The Essentials

• Price from £32,995
• What Car? says:
• Fuel economy: up to 46.3mpg
• What is it? A comfortable executive car that aims to offer something different to a BMW 5 Series.

• Drive

  Hybrid model is liveliest and in electric mode it's very peaceful, too

• Inside

  Comfortable seats and lots of adjustment

• Safety

  Outstanding: ten airbags and an optional pre-safe system to brace the car if it suspects a crash is imminent

• Reliability

  It's a Lexus - it really shouldn't let you down

• Space

  Rear head and foot room isn't impressive and the hybrid loses boot space to the battery

• Standard and extras

  Plenty of mod cons thrown in, from leather seats to a rear-view camera. Lots more goodies if you upgrade

• What's it like to drive?

  There's no diesel engine option in the Lexus GS, so you can have either a sluggish petrol or a much more frisky petrol-electric hybrid that's fuel-efficient and won't cost much in company car tax. Neither is as refined as we'd like for an executive car. Most versions lean a little too much around corners, and while F Sport models have been tweaked for sharper responses, that impacts on the ride which feels bumpier.

• What's it like inside?

  It's easy to get comfortable and to see out, but the infotainment system is complicated to navigate using the mouse-style controller. The boot is enormous - unless you opt for the hybrid which has to house a big battery pack. A pair of six-footers will fit in the back seats without but if a third person tries to muscle in, there's so little space for feet that playing footsie is unavoidable. Equipment levels outdo rivals' - leather seats and a rear-view parking camera are standard.

• How reliable is it?

  Lexus regularly tops the tables in British customer satisfaction surveys. It's virtually impenetrable to thieves, has at least 10 airbags, and comes with all the stability and traction control features you could wish for. You can even programme the most expensive model to keep a set distance from the car in front and it'll brace the seatbelts and brakes if you're about to crash.

• Should I buy one?

  The Lexus GS costs more than its German rivals, is unlikely to hold its value any better and costs more to run. Even the hybrid's 46mpg is no match for a BMW 5 Series diesel's 58.9 - and it emits more CO2, too. An Audi A6 or BMW 5 Series would be easier to recommend.