The 2020 model year will be the final call for the Lexus GS lineup, and that includes the fantastically flawed high-performance GS F.
With a lovely V-8 engine, proper rear-wheel-drive proportions, and a great interior, the 2020 Lexus GS F speaks to me, but the competition has better moves, more power, and less controversial designs. That’s before we even address the infotainment system.
I spent a week in my favorite Lexus, the GS F, before it exits stage right this fall. Here’s where it hits and misses.
2020 Lexus GS F
Hit: Oh, that engine
You won’t find any turbochargers here. The GS F is powered by a silky-smooth naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V-8 with 467 horsepower and 389 pound-feet of torque. Sure, its 8-speed automatic shifts aren’t as rapid-fire quick as those of the ZF 8-speed in the German rivals or nearly every high-performance dual-clutch setup on the market, but it shifts cleanly and responsively as the 5.0 revs out to a glorious 7,300 rpm. The 5.0 is down on power compared to cars like the Audi RS 6, BMW M5, and Mercedes E63, but the noises it makes take a back seat to no competitor. Power doesn’t come on as suddenly as it does in those forced-induction rivals, but it is more linear and certainly satisfying.
2020 Lexus GS F
Miss: Oof, that infotainment system
The single worst thing about the GS F, as with most modern vehicles sitting in Lexus showrooms, is the infotainment system. A moving vehicle’s main interface should not be controlled by a mouse-like device. It’s clunky, hard to use, requires manual dexterity, and is distracting as hell. It also takes multiple clicks, even when you manage to find the correct icon, to accomplish simple tasks like changing from the radio to the climate control or navigation functions. Worse, there’s no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto (Lexus doesn’t offer the latter on most models), and the infotainment system can’t (and won’t) be upgraded to accommodate these features as they require upgrades to both the hardware and software. Living with the system is only tolerable because you can just turn off the sound and listen to the V-8.
2020 Lexus GS F
Hit: Audio equipment or vehicle controls?
Glance briefly at the center stack and you might think the hard buttons and knobs for the audio interface and climate controls are from a high-end home audio system. The silver volume and tuning knobs, the small square screens for the temperature readouts, and the buttons all feel and look high-end. They offer the added benefit of circumventing the infotainment system for basic functions like changing the temperature, airflow, and audio source.
2020 Lexus GS F
Miss: Gauge cluster screens
I love the GS F’s gauge cluster. It has a very LFA supercar vibe with the large digital tachometer front and center, small analog speedometer to the lower right, and digital accessory gauges on the left. The design isn’t the issue, it’s the implementation. Sunlight can wash out the digital portions of the gauge cluster leaving you unable to read the tachometer and the fuel, oil temp, and coolant temp gauges. Worst of all, the digital speedometer sits within the tach, so it can be washed out, too, leaving you forced to look at the small analog speedometer that is marked in 10-mph increments in a tightly spaced layout.
2020 Lexus GS F
Hit and Miss: Premium, please
The GS F’s 5.0-liter V-8 wants premium 91 octane fuel and your mileage may vary...widely.
The EPA ratings are 16 mpg city, 24 highway, and 19 combined.
Around town, and even in mixed driving, that 16 mpg rating is optimistic. In heavy traffic, you’ll be happy if you see double digits and should be ecstatic if you manage 15 mpg in mixed driving. It’s bad.
But driving on the highway is a completely different story. With two adults, two kids, a dog, and a trunk full of luggage for a weekend up north, I saw an average of 27.1 mpg, according to the trip computer, over the course of just over 200 miles. The way home was less efficient, likely due to wind, and I got 24.5 mpg. Average the two and that’s 25.8 mpg over the course of 400 miles at speeds over 70 mph. With 467 hp and eight forward gears, the GS F easily beat the EPA highway fuel economy rating.
Granted, the second you put your foot into it starts to guzzle gas quickly. Those magical noises from the engine will cost you.
2020 Lexus GS F
2020 Lexus GS F
2020 Lexus GS F
2020 Lexus GS F
Hit: It’s sharp
The GS F looks great. Put those pitch forks away and hear me out. The gaping Lexus spindle grille is controversial, but the flared and vented front fenders, gaping intakes on either side of the front bumper to feed the radiators, and ducts in the front bumper that route air to the brakes are all there for a reason. Functional design is underappreciated and always has a special place in my heart. Then there are the gorgeous 19-inch BBS forged-alloy wheels that glimmer like diamonds when the sunlight hits them the right way. The slotted brake rotors look great tucked behind the BBS wheels, too, but I recommend the optional blue brake calipers that my test car didn’t have. The jewel-like LED headlights almost twinkle when lit.
2020 Lexus GS F
2020 Lexus GS F
2020 Lexus GS F
2020 Lexus GS F
The GS F stands out most for its proportions, though. Look at all that sheet metal between the front wheel and driver door. It’s a giveaway that this car is powered by the rear wheels and it looks elegant and sporty.
2020 Lexus GS F
Hit and Miss: Stiff and firm
The GS F starts with the GS’s bones, which is a worthy structure, and takes things further with four additional underbody braces. The GS’s double-wishbone front suspension and multi-link rear suspension are upgraded with aluminum links for increased rigidity and less unsprung weight. The geometry is tweaked all around and the bushings and spring rates are all stiffer. The final piece of the puzzle is the Sachs dampers at all four corners.
The result? Pull into a driveway at an angle and the stiff structure doesn’t flinch or twist. Roll down broken Midwest pavement and you’ll be keenly aware of every expansion joint that heaved during winter. But this is still a Lexus, and the suspension suffers from no bone-jarring crashes. It’s a firm ride, but completely liveable as a daily driver even in Minnesota. The GS F isn’t softer than its German competitors despite the Lexus badge.
The GS F never rose to the top of its class, but it never cost as much as its rivals either. It’s been overshadowed and outgunned by the more-powerful and better-handling German competition, but it’s interior is superb and its engine offers a more linear and natural feel than the turbocharged V-8s from Germany. I’ll miss you, GS F.
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2020 Lexus GS F
Base price: $86,035
Price as tested: $89,510
EPA fuel economy: 16 mpg city, 24 highway, 19 combined
The good: Glorious V-8, home audio-like interior controls, LFA-inspired interior bits.
The bad: Horrid infotainment system, no Apple CarPlay, digital gauges can be washed out by the sun.
