2021 Lexus RC

Coupes always have fallen on a spectrum between pure performance and soft luxury that sells on style and plushness. The 2021 Lexus RC looks every inch the performance machine, but its personality is more sedate than the wrapper suggests. The V8 RC-F, which we cover separately, is another story.

It’s hard to fault Lexus for trying to appeal to a broad spectrum of coupe buyers. They’re a rarified breed in these crossover-crazed days, and only about 3,800 of them opted for an RC in 2020. The Lexus competes primarily with other, mostly newer designs like the BMW 4 Series, Infiniti Q60 and Mercedes-Benz C-class coupe. None are big sellers, but all bring their A-game.

The RC has been only lightly changed since its introduction in 2015 and 2021 only brings mild updates, including standard blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alerts. Both are helpful additions considering the car’s massive blind spots, but the Lexus feels its age compared with its newer competitors.

Both performance and luxury coupes are partly about style, and the RC is no exception. Its lines may be several years old but they’re still boldly distinctive. The low roof, muscular fenders, giant “spindle” grille and sinuous shape are unmistakable and rakish from most angles. 

The scoops, strakes and vents suggest speed, a feeling accentuated by big wheels and painted brake calipers on the F-Sport models. Behind the wheel, however, the car’s personality is more South Beach cruising than Tokyo Drift. It drives well, but isn’t as sporty as the visuals suggest. How satisfied you’ll be with the RC depends on your expectations given the length the exterior goes to convey performance.

There are four basic versions of the non-F RC, starting with the four-cylinder, rear-wheel-drive RC300 ($43,245, including destination fees). A 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 241 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque lies under the hood. 

Upgrading to the RC300 F-Sport costs $4,470 and adds blackout trim, more color options, firmer seat bolstering, 19-inch rims, upgraded brakes, heated and ventilated seats, an adaptive suspension and a cool sliding gauge cluster. The four-cylinder RC performance remains tepid, however.

The all-wheel-drive RC300 ($45,985) swaps the four for a 260-horsepower, 236 pound-foot 3.5-liter V6. This model can also get the F-Sport treatment for $3,955. The AWD RC300’s power bump is accompanied by 200 pounds more weight, but it’s appreciably quicker off the line than the four-cylinder version. (Though it’s still not as sporty or fast as a BMW 230i.) Rear-wheel drive RCs use an eight-speed automatic transmission and AWD models get a six-speed. Both come with paddle shifters.

Moving up to the RC350 ($46,225 in rear-drive form, $48,390 with AWD) nets re-tuned version of the 3.5-liter V6 that delivers a 311 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. The RC350 F-Sport ($50,695, or $52,305 with AWD) gets the same upgrades as the other F-Sports, but also unlocks painted brake calipers and, in rear-wheel-drive form, an optional $1,900 rear-wheel steering setup for sharper handling.

The option seems unnecessary. The RC350 is willing to move quickly if you floor it in “Sport” mode, which does distinctly enhance its throttle responses and the mode most drivers will get used to defaulting to. However, it lags all V6 competitors in straight-line acceleration and while it’ll tackle twisty back roads just fine, it doesn’t encourage spirited driving. Push it hard in Sport mode and fuel economy will drop precipitously, from a class average 22 mpg combined to under 20, and it still won’t be going as fast as some more frugal rivals.

The RC’s handling is neutral and composed and the ride is very smooth even with the optional 19-inch rims. It’s quiet and reassuring like most other Lexus modes, but passionate? Not really. If it’s real speed you’re after, you’ll have to upgrade to the $67,050 RC-F.

As with its performance, the RC’s interior is similarly less adventurous than the exterior, and its inside where the vehicle’s age shows most acutely. The RC’s cabin is swathed in high-quality materials and the F-Sports’ trick sliding gauge cluster looks great, but aside from that element the cabin feels dated compared to the C-Class Coupe or the 4 Series. Many features also cost extra, like the $1,100 moonroof and heated and ventilated seats, part of a $1,790 premium package on non-F-Sports.

A 7-inch infotainment screen is standard and a 10.3-inch display part of a $1,645 navigation package. The infotainment system is controlled by a rotary dial in lower-end models and a frustrating touchpad infotainment system on fancier trims. Neither is a great interface, and the graphics look old, though standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto can paper over the system. There are physical controls for most important functions, however, a helpful legacy of the design’s basic age.

There’s plenty of room for front passengers even if the F-Sport seat bolstering can feel a little aggressive, but the rear seat is the most confining in the class. Nobody buys coupes or backseat space, but even small children won’t fit back there with anybody over six feet in front. It may as well be a parcel shelf or an addendum to the RC’s 10.4 cubic-foot trunk. The Infiniti Q60’s trunk is even smaller at 8.4 cubes, but most other luxury coupes have (slightly) better accommodations in the back.

While the rear seat and cargo room may be skimpy, the RC’s standard suite of safety gear is not. Forward-collision warnings and automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warnings with lane-keeping assist, adaptive headlamps, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alerts are all standard. On most competitors, at least a few of these goodies cost extra. The RC also gets good marks from IIHS in the agency’s crash evaluations.

Coupes are a passion choice rather than a logical one, and for all its faults the RC definitely has visual character. If we had to choose, we’d go with the rear-drive RC350 and add the moonroof and premium package for a total outlay of $50,190, not much more than a base-model Mercedes-Benz C 300 Coupe. The RC300 is cheaper, but the extra speed of the RC350 will make it more satisfying in the long term.