The Lexus RC is a very interesting coupe but is it all that it’s cracked up to be?
The RC is Lexus’s answer to the more German main stream competitors such as the Audi A5 and BMW 4 series. This car will undoubtedly stand out in a car park due to its distinctive sharp edged looks. We just love the bold creases in the bodywork where it looks like Lexus have somehow made the car using origami but with metal instead of paper.
The thing we like about this car is that it’s not just interesting on the outside but it’s also just as interesting on the inside. Like the outside you find all sorts of folds and creases about the cabin and it all looks rather good. Unfortunately, when you do have a good look around the cabin you’ll find one or two cheap bits of plastic which lets it down just a little. However, while Lexus may not perceive quality as much as the Germans the real quality is actually better in this case. The level of equipment is also very good with the RC. If you’re happy to part with around £37k then you don’t really have to pay more for any additional extras as you’ll get a pretty much fully loaded car. In fact the only things you may have to pay extra for is the paint scheme and an upgraded infotainment system.
On the subject of the infotainment system, Lexus has really tried to go their own way with their own unique touch screen mouse system which looks similar to the ones you find on a computer or laptop. Unfortunately, this is pretty much a case of trying to reinvent the wheel and coming up with a square.
The last thing we’d say about the cabin is that it lacks a little bit of practicality. For example, the door bins are a little on the small side and on the whole the cubby spaces aren’t all that good.
To get into the back you’ll need to fold the seats forward and wit for it to motorise forwards. Once you get in you’ll immediately notice that there’s very little head room and very small windows for you to look out of. Knee room is a little on the tight side too so you wouldn’t want to drive too long in the back of this car. As with the front cheap plastics have been used here too and is clearly evident in a mid-tray that’s not really good for anything. All in all it’s one of the less practical coupes on the market in the back but consumers will buy this car for its style and not its practicality.
It’s a good job they’ll want to buy this car more for style than practicality because its boot is one of the smallest in its class. The opening to the boot is ok for getting things in and out but there’s not much stuff you can actually load into it. It’s even worse with the hybrid version because the batteries eats into the already limited boot space. You do get a few tethering points here and there but on the whole the boot is certainly lacking when compared to its rivals.
So, what’s the Lexus like on the road? Well, Lexus have really turned a corner in terms of design lately but historically their cars have never been that great to drive. However, we honestly think they’ve now turned an even bigger corner with the RC because this car really is a pleasure to drive.
The particular car we’re reviewing is the 300H with a 2.5 litre petrol engine up front which drives the rear wheels via a CVT gearbox. If you twist the chrome knob and turn the car into “Sports” mode you’ll actually get stepped gears like you’ll find in a normal automatic. It does an ok job at mimicking an automatic but not quite good enough in our opinion. If you back off the throttle and put the car in “Normal” mode you can just coast along using electric power alone which makes the car eerily silent. This helps to boost the car’s economy with Lexus claiming that it will do 57 mpg. The only problem is that because you’ve got the batteries the motor and an engine it’s a little on the heavy side compared to its rivals such as the Mercedes C Class coupe. 0-60 in this car is about 8.5 seconds which really isn’t that quick for something that looks so sporty. The other options are a 2.0 litre turbo petrol which is pretty quick or a really quick 5.0 litre V8 which is absolutely rapid. When you’re not caning this car all of the RCs variants, and we include the V8 in this, are pretty quiet to travel in and comfortable too. If you get the F-Sport model you get adaptive suspension and also comes with a limited slip differential which helps to boost traction when you’re exiting corners under power.
So overall what do we think of the Lexus RC? Well, its infotainment system is not all that good and rival cars do feel a lot sportier. However, the RC is still a very pleasant car to drive and looks absolutely stunning. Find out what deals you can get on a Lexus RC in the DesperateSeller.co.uk car classifieds section.
