Get Hotcars Premium. Start your free trial today

There's a lot more that makes the Lexus GS F stand out on the market, like the upscale and driver-focused cabin design, and its potent engine.

As a final hurrah of the ever-so-famous midsize luxury Lexus GS sedan, which had ruled the roads for more than 30 years and four generations, Lexus released the final edition of the Lexus GS F sports sedan for the 2020 model year. The GS F came out as a more refined version of the GS and raised the sedan to a more sports-sedan status through an aggressive exterior styling, the 467 hp V8 engine, and more engaging performance.

Today, the 2020 Lexus GS F is still one of the strongest and most full-bodied sports sedans out there. Its potent and harmonic engine gives the sedan a 60-mph sprint in just 4.5 seconds. But the turbocharged counterparts, like the BMW M550i and Mercedes-Benz AMG E 53 easily offer quicker accelerations, desirable top speeds, and powerful braking. Still, there is a lot more that makes the Lexus GS F stand out on the market, like the upscale and driver-focused cabin design, and extremely comfortable seats. The GS F is the go-to sedan for enthusiasts who are on the hunt for a strong sedan with a rewarding drive capability.

Here’s why the Lexus GS F is a compelling sports sedan on the market, and why you should buy one.

Related: This Is Why It Took Lexus Nine Years To Build The LFA

The Lexus GS F sports a bold exterior character that the standard Lexus GS trim with the same GS front fascia design that features a massive grille, cool-looking air intakes, stylish headlights, as well as the arrow-like daylight running lights that point at the retracted, upper part of the grille.

The GS F’s sharpened aerodynamic properties are visible on the rear end, where the vehicle gets a carbon fiber lip spoiler on the trunk. The gloss black trim adds a little zest to the wing mirrors and rear diffuser. The standard 19-inch forged BBS alloy wheels in matte black significantly boost the GS F’s profile, with the Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires.

What really stands out on the outside, though, are the blue "F" badges that gleam from every angle, and the Lexus F's trademark fender vents.

RELATED: These Are The Best Features Of The 2020 Lexus GS F

The Lexus GS F has one of the best interiors, with a smartly-designed dashboard, pleasant-looking seats, and high-quality materials that give you the feeling of being inside a more luxurious sedan. Like most of its siblings, the front cabin design takes on a driver-focused approach, with well-placed and perfectly-positioned steering wheel and pedals to improve your driving experience.

Also, all console and infotainment controls are only within arm’s reach. While the seating position is low, you’ll still get an excellent view of the road ahead of you, thanks to the sleek, curved-down hood. The seats themselves are extremely plushy and keep you comfortable even on longer trips. Thanks to the 112.2-inch wheelbase, the cabin offers up to 91 cubic feet of passenger space and 14 cubic feet of cargo capacity in the truck.

In the center of the neatly-designed dashboard is a 12.3-inch widescreen display, which is home to Lexus Enform cabin tech software. Unlike the upped system on the newer Lexus cars, the Lexus GS F’s Enform software is a little outdated, as shared with the Lexus IS. The display itself has a super crisp display and is quite wide considering the model year. But the menus system and the Remote touch scheme may take some getting used to. To interact with the system, you can utilize the Remote Touch controller in the center of the console. Its joystick-like movements allow you to move the cursor on the widescreen display.

The best part is that you can still pass on the Remote Touch controller and instead, use the voice-command system for basic controls. And thanks to the conventional design, you have a lot of physical controls for things like radio tuning and air conditioning. Where things seem to fall apart is on the absence of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Still, with its Lexus Enform Remote subscription, you have access to Amazon Alexa integration. You will also be able to monitor your vehicle with a phone or smartwatch app no matter how far you are away from it.

Tucked behind the huge grille and the floating Lexus badge is a potent 5.0-liter V8 engine, which makes up the GS F’s amazing performance. The engine makes 467 horsepower and 389 pound-feet of torque, which goes to the rear wheels via an 8-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters.

For an engine without turbocharging, the V8 engine still does make the Lexus GS F feel quick on the road, which is noteworthy for a car weighing around 4,034 pounds. In numbers, the Lexus GS F takes about 4.5 seconds to accelerate to 60 mph from a standstill - something a turbocharged BMW M5 achieves in 1.3 seconds less. You’ll also become really fond of the throttle response provided by the naturally aspirated V8, incited on by the excellent engine note.

The Lexus GS F delivers fuel economy of 16 MPG in the city and 24 MPG on the highway, which is an EPA-estimated 19 miles per gallon combined. It's still decent enough, but nothing too impressive.

RELATED: Lexus RC F & GS F: Check Out 10th-Anniversary Editions

Like its predecessors, the GS F offers a decent drive quality. Everything from a routine drive in the city to a cruise on the highway will be an incredibly pleasing and fun driving experience in this sedan. Even with the absence of dampers, this Lexus has excellent body control. The steering is quite sharp and responsive to the front wheels, which dance rapidly to every input you make.

However, one major part attracting criticism is the transmission, which, like in most Lexus cars, gets a little confused when shifting into a lower gear. This makes downshifting take longer, making acceleration slower thereafter. Plus, manual shifting using the wheel-paddles isn’t any faster either. But, despite that sluggish downshifting, the sedan feels really light. The Lexus GS F’s top speed is stated at an electronically limited 168 mph, which, again, is respectable considering its weight factor. While it may not stand a chance against its German competitors in terms of speed, the Lexus GS F is not less fun to drive. For a smooth ride, the GS F comes with an aluminum F Adaptive variable suspension system with a double-wishbone setup for the front and rear axle.

To keep all the horses in check, the Lexus GS has stiff Brembo six-piston monoblock caliper brakes, but it still does lack the stopping power of its competitors. Also, keep in mind that the Lexus GS F doesn’t have a four-wheel drive. It also comes with an adjustable torque-vectoring differential, which makes up the car's traction system. There are three driving modes -- Standard, Slalom, and Track, to give you control of how the vehicle changes directions.

Wilfred Nkhwazi is a screenwriter, actor, and sports car enthusiast from Blantyre, Malawi. He has written 2 feature films and a thriller trilogy. Wilfred is pursuing an Electric Car Technology program and spends a lot of his time writing for hotcars.com, penning down fast whips, celebrity collections, and everything else in-between. When he isn't writing, he loves to take long drives around the city, make music, and drink hot chocolate.