth tax, but on the other hand it will make the car manufacturers think carefully how to price so consumers could be tempted to make a deal avoiding the £440 tax. It certainly is a bad move for Tesla, as their customers will be tempted to seek a cheaper vehicle to avoid this stealth tax either by getting a basic new model 3 or going for the S model as second hand... The tax is a bit wrong in my opinion and should have been calculated mainly according to emission rather than value price of the vehicle.

Thanks Adam, I fully agree with you on the issues with BMW and it is a shame that they do not take these matters in hand to resolve persisting issues once and for all rather than ignoring them. I could not bear another thought with any new issue having to bring the car back again for any new fault. It is a shame because, I did enjoy the 5 series, it was a great car to drive as well. But Lexus GS puts it onto another level and way above it. So glad I did this change. The GS had some minor scratches on the alloys and they were there before I bought the car, but I had decided to take the car before Christmas and book this work early January as I had no confidence in keeping my BMW car for another 2 weeks in case additional issues start appearing from the water leak. So on second thought, and listening to my wife, she said 'get the Lexus now and enjoy the new car and forget all previous issues with the BMW'. It really felt good when I did that. You are right these alloys are fairly sensitive and prone to get scratch easily. I am a very careful owner driving away from the kerb and I have learnt my lessons with previous cars such as my AMG car (W212 E class) a few years ago, which had diamond cut alloys and of high quality, I once tried to get one repaired and the repair did not look the same as all other alloys that I had to buy a brand new one (£750 each!) so from that day onward, I have been religiously driving away from any kerb...

It is a hard choice to be fair. Both cars look really good. From colour point of view, the dark one looks nicer. But I would still go with the grey with all options and lower mileage...

Hi Andrew, personally I would be tempted with the 63k mileage and the fact that it has got the top range sound system with sat nav is another strong point to chose this car over to the first one. In terms of driving, I do not think there will be a major difference, the sport version has got the sport suspension, which makes the car a bit stiffer and more planted but you would feel more the bumps if the road is uneven - so, most of us would keep the standard suspension on as they are a bit softer on the road. But I believe the standard car does have the sport button for engine tune, which is nice and enough for most drivers. My gut feeling would be to go for the lower mileage car... Best of luck!

I just read your post and I am sorry to hear the abuse you received from your father in law. He is absolutely wrong and it is YOUR CHOICE. There is nothing wrong with the car and the power it delivers. It is a great looking car indeed and it is equivalent to an S Class in this category and drives superbly. Do not back down to their demand and remember you only live once and do what you think is right for you. If you are happy with it, then great. Don't do something to please your dad in law or get his approval. You are an adult and he should respect you as an individual. Enjoy this amazing car!!!!!

Yes that was the car! I was actually looking forward to having a car with a bit more power but with the same economy of a 520d. Regarding the issues with the BMW: it is a bit of a long story but I had to bring my car twice to have it inspected why there was a build up of water in the footwell front and back passenger seats (left side). Back in November 18, the first time it went to BMW approved dealership (Borehamwood), they kept the car for a week and half and then stated that after a number of water testing, they believed that the front windscreen that I had changed at one point (due to stone chip) was not sealed back properly - so I got the work done with Autoglass fitting a brand new windscreen but then a few days later, still damp smell inside, with condensation on the left handside of my windows front and back, then we had torrential rain, the water built up and rose above carpet level like a swimming pool - I was spending my time draining the water out that night trying to minimise the damage. The next morning, I called BMW and brought the vehicle again, this time they said they would need to pull the carpet out to investigate where the water comes from. I had done a lot of research online and found that this issue is a known problem to BMW with the 5 series F10/F11 and previous generations ie grommet (round plastic cap with a sealant around it that is located under the glove box under the carpet) is known to fail at some point due to design fault (BMW does not want to admit this) and they are lots of drivers complaining about this known water leak inside the cabin. BMW kept my car for nearly 2 weeks (got a courtesy BMW car as I had a BMW warranty - and good I did this actually) and when I chased them after a week, they said that I would need to pay £800 + VAT to get the carpet job out. I refused as I informed them that I had an extended BMW warranty and that I should not be charged this much for just pulling the carpet. So I informed them that I would pick my car back immediately. BMW said ok, could you come in one hour as we need to prep your vehicle. I said fine. I got there and they bring the car at the front courtyard and I was with my 4 year old daughter, I was about to put the car seat in the back and to my horror, I discovered that there was about 10 centimetres of water above the carpet (goldfish would have been very happy to swim). I became angry and demanded to meet with the general manager of this workshop and told the BMW staff that it was utterly unacceptable. One of the staff, who drove my car to the courtyard, (and he would have heard the water moving back and fourth when driving it) said: why are you upset? you did not pay for any work. I firmly said that was not the point. The general manager was present then and saw how my car was left with all the water in the footwell. And I said that it was the straw that broke the camel's back. I brought it to an approved Dealership thinking that my vehicle would be cherished and well looked after and that it was completely the opposite. I had threatened them that I would raise this matter to BMW head office. The general manager said they would remedy the situation. First, he said they would get the water out and that he would bring the car back if I did not want to pay the amount requested. I told the manager that I had completely lost confidence in their ability to fix my car properly. The manager did his best to calm me down (the staff who was out of line, saying that I should not have been upset because I did not pay anything, had to apologise for what he said in front the general manager). I waited for about 30mns and they bring the car back and then I noticed the front of the vehicle (which I did not notice before) was not right: the left headlamp was full of water inside and heavy condensation. I did not bring the car in that state (in fact it was well looked after and cherished) and so I brought the manager back. He came back and he said that it was 'quite normal' and that it would go away in time. I turned the engine on to check if any fault would show and it did immediately shown 2 faults with the headlight (again the staff should have known that something was wrong and should not have brought it in). The manager then said, his team would inspect the fault and reckoned that it could be a lightbulb that needed changing. I knew it was much more serious than this so I waited a bit more and he came back saying that he did not have any good news: the headlight unit had to be completely replaced and he said it would be so free of charge and offered to fix my car with the water issue meeting half half. At this point, I did not want to drive the car in this state and felt it was my opportunity to insist he gets the work sorted there and then properly. He said absolutely and he apologised for the negative experience I had endured so far. He then said he did not have a vehicle for me. I told him that he would have to do better than this, as I am with my daughter waiting in the workshop for over an hour and that quite frankly it could be any vehicle including a non-BMW. The manager did his best pulling strings and got me a brand new 520D touring sport (only had 38 miles on the clock) which he took from the main sales department and said it took it out of the sales showroom for me to drive until my car was fixed. Then within 5 days, I got a call saying that the car was fully repaired. So I reinspected the vehicle and found the carpet fully dried no sign of damp and the manager said that the grommet was cause of this fault and he said that they 'fixed the headlamp' without specifying further (they actually did not replace it but they have done some repair to it as the headlamp unit was not new - old stone chips were still visible) and he said there was nothing to pay. Then he informed me that he would call me back to give me a better deal on my next car purchase (as I had informed them I was in the process of buying a new BMW series 5 as a replacement to find a newer BMW) but sadly (for BMW) he did not call me back. So when my BMW car was back, I knew I had to sell it quickly - so Lexus was the car to go for! The funny thing is that I got a phone call from BMW high Wycombe 2 weeks ago (where I bought the car from) asking if I was interested in buying another BMW... I took the pleasure explaining all the latest issues and the BMW staff was unimpressed with the service and stated she would raise this matter to BMW head office as it was an awful experience and that she was 'sad' to hear that I left BMW for Lexus. I said don't be sad, because actually it could be the best thing that happened to me, without this ordeal, I probably would have stayed with BMW and never gone to Lexus (or not so soon) and I informed her that the service I have received from Lexus so far is something that has made feel much happier and I do not think BMW could match that... There was a long pause and she did not know what else to say...

Glad the IS has this fitted also and I agree with you. Such a clever thought and God knows how often I accidentally dropped coins and could not retrieve them...

Hi everyone, I thought I should share with you my honest thoughts so far since I bought this car on 24thDecember 2018, after leaving BMW due to a number of issues that BMW failed to fix serious water leak with my former F10 series 5 (520D SE), and also due to the fact that this car was not ULEZ approved, I was determined to buy a more environmental friendly vehicle on my next purchase. I did not want to buy an pure electric car due to many ongoing issues with electric charging stations that are not been serviced in the UK, meaning there would always be a constant range anxiety in my mind and also, I did not want to buy a PHEV or pure electric car, where I would have to plug it for charging as somehow, the plugging is not a step in the right direction – in my honest opinion wireless charging would be a better option or self-charging like Hybrid. So it was no brainer that Lexus was to be my first choice to move away from BMW. Choosing the car Well, I had my eyes on an IS300 H (F sport) to start with, as I think, it is a good looking car, looking sporty from the exterior and inside, but having driven mid-size cars in the past few years like E class and 5 series, I thought it might still be too small (I am a big guy). So from browsing further, I then discovered that my local Lexus in Edgware Road was selling a nice white GS 450H (2014), with a fairly low mileage and its price was also reasonable. I then arranged a meeting with the salesman and was impressed with the quality interior and with the settings and options this car has, which were standard compared to BMW and Mercedes, which one would have to pay for extra options. I was very much interested in this vehicle and the sale was concluded, part exchanging my BMW and the service was done very smoothly indeed. They got the car ready for pick up on Christmas eve and I was extremely excited to be driving for the first time (as I did not do a test drive – I had read and viewed so many youtube videos that I was convinced it would be a perfect replacement car). Experience with Lexus – sales and after sales Staff have been extremely professional and were listening to my needs and have been rather exceptional from start to finish. For example, the car had some scratched alloys (which were minor when I bought the car as is), there was some minor paint work in the rear bumper that needed to be resprayed, the front headlights to be rebuffed as there was some smear marks on the glass and they took the car and gave me a courtesy vehicle for a few days so all the work was completed to full satisfaction. And the car was cleaned inside and outside. I had an issue with the battery running flat in early February 19, so I called Lexus road assistance and they attended at my house within 20 minutes and found that the battery had to be replaced. So the car was back at Lexus workshop and they had to order a battery within 2 working days, they unfortunately did not have a courtesy vehicle but the manager offered to take me home from the workshop and I truly was not expecting this, as I was ok to book a taxi from the workshop to go home (I also did not really need another car just for 2 days as my wife does have a car so I could cope accordingly). The staff were amazing to be honest and I commended them by email to Lexus for going for the extra mile assisting me – as I honestly do not think that Mercedes Benz nor BMW would have done this if I was in this position. The battery was replaced (free of charge) as part of the first 12 months warranty and the car was cleaned (inside and outside!). Now, my car is still due to be back at Lexus in order to replace the rear windscreen as some filaments were damaged by the previous owner who had done an aftermarket tinting. Again Lexus staff happily booked the vehicle to have the windscreen replaced under warranty and a courtesy vehicle will be provided. I know that there have been a few issues (not major) but I have full confidence with the team that the car will be looked after from start to finish (unlike my experience with BMW dealership) Exterior look design At first, I thought the GS model looks a bit too big, but when I saw the car in white with brown leather, it got me and I was sold and I am truly in love with this amazing Japanese machine. There are a few things that I think it really cool: first I love the fact that it is keyless, I keep the key in my pocket and the car unlocks when I put my hand in the door handle and locks when I pressed on the small gap of the door handle. At night, the side mirrors automatically lit when I get closer to the vehicle, which makes the experience truly unique and exciting to get in. The front grill is ok, at first I was not too keen or thought it lacks of sharpness or aggressiveness but it is forgiven with the LED lights, which look really cool. The doors are big and bulky and feels very solid and well-built. The rear looks fantastic – I love the rear lights and they look very stylish. My only criticism is that the rear trunk does not fully open when unlocking it and the button is not in the centre but located in the righthand side. The boot size is reasonable to be fair, the BMW 5 series (F10) has a bigger size boot but I can live with this acceptable size, and it is a wider boot compare to my previous car. Interior design I do think the leather is of higher quality than any leather seats I have had in all my previous cars (Mercedes and BMW) and you do feel you are seating in a rather high class vehicle and extremely luxurious but with simplicity ie not too many buttons. I love the fact that this car is fitted with some pads between the seats and middle console, which is so cool as I have in the past dropped money in the gap or drop my phone and this is a genius and simple idea that says a lot about Lexus. The comfort is superb and I love the fact that the seat and steering wheel automatically adjust when I turn the car engine on and off and when I put my seat belt on. It feels like we are in a cockpit ready to take off. The clock looks very stylish too and it is a great cabin to be inside when it is day or night time. I love the white glow all around and the dashboard looks very beautiful (when on Eco mode or Sport mode). Only one criticism is that the seat is maybe a bit too upright or maybe because I had a BMW car before and the sport seat adjustment allow you to bring it right down like a sport car. I understand that this Lexus model is not a sport car but more like a limousine car so I am getting used to the new height of my seat (even though it is adjusted to the lowest level). The visibility around is very good and the rear and front sensors including the rear camera makes the car very easy to manoeuvre around and in tight places. The sat nav and interface system is also a very good alternative than the previous systems I had with professional sat nav screen with BMW but, where Lexus beats BMW is where the following options are all standard (unlike BMW where you would have to pay an annual subscription and it does get quite expensive): emails and texts automatically received and can be read out when driving (you would have to pay this with BMW), speed limit notification, traffic prediction (you would have to pay this with BMW called RTTI) Bluetooth connection to allow spotify to be connected, DAB radio. The display is actually good enough to see clearly where you are going with the satnav and when it is used for directions, the system is extremely intuitive and I really like it. I do not mind the mouse on the console, contrary to quite a few negative comments some car journalists have said, I actually think it is very easy to use and anyone can get around it. You can adjust the sensitivity of it and so far, it runs really well. I also love the home button, which allows me to view at the same time what music I am playing with sat nav and air con. It is very clever indeed as I tend to leave in this home page most of the time, unless of course I use the sat nav. The driving experience It is definitely something else than I have driven before, the car feels tranquil and agile and the suspension are very soft (compare to the BMW) like silk and it is such a pleasant place to be when driving around. I could drive long distance and know that I will be fine and not have a backache. The car really is agile and turns around corners will well and strong. I love the way it drives you around and it reminds me of the rolls Royce (a friend of mine had an old Rolls Royce) how it drives. Engine (best bit, I think) Well before this Lexus and BMW, I had an E63AMG performance Pack with AMG W212 (E Class) and it was a 6.3L naturally aspirated engine and drove this car for nearly 3 years. I had lots of fun with it but the less fun was having to go to the petrol station every 2-3 days. It was mainly running at 10-15mpg in town (sometimes I could achieve 31mpg doing motorway trips). And the reason that I am mentioning this AMG car is that this Lexus reminded me of this car on motorway when overtaking – gosh it is really pushing and is a monster making a big noise with the engine – lovely sound I have to say. I absolutely love this engine and it works superbly in town and on motorway. In town, it drives well and silently a lot of times with the Hybrid running on Electric engine up to just under 40mpg and it is remarkable how they have achieved this blend between fuel engine and electric engine. It runs so smoothly and recharge the battery automatically that it actually encourages you as a driver to drive more sensibly and I have achieved so far 25.2mpg in town driving short trips and under 30mpg. On motorway, I achieved 38.1mpg and I am sure I could slightly improve this figure using the cruise control. On the whole, it is a car that I very much look forward getting into daily and it gives me the buzz and I feel that it is going to give me more excitement in months and years to come driving it.

I do an average 23-25 mpg in town but they are short trips (5-10mns each way) mainly in normal mode If I drive for longer in town I can reach 28-29mpg. On the motorway I achieved 37-38mpg (and driving on sport mode) as I love hearing the V6 growls like a V8. But then put it on cruise control aiming at 70mpg I can just about get 39 mpg. I have not yet hit above 40mpg but my driving style can be a bit sporty. Will have to try and drive on Eco mode to see if I can beat the 40mpg... I guess, it will have to be driving on the left lane without pressing the accelerator or overtaking unnecessarily...

Simply brilliant post - thank you! Reading your post make me love my car even more...

Hi everyone, Since my car is back with Lexus to do minor works (Refurbishing my alloys) this week as part of the recent purchase agreement, Lexus (In Edgware Road) kindly lent me for a few days a 2018 CT200H and I wanted to share with you my thoughts about this car (day 2 driving it): I have read a few negative comments from various journalists and car magazines that CT200H is a bit dull to drive, which kind of put me off in the past but I am actually really glad to be driving one in all honesty. It is a brilliant car and I suspect that the negative comments referred to the Hybrid being perhaps too silent for the journalists who are too accustomed with the German cars - I have driven for years quite a few Mercedes cars and more recently a BMW series 5 (F10 for over a year and half) and I have to say that Lexus is on another level (and above) with the genius hybrid engines. Having driven my GS450H for over 2 weeks since I bought the car, I have become aware of the Hybrid function and how this works etc. It has influenced my driving (for the better) by being more aware of my driving style and I really think Hybrid is a good solution to reduce pollution and contribute for the environment. The CT200H is a perfect city car, nippy enough (with sport mode) to drive around and I actually love driving in ECO mode. The driving and handling is very good (if not better than Mercedes and BMW), the suspensions were a bit harder than my GS but nevertheless, it is a brilliant car to drive around. I love the fact that it starts silently and when you put it in Drive mode, it is quick to drive off. The dashboard clearly laid out giving a lot of of information and it was equipped with lane assist, collision detection, cruise control, has a good sat nav, bluetooth, media with USB ports, radio. It is a very well equipped car for small value and much better value than many similar cars in its segment. I feel really excited to be part of the world of Lexus and to know that we are driving in the future reducing CO2 (no diesels!)... It was such a positive experience that I felt I had to share this with you about this car, that quite frankly deserve far better recognition from the press. Long live Lexus!

Beautiful car, great choice! It is great to see why this GS has such appeal...

Thanks - I just saw your last post and re-edited my reply. Shame we cannot do it...

Shame it cannot be done via Carista... Will have to use my finger to lock it each time I drive ;-(

Dear all, I went to Lexus and popped the question about the auto lock and there appears to be the case about a lawsuit, which affected some of the vehicles between 2014 and 2015 without the auto lock as an option. So, I will have to lock the doors manually when driving...

I am going to meet the Lexus staff today so will ask about the auto lock situation. Will update you what they say...

Thanks. I have been spending time last night reading the manual. I am getting there!

Fantastic, I was hoping for this feature. Glad it is there! And will try this tomorrow when I drive.. thank you