What is it?

Now nearing the end of its third generation, the GS slots in above the sporty IS and below the luxury-laden LS. It’s sized about like the tremendously popular ES 350, but the GS offers rear-wheel-drive and a much higher price tag – not to mention the optional V8 seen in our tester.

Its basic style is derivative of the original Giugiaro-penned 1991 GS300 (a rebadged Toyota Aristo), but the latest car was introduced for 2006. Smoother and suaver than the second-generation GS – notable for its Shakespearean “Something wicked this way comes” ad campaign – the S190-platform car retains the two-engine configuration of its predecessor.

As enthusiasts, we jumped at the range-topping GS 460 with its 342-horsepower 4.6-liter V8. A hybrid – dubbed GS 450h – was briefly on offer before sluggish sales forced its removal from the North American market.

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    If the vehicle becomes stuck
    Carry out the following procedures if the tires spin or the vehicle becomes stuck in mud, dirt or snow: 1. Stop the hybrid system. Set the parking brake and shift the shift lever to P. 2. Remove ...

    What’s it up against?
    This one’s tough to answer: The ES doesn’t really have many direct rivals aside from the Ford Fusion-based Lincoln MKZ, the Cadillac CTS , the Acura TL and the Volvo S80 since the segment is all-b ...