Is the Lexus LC Too Slow, or Just Right?
The Lexus LC has been widely praised for bringing back the sexy GT car. But some feel like it has one minor issue.
Read any review in any printed or web based publication (including ours), and you’ll quickly realize that the new Lexus LC coupe is a pretty well-regarded vehicle. Everyone loves its gorgeous lines, stylish and comfy cabin, and primo technology. It’s a car that has single-handedly brought back a segment we all thought was gone forever – the grand touring coupe. However, as The Grand Tour‘s Jeremy Clarkson often says, “there’s a problem.”
That problem is quite simple. Some people feel like a car that costs north of $90k should perform, well, better. We never expected the 471 hp, 4,300+ pound coupe to be a barn burner. But after Car & Driver tested a new Lexus LC 500, many were disappointed by the outcome. It took them 4.6 seconds to reach 60 miles per hour, and 13.0 seconds flat to complete the quarter mile.
Now, if you take those numbers into context, they’re actually pretty respectable. But when you’re supposedly competing with cars like the Porsche 911, they’re rather lacking. And whether or not that’s a “problem” is currently a hot topic of debate in our forums.
Many (including us) feel like it’s unfair to compare the road going LC to the more track-focused cars in its price range. “Their numbers are not that bad, they are not anywhere near the class leaders in this price range, but they are respectable given the GT nature of the LC,” said missedapex. “Clearly the ethos of the LC is lost on the likes of you. There’s more to a car than numbers ($, 0-60, etc),” added TimboIS.
Others also disagreed with C&D‘s assessment that the car exhibits too much understeer and has a lousy infotainment system. “The infotainment is very good IMO,” said LC owner TimboIS. “The wide screen is super nice to view two things at once if desired. The new trackpad 2.0 is pretty decent as well. Maybe not as direct as the screen on my IS, but better than the ones in the NX/RX.”
“I knew the lateral g’s were going to be close to the RC-F,” added al503 “I do however, disagree with the understeer remark. Granted I didn’t take it on a track where you can get a better sense of it in a steady state sweeper, but it felt great and neutral out on the road.” Craig B said “I have the performance package and don’t feel understeer. I think it handles well for the size of the vehicle.”
Still, some feel like Lexus should have offered up better performance for the money. “I was excited to see this car announced back in 2015, but man did they price it too high for the performance you get,” said DougHII “Makes absolutely no sense to think about walking away from a 2017 Porsche 991.2 as even the base model which can be had cheaper or [at the] same price. It is in a different realm performance wise, has a back seat, it’s just as easy to use as a daily driver and has the same reliability these days as Lexus.”
But as we already know, Lexus rarely competes in the horsepower race. “Lexus has never been about brutish power,” said G Star. “Their messaging and engineering in recent years has been about refined driving experience and the reviews reflect a positive reaction to Lexus’ goals.” And as Ahhadanny points out, so long as people are buying them, does it really matter? “At the end of the day, it is all about how you feel about your car. People around you always will say one thing or another.”
Ultimately, it’s hard to see too many people cross shopping the Lexus LC and the Porsche 911. Even though they can be had (in certain trim) for around the same price. But the subject has clearly touched a nerve with fans of both brands. And we’re very interested to hear your opinion! Head over here to chime in, and be sure and let us know what you think about the LC’s power.
