2016 Lexus GS gets boosted 4-cylinder, exterior makeover
The Lexus IS isn't the only sedan in the brand's lineup to get a turbocharged shot in the arm for 2016, with the larger GS getting the same treatment heading into next year.
The midsize GS is getting a makeover for the 2016 model year, sporting a more pronounced version of the brand's spindle grille that appears on everything from the new RC coupe to the NX crossover.
But it's under the hood that really counts, with Lexus announcing the GS' mid-cycle refresh will include the use of the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine found in the NX and the 2016 IS.
The engine makes 241 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft. of torque, the same as the IS and slightly more than the NX, and comes mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, and puts power down to the rear wheels.
The GS' bread-and-butter 3.5-litre V6 is still available, making 311 horsepower and 280 lb.-ft. of torque—slightly more than the 306 horsepower and 277 lb.-ft. in the 2015 model.
A 450h hybrid model will still be available.
Also new for 2016 are a host of exterior and interior colours, new wheel designs, and new interior wood and aluminum trim choices, as well as an available Lexus Safety System + that combines a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning and radar cruise control, among other features.
This trickle-down—or in this case trickle-up—effect is natural for a new powerplant, and with emissions regulations getting stingier expect to see this powerplant make its way into more Toyota models in the future.
