I just traded in a GS 350 for a 530e...having driven only Lexus vehicles for the past 23 years, it is a big change....the BMW is much more tech challenging, with more gadgetry than a star ship...some of it is just for fun, and some functional, when you figure out how it works...German technology feels like its only meant to be mastered by very smart people, while the Lexus had clunky technology, but was very user friendly...
The BMW is clearly the better handling vehicle with much tighter overall feel, and much more direct steering...the regen brakes are odd, and not very smooth...the transmission is much better than the old GS 8 speed, which had that Toyota clunk, especially in downshifts...the GS was loud, with the engine never quiet unless you were driving fast and couldn’t hear it..the BMW is silent, totally. Mileage on the old GS was good, but not great, with an average of around 35 mpg city/highway...the BMW loves city driving, and does well on the highway if you drive conservatively. The battery is way too small, and was enlarged in 2020 for a bit more distance...still, its hard to go far if you drive fast or uphill....still, if you recharge a lot, you can achieve very high mileage. This is great for short commute driving, but not great for road trips, when you dont get to recharge often.
fit and finish of the BMW is great, but so is the Lexus...I haven’t encountered it yet, but maintenance may be the big difference..the Lexus required oil changes and little else...in almost 100K only the analog clock broke...everything else remained perfect..bmw rep for maintenance is not quite as strong, and far more expensive.
