Lexus RC F review

Introduction

The Lexus RC F is a performance coupé that appears to be a bit of an anomaly in the age of electrification. You see, while there used to be a hybrid version available (the RC 300h), that's been dropped from the line-up.

That means you can have a thumping great non-electrified V8 petrol engine – or take your money elsewhere.

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Axing the 300h from the Lexus RC range might sound silly, but it really isn't. A big luxury coupé is never going to win over that many company car buyers (who stand to save tax by switching to a hybrid or electric car), so it makes sense for the RC to focus its fire on the Audi RS5 Coupé and the BMW M4 Competition.

Actually, the RC F is even more old-school in its approach to performance than those rivals, because its 5.0-litre petrol engine produces power without the help of a turbocharger or supercharger.

Lexus has made some concessions to modernity, though. There's a Carbon version with forged alloy wheels and a lightweight carbon-fibre front splitter, bonnet, roof and rear spoiler. You can also have a Track Edition, with a titanium exhaust system, a torque-vectoring differential, a fixed rear spoiler and carbon-ceramic disc brakes (which stand up better to repeated use at high speed).

Don’t worry if those two set-ups sound a bit too flash for you – you can still get your wholegrain V8 goodness wrapped up in a more subtle package with the standard RC F. You get plenty of kit, but it has a more low-key appearance.

What’s new?

- June 2018: RC F 10th Anniversary model launched, featuring matte-grey paintwork and a Blue Carbon interior
- February 2018: Model range revised with upgraded in-car technology and increased equipment levels
- June 2014: RC F makes first UK appearance at Goodwood Festival of Speed
- March 2014: Lexus RC F makes European debut at Geneva motor show

Overview

The RC F is well equipped, has a great sounding V8 and feels pretty plush inside. As one last hurrah for a big V8-engined coupé, it remains a likeable choice. However, it comes up short as a performance car and is soundly beaten by the BMW M4.

Pros

• V8 engine sounds magnificent
• Well equipped
• Lots of standard safety tech

Cons

• High running costs
• Rivals are more practical
• Not as much fun to drive as rivals

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Performance & drive

What it's like to drive, and how quiet it is

There’s no doubt that the Lexus RC F is quick. Its 458bhp 5.0-litre V8 petrol engine allows it to sprint from 0-62mph in just 4.3sec, and the engine sounds fantastic as it does so, howling away gloriously.

The trouble is, the Audi RS5 Coupé and the BMW M4 Performance both manage the same sprint in less than four seconds. The M4 does so by offering an outrageous 503bhp, while the RS5 has more low-down grunt.

The RC F engine's peaky power delivery means you really need to be pressing on to get the best out of it: if you drive at low to moderate speeds, it just feels like a big, cumbersome coupé cruiser. It’s rewarding when you do push it, but it’s not as effortless as the turbocharged rivals.

The rather conventional eight-speed automatic gearbox also plays a part in that, because it's not as snappy as the rivals' gearboxes, especially when its in manual mode.

A limited-slip differential is standard to help boost traction when exiting corners, although you can't have four-wheel drive (which is standard on the RS5 and an option on the M4).

The steering is another area where Lexus hasn't given it the very best tools for the job. Like the RS5, it’s heavy, but numb-feeling, regardless of the selected drive mode you’re in. You simply don't get the same feel or connection with the road as you do in the M4.

You can stiffen up the suspension for tighter body control or tweak performance using driving modes (Eco, Normal, Sport S and Sport S+), but even in the most aggressive Sport S+ setting, body lean isn’t as well contained as in rivals, which have more composure during fast cornering.

In some ways, the RC F bears more of a resemblance with the Ford Mustang – another V8 coupé that feels more comfortable as a fast cruiser, rather than a thrilling performance car.

Other than in the rather brittle feeling Sport S+ mode, ride comfort is perfectly agreeable for something with sporting intentions. That means you won’t be cursing every pothole or avoiding roads with speed humps. At higher speeds, the car shrugs off mid-corner bumps with ease without being knocked off its line.

The standard brakes stop well enough, but you can also have carbon-ceramic brake discs. They stand up well to repeatedly wiping off huge amounts of speed very quickly, but we found them noticeably less effective in the wet.

Driving overview

Strengths Theatrical sounding engine rewards being revved; remains relatively comfortable

Weaknesses Gearbox could be snappier; not quite as agile as the best sports cars; numb steering

Interior

The interior layout, fit and finish

The RC F's interior finishes are mostly of the high standard we’ve come to expect from Lexus and there’s a strong feeling of luxury inside. The model has been on sale since 2015, though, so the dashboard feels quite old-fashioned and cluttered compared with current rivals. The foot-operated parking brake (rather than a handbrake) takes some getting used to.

The driver’s instrument panel looks rather analogue compared with the crisp, high-definition digital displays in the Audi RS5 Coupé and the BMW M4 Performance. The graphics could be sharper, and the fixed layout and lack of customisation makes it look a touch basic now.

There are also a few scratchy plastics that would feel more at home in a much cheaper family car than a luxury coupé but at least they are mostly found in areas you won’t touch too often.

The sculpted leather seats are firm but supportive and front-seat occupants will find it easy to get comfortable, with lots of adjustment and standard fit lumbar support. Over-the-shoulder visibility is slightly limited due to the shallow rear screen, but the large door mirrors help. All models come with front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera.

A 10.3in infotainment screen with sat-nav comes as standard and is operated using a touchpad in front of the central armrest. It provides haptic feedback so you can feel when you’ve selected an icon, but the inconsistent response to inputs makes it highly frustrating and distracting to use on the move. The brand’s latest touchscreen system in their newer cars – such as the Lexus NX and the Lexus RX – is much better.

Fortunately, the system includes Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring, allowing you to bypass most of the on-board operating system and use your phone's apps on the screen instead.

A 10-speaker Pioneer sound system is fitted as standard, but the 17-speaker Mark Levinson set-up standard on the Track Edition (optional on all other trims) is very impressive, providing a real richness of sound.

Interior overview

Strengths Feels plush and well built

Weaknesses Infotainment system is frustrating to use; lacks some of the latest tech

Passenger & boot space

How it copes with people and clutter

The front seats of the Lexus RC F give you a reasonable amount of space. Shoulder room is good, but head room is borderline for anyone more than about 6ft tall. The footwells are quite narrow but there's still enough room for the driver to rest their left leg away from the pedals.

Space is less impressive in the back seats, which you access through a narrow gap past the tilt-and-slide front chairs. A 6ft tall occupant sitting behind someone of equal size will find their knees brushing up against the seat in front, while their heads will be pushed forwards by the sloping roofline.

It’s a similar story with the Audi RS5 Coupé but the BMW M4 Performance is a little more generous in both aspects.

Smaller people will be fine on short journeys, while a fold-down centre armrest, a pair of air vents and a couple of cupholders will help boost comfort.

The RC F has around 366 litres of boot space, which is on the low side for this class. The boot is relatively deep and regular in shape but there is a high load lip at the entrance.

All trim levels except the Track Edition come with a fold-down ski-hatch behind the centre armrest for loading long, narrow items through. The rear seats don't fold down to maximise luggage capacity, unlike in the RS5, with its 40/20/40 split folding rear seat.

Practicality overview

Strengths Rear seats are still useful; ski hatch on most trims boost practicality

Weaknesses The BMW M4 is more spacious; the Audi RS5 is more versatile

Buying & owning

Everyday costs, plus how reliable and safe it is

The Lexus RC F is expensive to buy and costly to run. Its official combined economy figure of 23.9mpg is poor by modern performance car standards, and the CO2 emissions are high, at 268g/km.

We’d recommend the standard RC F version over the rest of the range. Carbon and Track Edition versions come with aggressive styling that might not be to all tastes, and the go-fast tech fitted doesn’t transform the car into a weekend racer, making it hard to justify the extra cost involved.

The model has not been safety tested by Euro NCAP but it gets plenty of safety equipment as standard, including automatic emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance, road-sign recognition and automatic high-beam headlights. Track Edition cars get blind-spot monitoring and a rear cross-traffic alert as standard, and they are available as options on other versions.

The RC F doesn’t feature in the 2022 What Car? Reliability Survey but Lexus as a brand came in first place out of 32 car makers. The next best performing premium manufacturer was BMW, way down in 16th position, while Audi finished in 21st.

You get a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty as standard, and it can be extended up to 10 years and 100,000 miles if you have your car serviced by a franchised dealer.

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Costs overview

Strengths Plenty of standard equipment, strong reliability

Weaknesses High fuel consumption and CO2 output