Overview

The RC looks exciting enough to fool onlookers into thinking that it's actually a high-powered, sharp-edged sports cars. Despite several powertrain combinations, none of them give the RC a distinct personality, which is true for some of its most popular rivals. Still, the Lexus has a refined ride quality and a spacious front seat that make it more of a grand tourer than a corner carver. Its quirky infotainment system and cramped back seat are offset by an array of desirable features and standard driver assists. While the 2020 RC will disappoint ardent enthusiasts, it'll satisfy drivers seeking comfort over sport.

What's New for 2020?

For 2020, Lexus removes the handcuffs on some of the RC's optional packages. While latest version is mechanically unchanged from the previous model year, the Premium package is no longer required with the optional wheels. Likewise, the Navigation requirement is dropped on the RC F Sports and Blue Vortex metallic paint is no longer available. The rest of the 2020 changes include an updated trial period for the Enform infotainment software and the Mark Levinson audio system is now a standalone option.

Pricing and Which One to Buy

The RC is an interesting car because it looks inherently sporty; however, it fails to live up to that illusion. That makes us question stepping up to the more powerful RC350, either with or without the F Sport package. Those looking for luxury and performance from a two-door coupe should consider one of its competitors, such as the 10Best-winning Genesis G70 or the Audi A5 Sportback. Instead, we'd stick with the entry-level RC300 that has all the style of the RC350 for less money. Those who want all-wheel drive can have it for about $2700 more. We'd also opt for the Premium package that adds blind-spot monitoring, heated and ventilated front seats, rain-sensing wipers, and more. The individual options we like are the 19-inch wheels, parking sensors, sunroof, heated steering wheel, and the upgraded LED headlights.

Engine, Transmission, and Performance

The RC300 is powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder making 241 horsepower and mated exclusively to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive is its only setup. We found the automatic to be a good match for the turbo four, but the engine isn't up to the task of pulling the RC around with any alacrity. Lexus offers two versions of its V-6 to address the lack of power. Under the hood of the all-wheel-drive RC300, the V-6 makes 255 horsepower and pairs with a six-speed automatic. The range-topping RC350 gets a 306-hp V-6 that teams up with the eight-speed automatic (RWD only) or the six-speed (AWD only). In our testing, we've found this engine to be velvety smooth with linear power delivery, but it's still not as gutsy as its rivals. While it managed a 5.7-second run from zero to 60 mph, the BMW 440i coupe we tested did the deed in 4.4 seconds. Ride comfort is where the RC succeeds—and it does so with honors. Upgrading to larger wheels with lower profile tires, as featured on the RC350 F Sport we tested, does put a sharper edge on the ride, but it is never harsh. The RC is not as eager as tauter coupes when it comes to enthusiastic driving, but there's still some room to play. The steering wheel transmits a good amount of road feeling, and there's enough feedback to let you know when the front tires are losing their grip on the pavement.

View Photos Lexus

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

Fuel-economy ratings for all of the RC's available engines are unremarkable and are outperformed by most rivals. The turbocharged four-cylinder's real-world performance on our highway fuel-economy test route turned out to be a disappointing 29 mpg; in our testing, many higher-powered rivals either matched or surged past their highway estimates. In fact, the more powerful RC350 F Sport we tested exactly matched the results of the turbo four.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

The RC's well-made interior is stylish, comfortable, and spacious, but only for front-seat passengers. Its wild exterior styling also comes with an interior drawback: big blind spots. The front seats in our RC350 F Sport test vehicle were supportive, well cushioned, and wrapped in supple leather. All RC models come with dual-zone automatic climate control adjusted by touch-sensitive slider controls that are surprisingly intuitive and easy to use. Cargo space is limited in the RC, so if you're looking to take a long road trip, you'd better pack light. While the RC's trunk swallowed four of our carry-on cases, it managed to add only an additional five with both of its rear seats folded. Small-item storage throughout the cabin isn't particularly voluminous, but the Lexus's rivals don't offer much, either.

View Photos Lexus

Infotainment and Connectivity

All RC models come with a 7.0-inch infotainment display set inside the multi-level dashboard. The system is controlled by a knob and a series 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 that is frustrating to use because of its imprecision. Onboard Wi-Fi with 4G LTE, Apple CarPlay, and Amazon Alexa integration are all standard, but you can't get Android Auto.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

The RC hasn't been evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and didn't earn a Top Safety Pick the last time it was tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Otherwise the 2020 RC has a smorgasbord of standard driver-assistance technology. Key safety features include:

Standard forward-collision warning and automated emergency braking

Standard lane-keeping assist and lane-departure warning

Standard adaptive cruise control

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

Lexus provides a longer powertrain warranty than most of its rivals, but the rest of the RC's coverage is average. A years' worth of complimentary scheduled maintenance is nice, but the BMW 4-series offers three years of coverage.