At the end of last year, I got my hands on a very handsome four-seater coupe from Lexus. Specifically, it was a Lexus RC in a hybrid version, i.e. the Lexus RC 300h.
The tested RC is a car that quite successfully deceives with its body. Its pleasant external appearance is quite dynamic, yet its drive is taken care of by a very discreet and quiet hybrid powertrain.
External appearance
The design of currently produced Lexus cars is certainly original and easy to read. The cars have sharply cut lines and dynamic shapes. Furthermore, they certainly do not lack a certain imagination and expressiveness. The tested "ercéčko" is also carried in the same spirit.
In addition, it had a very sizzling red "Radiant" color, then the F Sport trim level, which further improved its appearance with a differently articulated front mask or beautiful 19" alloy wheels, which were shod with low-profile tires of different sizes for the front and rear axles .
The front part is traditionally dominated by a huge mask reaching deep into the part of the bumper itself. On the sides, the mask is significantly broken towards the center of the car. The shape of the front hood, headlights and the shaping of the front bumper follow this significant breakthrough. The massive front hood then very elegantly moves the space for the crew further to the rear of the car. The five-liter V8 version of the RC F requires far more space than the currently tested hybrid 🙂
A single prominent line runs through the very balanced side profile, which ends with the rear lamps. These are pulled into the side parts of the car and greatly support the horizontal division of the rear part. The rear trunk lid itself offers an elegant tear-off edge thanks to its slightly curved shape. The rear part must not be missing a pair of chrome "honest" exhaust tips.
As a result, I have to evaluate the external appearance of the tested RC only positively. I like its overall proportions, mainly the certain "strengthening" of the car in the place of the rear axle. The redesign of the part concerning the front headlights looks modern and clearly benefited the car.
Interior on the wave of comfort
The "ercéčka" interior will offer great comfort and high-quality workmanship, exactly as we are used to with cars of this brand.
The low and comfortable position behind the wheel results in the rest of the interior pleasantly surrounding you. The massive instrument cluster in front of the driver is equipped with a circular indicator that effectively and mechanically changes its position at the command of a button on the steering wheel (or when the driving mode is changed). At the same time, the on-board computer display also changes its position and appearance. The advertised power of this part is also caused by the fact that the button for starting the car is quite atypically located here.
Lexus brand cars currently do not use on-board infotainment touchscreens, this results not only in the presence of a large number of individual controls, but also in the presence of a touchpad, quite unpopular in the past. Yes, there are too many individual controls in the center panel, but as for the touchpad, it has undergone certain changes over time and currently works quite well in my opinion.
The Lexus RC has a 2+2 specification, and there is really plenty of space in the front seats. I must also praise the seats themselves, they are ideally shaped and provide enough comfort. The rear positions again offer very richly dimensioned and comfortable seats and quite enough space for the knees. A significant weakness of these seats is the space above the head, which is considerably reduced thanks to the coupe body.
The luggage compartment itself offers a respectable 340 liters of volume in addition, with the option of folding the backs of the rear seats.
Hybrid drive motorization
The RC is available here with only one hybrid engine. This is a collaboration between a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated gasoline four-cylinder and an electric motor. The overall hybrid "gearbox" then offers 223 horsepower and is connected only to a stepless CVT automatic, which drives the power to the rear axle.
The hybrid powertrain and its driving performance cause quite a lot of embarrassment in such a dynamic-looking car. I have already encountered this feeling in the previously tested Lexus ES F-Sport Top , but here it is significantly more intense.
On the other hand, it cannot be said that this combination is bad. The only question is how good and user-satisfying is it?
The stylish and dynamic-looking "erce" will therefore offer you the great positives of a classic hybrid, which is at home in any city and where it can jump through any column or traffic lights on previously "recovered" electrical energy.
A certain sportiness, which can literally be smelled from its external appearance, is caused by the driving modes on the side of the driving characteristics. From the Eco and Comfort modes, we get to the Sport S and Sport S + modes, which make the car at least a little more lively. Sport modes will also offer an improved engine sound that only comes from the speakers :– (
The chassis and steering go hand in hand with the hybrid engine, so even here the car deviates from what it looks like and offers a very comfortable driving performance. The steering is quite steep, stiffer and with good response. The chassis will also offer AVS adaptive suspension from the F Sport trim.
The consumption of the RC 300h will surely excel, unfortunately I tested it at a time when the daily temperatures did not significantly exceed zero and my routes were more out of town. So it was a very "non-hybrid" environment, and my consumption thus hovered around 8 liters. However, I assume that the "ercéček" can be driven for much less.
In conclusion
Let's start the final evaluation with a look at the current price list, the basic RC 300h in Executive trim is a valuable Lexus at 1,350,000 CZK including VAT. We also have the Prestiege equipment (price from 1,450,000 CZK including VAT), Luxury (price from 1,610,000 CZK including VAT), the tested F Sport (price from 1,580,000 CZK including VAT) and the highest equipment F Sport Top with a starting price for the amount of CZK 1,630,000 including VAT. Lexus also offers certain benefits as part of the promotional prices, which range from 120,000 to 220,000 CZK, depending on the selected equipment.
The Lexus RC 300h is a car that offers a very attractive and pleasant exterior appearance. However, it could disappoint with its driving performance, which is not quite adequate to its external appearance. However, it offers an interesting combination of a good-looking car that has an economical hybrid engine and great driving comfort. However, if you want driving dynamics adequate to its appearance, buy the RC F model.
