Underpowered? Arguably, yes. But the 1993-97 Lexus GS300 was still a pretty good sports/luxury sedan during its initial run and it remains an excellent value on the used market.

Consider some numbers. A 1997 GS300 can be had for in the neighbourhood of 21 per cent of its original sticker price. And that's a loaded luxury sedan with a wedge-shaped, sharp and angular look created by the European Ital Design group headed by Giorgio Giugiaro.

Here's another number: 1. As in one safety recall in five model years. That's outstanding. Likewise, the number of documented service issues is very small (see Buyer's Alerts for details).

The GS300 arrived as a completely new '93 model as the latest salvo in what was back then a relatively new Lexus' assault on the luxury car segment. That GS300 was sold in Japan as the Aristo, but for North America Lexus went with the alphanumeric designation. The GS part stands for gran sport, while the 300 refers to the 220-horsepower 3.0-litre engine.

Lexus envisioned the GS300 competing against the likes of BMW's 5-series. It was a good plan on paper, but in the real marketplace no such thing happened. That GS300 never really caught on, thus the major improvements for 1998 - including the addition of a 300-hp GS400.

The GS300 of 1993-97 is not a small car. It rides on a 2,780 mm wheelbase, giving it pretty good front leg room though less than perfect rear leg room. Head and shoulder room is pretty decent all around, but the trunk is small, boxy and hard to load thanks to a very high liftover. What's more, the rear seat does not fold down and there is no pass-through, either.

More successful is this car's design. During its run, this was the most un-Lexus of the Lexus clan. Which is understandable because it wasn't styled inside the company. In fact, many of the elements in this GS were first seen in Giugiaro's Kensington show car on display at the Geneva Auto Show in 1990. The design is elegant, aerodynamic (coefficient of drag 0.31) and efficient in terms of enhancing interior passenger room and reducing noise.

The noise question has always been an obsession with Lexus. As you would expect, this GS300 has no apologies to make here. Strict adherence to tight tolerances and generously apportioned sound-deadening materials created amazing levels of quietness in new models which carries over into the used cars. Vibration, too, has been almost completely damped out through the use of front and rear subframes and liquid-filled mounting cushions. A used GS300 might be a "quiet" surprise to those testing a seven- or eight-year-old car.

There's no question the GS300 is a nice cruiser, but it's also quite sporting. The ride is smooth and silent, and handling is sure and predictable. A rigid body/chassis structure, a four-wheel double wishbone suspension system, fat front and rear anti-roll bars, and the north-south longitudinal layout of the in-line six-cylinder engine add up to good performance in a rear-driver.

However, don't be surprised by light and vague steering. On the other hand, hefty four-wheel disc brakes with standard anti-lock are superb. Traction control is optional.

Power comes from a 24-valve, twin overhead cam 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine that produces 220 horsepower. This 1,665 kg (3,671 lbs) Lexus shows its sporting nature above 4,000 rpm. Shifts of the electronically-controlled automatic transmission (the only choice available) are smooth and seamless. Expect 0-100 km/h times in the nine second range and fuel economy is rated at a combined 11.6 litres/100 km.

Meanwhile, the cabin is very nice and should have worn well over the years. The front buckets are roomy and well-padded and power adjustments were always standard with the new car. On safety, dual front air bags were standard. Of course, all the luxury features were part of the original package, so be alert to possible electrical issues in older cars.

Buyer's alerts

Recalls

Road Test
Access: B+
Driving position: A-
Instruments/Controls: A-
Visibility: C+
Climate Control: B
Steering: C
Brakes: B+
Handling: B-
Acceleration: C
Engine: B
Transmission: B+
Interior space: C+
Trunk/Cargo: C
Noise/Vibration/Harshness: A-

Durability/Reliability
Overall: A-
Mechanical: A-
Hardware/Body/Paint/Trim: B+

Safety
Anti-lock braking: yes
Airbags (driver/passenger): yes/yes
Traction control: available
Driver/Passenger Front Crash Protection:***/*** (out of 5)