A gourmet blend of sport and luxury worth savoring, the GS 400 has spoiled us over the past year. Logbook entries like "Absolutely one of the best sedans ever built" gush with more loving praise and adoration than Shakespeare's sonnets. The initial driver attraction is always with the glorious 4.0-liter/300-horsepower DOHC V-8. Racing 0-60 mph in 5.7 Mustang-taunting seconds, it seems as though the whole world slows down when the accelerator is depressed. The sound insulation, smooth controls, and tempered feedback create an almost eerie isolation matched to the impressive performance abilities. Just point and shoot, the GS 400 practically teleports to its goal. The in-dash navigation system has proven easy to program and quite accurate. Beyond basic guidance, we've appreciated how the system advises on lane choice when approaching major highway splits, truly easing trips to new areas. The nav monitor displaces the traditional audio and climate controls, requiring some mental retraining to use the touch screen. Once learned, operation is logical and clear, though we find ourselves sometimes tapping the screen more than once to effect change.
Base price: $44,800
Price as tested: $50,911
Body style: 4-door, 5-pass.
Engine size/type: 4.0-liter V-8
Transmission: 5-speed auto.
Driveline configuration: Front engine, rear drive
0-60 mph, sec.: 5.7
EPA mpg, city/hwy.: 17/23
Total mileage: 9435
Test mileage: 9255
Fuel consumed, gal: 550.9
Fuel cost: $711.09
Average mpg: 16.8
Additional oil/cost: None
Routine maint.: $101.00
Additional maint.: None
Previous maint.: None
Problem areas: None
Total operating cost: $812.09
Operating cost/mile: 8.7c