Leather has been featured in Lexus GS's interior ever since the start of the development of its initial design in the beginning of the 90s, which is expected as the model offers a range of luxury vehicles. Leather undoubtedly helps achieve a much more delux feel when used for seating and interior design details.
Lexus ES was first introduced in 1989 - a few years prior to when GS's production started. Both Lexus GS and ES are classified as mid-size executive cars, so no major difference in dimensions is present. A main difference between the two models is not in size, but in their drivetrain setup, the GS being a rear- or all-wheel-drive vehicle and the ES - front- or all-wheel-drive. This is one reason the GS was positioned above the ES, when introduced.
Lexus GS's availability depends on the particular market. For the Eropean markets, for instance, the manufacturer discontinued the GS model in 2018, and positioned the ES model to replace it.
According to owners, Lexus GS is an extremely reliable vehicle. Apart from build quality and dependability, drivers also point out the driving performance, impressive design, and overall luxurious feel the vehicle gives. No common complaines have been reported.
Being a luxury vehicle, Lexus GS is, indeed, more expensive to maintain than, let's say, lower class vehicles, but not as expensive as other luxury vehicles can be. Because of its reliability, the car only requires routine maintenance for the most part and very rarely major and costly repairs.