The new Lexus GS 300h offers best-in-class benefit-in-kind rates for company car drivers, potentially saving customers more than £2,000 on their annual tax bill.
Available to order now, with the first customer deliveries in January 2014, the GS 300h is the latest extension of Lexus full hybrid technology, and represents the first time two different hybrid powertrains have been offered in a single model range.
The GS 300h uses a 2.5-litre Lexus Hybrid Drive powertrain to deliver CO2 emissions from 109g/km* and combined cycle fuel consumption of up to 60.1mpg*.
Four equipment grades will be available – SE, Luxury, F Sport and Premier – with on-the-road prices starting from £31,495.
Lexus GS 300h CO2 emissions details
Lexus is strengthening the appeal of its GS executive saloon range for company and business car users with the introduction of the new GS 300h. It joins the established .
” href=”https://mag.lexus.co.uk/discover-the-lexus-gs-with-amanda-stretton-video/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>GS 450h in the range to deliver class-leading benefit-in-kind tax rates of 13 per cent, thanks to segment leading CO2 emissions of 109g/km from its 2.5-litre hybrid powertrain.
Compared to its key premium market diesel competitors, the GS 300h SE delivers compelling annual tax figures that can save customers more than £800 a year. Line it up against its hybrid rivals and the advantages are even starker, with potential annual tax savings of more than £1,800 – demonstrating how Lexus is bringing its smooth, refined and highly efficient technology within the reach of many more motorists.
Here’s how the figures stack up, with leather upholstery and satellite navigation added to the GS 300h SE specification: –
| VEHICLE | P11D PRICE | CO2 (g/km) | BIK RATE | TAXABLE VALUE | ANNUAL BIK TAX 2013/14 | MONTHLY VARIANCE VS LEXUS | 1 YEAR VARIANCE VS LEXUS |
| Lexus GS 300h SE | £35,485 | 109* | 13% | £4,613 | £1,845 | – | – |
| BMW 520d SE AT | £33,050 | 123 | 19% | £6,280 | £2,512 | £56 | £667 |
| Audi A6 2.0 TDI SE AT | £32,515 | 132 | 21% | £6,828 | £2,731 | £74 | £886 |
| Audi A6 Hybrid | £43,845 | 145 | 21% | £9,207 | £3,683 | £153 | £1,838 |
| Mercedes-Benz E220 CDI SE AT | £33,865 | 128 | 20% | £6,773 | £2,709 | £72 | £864 |
| Mercedes-Benz E220 Hybrid SE | £39,475 | 109 | 13% | £5,132 | £2,053 | £17 | £207 |
For customers willing to forego the options of leather and sat-nav (combined cost £3,990), the tax benefits are even greater: –
| VEHICLE | P11D PRICE | CO2 (g/km) | BIK RATE | TAXABLE VALUE | ANNUAL BIK TAX 2013/14 | MONTHLY VARIANCE VS LEXUS | 1 YEAR VARIANCE VS LEXUS |
| Lexus GS 300h SE | £31,495 | 109* | 13% | £4,094 | £1,638 | – | – |
| BMW 520d SE AT | £33,050 | 123 | 19% | £6,280 | £2,512 | +£73 | +£874 |
| Audi A6 2.0 TDI SE AT | £32,515 | 132 | 21% | £6,828 | £2,731 | +£91 | +£1,094 |
| Audi A6 Hybrid | £43,845 | 145 | 21% | £9,207 | £3,683 | +£170 | +£2,045 |
| Mercedes-Benz E220 CDI SE AT | £33,865 | 128 | 20% | £6,773 | £2,709 | +£89 | +£1,071 |
| Mercedes-Benz E220 Hybrid SE | £39,475 | 109 | 13% | £5,132 | £2,053 | +£35 | +£415 |
Figures apply to 40 per cent rate tax payers. Data supplied by Kwikcarcost.
Even putting the significant tax savings enjoyed by company car drivers aside, all GS 300h SE customers will also be saving money on fuel and car tax. Combined cycle consumption of 60.1mpg is expected for the SE model, with 57.6mpg for the Luxury and Premier versions and 56.5mpg for the F Sport. The SE’s 109g/km CO2 emissions place it in band B for annual Vehicle Excise Duty (road tax), while the Luxury and Premier at 113g/km and F Sport at 115g/km, all fall within band C (all figures provisional prior to official homologation).
Lexus GS 300h range
The stunning styling of the new GS 300h mirrors that of the more powerful GS 450h. The model grade structure adds a new entry level SE trim to the established Luxury, F Sport and Premier designations.
The new GS 300h SE comes with the following key features as standard: –
10 airbags
17-inch alloy wheels
Electrically adjustable steering wheel
12-speaker sound system with DVD player and DAB tuner
Cruise Control
VDIM integrated dynamic safety and handling systems management
10-way electrically adjustable, heated front seats
Push-button start
Drive Mode Select
Dual-zone climate control
Folding, heated door mirrors
Aluminium scuff plates
Reversing camera with parking guide
Dusk-sensing xenon headlights and LED daytime running lights
Hill Assist Control
Front fog lamps
Parking sensors
Principal options available for the SE include Lexus Premium Navigation with 12.3-inch display, smart/keyless entry and leather upholstery with heating and ventilation for the front seats.
The GS 300h Luxury trim adds the following key features: –
Leather seats with heating and ventilation functions for the front seats
Lexus Premium Navigation with 12.3-inch display
Blind Spot Monitor pack with power-folding, heated mirrors and Rear Cross Traffic Alert
18-inch alloy wheels
Options for the Luxury model include a 17-speaker Mark Levinson hifi system and a sunroof.
The GS 300h F Sport benefits from the following: –
F Sport exterior and interior styling elements
Perforated leather sports seats with electric adjustment, heating and ventilation for the front seats
10-spoke F-Sport 19-inch alloy wheels
Adaptive Variable Sports Suspension
Sport S+ drive mode
AFS cornering function and Automatic High Beam headlights
Auto-folding and dimming door mirrors
Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
LED fog lamps
Extra cost options include the Mark Levinson 17-speaker hifi system and a sunroof.
At the top of the range, the GS 300h Premier offers (in addition to the Luxury specification): –
LED fog lamps
Semi-aniline leather upholstery
18-way electric front seat adjustment with memory
Adaptive Variable Sports Suspension
Sport S+ drive mode
Wood trim inserts
AFS cornering function and Automatic High Beam headlights
Electric rear window shade
Auto-folding and dimming door mirrors
Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
Mark Levinson 17-speaker hifi system
Power boot open/close
Colour head-up display
A sunroof can be specified as an option.
At the same time as Lexus adds the GS 300h to the range it also makes a new design shift lever and the colour head-up display available for the GS 450h.
The GS range’s comprehensive array of active, passive and preventive safety features is being further extended, with addition of a 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.
Lexus GS 300h prices and VED tax rates
The on-the-road prices and VED bands for the new GS 300h are as follows: –
| MODEL | OTR PRICE | VED BAND |
| GS 300h SE | £31,495 | B |
| GS 300h Luxury | £37,495 | C |
| GS 300h F Sport | £41,745 | C |
| GS 300h Premier | £43,745 | C |
With the introduction of the new GS 300h, Lexus is withdrawing the petrol V6-powered GS 250 from the UK market.
*Fuel consumption and emissions figures remain provisional pending homologation.
Find out more about the Lexus GS at lexus.co.uk.
All information is correct at the time of publishing.
