It's been several years since I had been behind the wheel of one of Lexus's GS series of mid-sized sport sedans. The last time was with the GS 300 AWD with the then-new availability of all-wheel drive.

Its significance at that time was that it was the first Lexus automobile to be fitted with the drivetrain, joining the ranks of other luxury Japanese makes in offering the traction-enhancing system. Infiniti with its G35x and M35x and Acura's RL (and now TL) had also gotten in on the act. On the European side, Audi had been exploiting all-wheel drive for years, while Mercedes, BMW, Volvo and Saab had also seen benefits to adding AWD to models in markets where snow was a significant factor for at least a portion of the year.

The biggest difference in the intervening years is that Lexus has anted up more power for the base GS and changed the numeric portion of the name as a result. As the GS 350, the fastback four-door certainly benefits from the stronger personality of the 303-horsepower, 3.5-litre DOHC V6. No, the extra ponies don't alter the fundamental fact the GS is more of a grand tourer than an out-and-out sport sedan, but the car's increased athleticism is duly noted. Having another 58 hp (the GS 300 was fitted with a 245-hp, 3.0L V6) in a car with a curb weight of more than 1,700 kilograms will do this.

When I say grand tourer, that shouldn't be construed as a negative in any sense. Lexus has always had the smarts to call the GS a "performance luxury" sedan rather than using the "sport" descriptor, acknowledging the brand's desire to indulge the driver (and passengers) as much as involve him or her. That said, the GS 350 will respond when the gas pedal is prodded.

The V6 is hooked up to a close-ratio six-speed automatic transmission with a sequential manual-shifting mode. The manual mode is precise (although not as lightning quick as, say, Audi's DSG or Porsche's PDK units) and extracts maximum acceleration out of the car (zero to 100 kilometres an hour in about seven seconds). Fuel economy for the week was a reasonable 11 litres per 100 kilometres in my customary mix of highway and city/suburban driving - premium unleaded recommended.

Though not set up to tackle the Monte Carlo rally's Col de Turini, the GS 350 AWD will not embarrass itself on a curvy bit of road. There's slightly more lean when one gets aggressive on an on-ramp, but the tires stay glued to the road. Plus, it's just plain comforting to know that the all-wheel-drive system has your back when the weather chooses not to cooperate. Plus, in addition to AWD, the GS 350 is equipped with additional safety items such as vehicle stability control and traction control, Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (a sophisticated handling and control system), Hill-Start Assist, ABS and an assortment of air bags.

As mentioned earlier, the other aspect to the GS is its ability to coddle, starting with an independent suspension that filters the worst bits of road to keep occupants in a happy frame of mind while still providing enough connectivity to keep one aware. Likewise, the electric power steering has a light, positive feel to it.

The biggest surprise in the three years since I last drove the GS AWD is how much it's come down in price. The GS 300 I tested then had a list price of $66,700 for the AWD model; the 2009 GS 350 is a far more affordable $53,900. And, I didn't see any overt cost-cutting measures to cheapen the product. There's a lot to enjoy in the Lexus - upscale leather with wood and chrome accents, all the modern power conveniences including sunroof and premium Mark Levinson audio system with 10 speakers, plus the added touches such as the keyless SmartAccess that allows the driver to lock/unlock the doors simply by touching the door handle (as long as the keyfob is in his pocket) and the push-button starter. The only warning for taller drivers is that the sunroof does cut into headroom.

My original thought when testing the GS 300 three years ago was that someone wanting the best AWD luxury "sport" sedan should probably keep looking, but, if travelling long distances in style and comfort, relaxed and confident in the tractive abilities of the car was of greater importance, then the Lexus was definitely worth scoping out. Not much has changed since then. The GS has aged very well, gaining power and losing price but not amenities. As such, it's still a truly decent ride.