2023 Lexus RC has got the looks and it can easily con one into thinking it’s a sporty muscle coupe with canyon-carving abilities if one is not careful enough. But the truth behind is its athletic façade, which is a big softie. Available in options to choose from a turbocharged four-cylinder or a naturally-aspirated V6. The engines don’t matter here, as the RC is best suited for comfortable commutes and boulevard cruises. The cabin and interior are comfortable and spacious; only for the driver and front passenger at least. Also, Lexus’s cabin is plush enough to give the environment feel appropriately luxurious. A host of standard and optional infotainment and driver-assistance tech is available too, but nothing about the RC is cutting edge.
Contents
What’s New?
The Jap’s sports coupe is unchanged for 2023 as it rolls right into the year with no notable changes to report. The RC’s interior is stylish, comfortable, spacious, and well-built but only for front-seat passengers. Its exterior styling is wild and also comes with an interior drawback. Big blind spots! The front seats in RC F Sport are supportive, well cushioned, and wrapped in supple leather. All RC variants come with dual-zone automatic climate control adjusted by touch-sensitive slider controls.
Engine & Performance
The RC300 houses a turbocharged four-pot delivering 241-hp paired exclusively to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive is the only setup here. The automatic is a good match with the turbo four, but the engine isn’t capable of pulling the RC around with any alacrity. Here, Lexus wisely offers two versions of V6 to address the lack of power. Under the hood of the AWD RC300, the V6 pumps 260-hp paired with a six-speed automatic. The top-of-the-line RC350 gets a 311-hp V6 mated with an eight-speed automatic (RWD only) or a six-speed (AWD only). On testing, the engine is velvety smooth with linear power delivery, but not gutsy enough as its rivals. It managed a 5.6-second run from zero to 60 mph. Upgrading to larger wheels with lower profile tires puts a sharper edge on the ride, but it is never harsh.
Fuel Economy
| 2023 Lexus RC Mileage | City | Highway |
| RC300 RWD | 21 mpg | 31 mpg |
| RC350 AWD | 19 mpg | 26 mpg |
The fuel-economy ratings for all of the RC variants are unremarkable and are outperformed by most rivals. The most efficient model is the RWD RC300. It earned a rating of 21 mpg city and 31 mpg highway. While the RC350 with AWD has a rating of 19 mpg city and 26 mpg highway.
Dimensions & Airbags
| 2023 Lexus RC Dimensions | |
| Length | 185.0 in |
| Width | 72.4 in |
| Height | 55.1 in |
| Wheelbase | 107.5 in |
| Cargo Volume | 10 ft3 |
| Airbags | 10 Airbags |
Every RC model houses a 7.0-inch infotainment display integrated inside the multi-level dashboard. The system is controlled by a knob and a line of buttons on the center console. When equipped with one of the two optional navigation packages, the system swaps the rotating knob for a laptop-style touchpad which is quite inaccurate. Onboard Wi-Fi with 4G LTE, Apple CarPlay, and Amazon Alexa integration are all standard. But it lacks Android Auto.
Pricing
| 2023 Lexus RC Trims | Price (USD) |
| RC300 | $43,970 |
| RC350 | $46,900 |
| RC300 F | $48,440 |
| RC350 F | $51,370 |
The sharp and sporty looks of the RC make it an interesting car but, it fails to live up to that illusion. For that reason, we would recommend the more powerful RC350, either with or without the F Sport package. If one is looking for luxury and performance from a two-door coupe should consider the Audi A5, the BMW 4-series, or the Infiniti Q60. Instead, we’d stick with the entry-level RC300 which has all the styles of the RC350 for less money. We’d also opt for the Premium package that adds heated and ventilated front seats, rain-sensing wipers, and more.
Specifications & Top-Speed
| 2023 Lexus Specifications | Specs |
| Engine | DOHC 24-valve V6 |
| Drivetrain | AWD |
| Horsepower | 311 hp |
| Torque | 280 lb-ft |
| 0-60 MPH | 5.6 sec |
| 0-100 MPH | 14.1 sec |
| 1/4 Mile | 14.1 sec |
| Top Speed | 132 mph |