START-UP ADVICE

LEXUS GS300H -
FRUGAL, STYLISH, LUXURIOUS
L
sounds system with DAB radio and
DVD player, cruise control, push button
start, parking sensors HID (xenon)
headlamps, and electrically adjustable,
heated front seats.
ike the Infiniti Q50 also
featured in this section, the
GS300h from Lexus provides
a dashing alternative to the
hoards of BMWs and Audis
around. And, thanks to rivalleading
CO2 emissions of just 109g/
km, it’s also particularly appealing
for its best-in-class benefit-in-kind
rates providing annual tax bill savings
of a couple of thousand pounds for
those who use it as their company
car – a bonus appreciated by any savvy
entrepreneur.
Strikingly handsome in the metal,
its sporting lines catch the eye. Inside
the appeal continues with a cabin that’s
well thought out, spacious and stylish.
The three specs are all feature rich,
starting with the SE which comes with
17-inch alloys, 10 airbags, electric
steering wheel adjustment, 12-speaker
Opt for the Luxury trim for leather
upholstery, navigation, 18-inch alloys
and a Blind Spot Monitor pack with
Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and the F Sport
for extra as exterior and interior styling
elements, perforated leather sports
seats, 10-spoke 19-inch wheels and
Adaptive Variable Sports Suspension.
Topping the range and a reader
favourite is the fully loaded GS 300h
Premier at just £43,745 OTR, with its
Mark Levinson 17-speaker hifi, system,
18-way electric front seat adjustment
with memory, a new colour head-up
display, AVS and LED fog lamps.
With safety in mind, the GS350h also
come with a comprehensive array of
active, passive and preventive safety
features, including a handy Rear Cross
Traffic Alert, which uses the same radar
technology as the Blind Spot Monitor to
alert the driver to vehicles approaching
from either side when reversing out of
a parking space.
Out on the road, the Premier model
with its 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine,
smooth CVT auto box and adaptive set
up prove a refined and capable cruiser,
bowling along smoothly with a decent
amount of engagement and feel. The
ride is just right for most, and there’s
little evidence of wind or road noise.
A stylish, great value premium model
that stands out from the crowd.
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