2017 Lexus RC 350 vs 2017 Lexus IS 350
Two doors and one letter can make all the difference.
If you want a compact and sporty luxury car from Lexus, you are presented with two choices: the IS and the RC. On the surface, the two cars seem extremely similar. They share a platform and are roughly the same size, and they even have many of the same powertrain options. But numbers on paper can never tell the whole story. I spent a week with the V6-equipped Lexus RC 350 coupe and then immediately jumped into a week-long test of its sedan sibling, the Lexus IS 350. After 14 days of luxury motoring, I decided that one of these cars is superior to the other, but which one and why?
Let’s start with the oldest member of the family. The Lexus IS has been in production for more than 25 years, and that has given it a lot of time to mature and grow. In that period, it has developed into a wonderful sedan that features a unique blend of comfort, luxury, and performance that sets it apart in the market. It’s not as tossable as a BMW, and it’s not as luxurious as a Mercedes, but it tows this careful line between them. When you add in legendary Lexus reliability, it’s easy to see why so many buyers have flocked to the Lexus IS model over the years.
The 2017 Lexus IS 350 carries forth the torch with pride. The moment I hop into the car I am impressed with its spacious cabin, smart design features, and plentiful luxury. The IS may technically be an entry-level model for Lexus, but they don’t hold back on the luxury. On the road, the IS 350 is perfectly enjoyable to drive, too. The 3.5L V6 produces 306 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque, which is enough grunt to feel entertaining. The IS 350 has a chassis balance that caters more towards comfort than all-out performance and the V6 feels perfectly matched.
Whereas the IS feels like a playful mile-muncher, the RC makes its sporting intentions known immediately. Every piece of the chassis just feels more ready to perform.
Steering feel could be better, and the brakes can get overwhelmed when you really hammer them over a few miles of back-road bombing, but the overall driving sensation is well-tuned and cohesive.
The RC 350 on the other hand is an entirely different creation. The openness of the IS is gone, exchanged for a tight cockpit that feels more focused and stripped down. All the same technology and luxury from the IS 350 is still here, but the interior design diverts your attention from it. The center console sits higher and protrudes deep into the car. Combined with the low roof and heavily bolstered seats, the entire cockpit can feel slightly claustrophobic compared to the sedan.
Once you get out on the road, the differences continue to pile up. Whereas the IS sedan feels like a playful mile-muncher, the RC makes its sporting intentions known immediately. The chassis is stiffer, there is more road and engine noise penetrating the cabin, and the thicker steering wheel has some proper heft to it. Every piece of the chassis just feels more buttoned down and ready to perform.
If I had to buy a V6 Lexus, I’d take the IS 350. But if I wanted to park an RC in my driveway, I could accept nothing less than the V8 tucked under the hood of the RC F.
And this is where things start to fall apart. The RC 350 makes use of the exact same 3.5L V6 as the IS 350, including the same 306 horsepower output. This engine feels perfectly matched to the character of the IS, but it leaves me wanting when I am behind the wheel of the RC. The chassis is set up to handle so much more power and performance that I am constantly left frustrated. I would be driving down some of my favorite roads, carving the RC through the turns with the kind of precision that is absent in most Lexus products. But then I brake hard for a tight corner, drop speed, and try to launch out the other side. Except instead of firing out of the corner with the aggression I entered it with, I merely skip away from the turn like a joyful child.
The disconnect between the performance of the chassis and the engine is a delta wide enough that it does the RC a disservice. I understand why the RC 350 exists. It, along with the 200t model, help serve a market looking for style over performance, and it allows breathing room in the finance books for the RC F to stay in production. That doesn’t mean I have to like it.
If I had to buy a V6 Lexus, I’d take the IS 350 in a heartbeat. It’s a great commuter, has plenty of room, and there is enough performance on hand that you can enjoy any drive you go on. But if I wanted to park an RC in my driveway, I could accept nothing less than the 5.0-liter V8 tucked under the hood of the RC F.
A car’s intended purpose is just as important as it’s spec sheet, and in this case, the IS 350 is a better overall package than the RC 350.
