I had the opportunity to be the first to test drive the RCF from my dealership on central PA's back roads. In a word: extraordinary. The RC F was a Nebula Grey with the red cloth interior. The car is already being considered for purchase, but as there was no money down at this time, I was allowed to drive it. The photo shows the color of the car and the wheels--this is not the exact car that I drove.

This is one conspicuous leap beyond the capabilities of my 2012 ISF--a night and day difference by comparison.

Power and Tranny: With the car running in the sport + mode, it feels like a forced induction car, but much more controlled as you move through the rev band. The 0-60 acceleration is explosive, and I easily chirped the tires on this non-detuned vehicle. It's a rocket--it is extremely quick off the line, and the car delivers substantially more thrust than the IS F's 416 HP engine--it's just a fact and not meant to disparage the great IS F.

Mid-range acceleration is impressive. Pull back on the paddle--a short throw compared to the IS F--and the RC F gives you what you want. It drops down a couple of gears and provides powerful thrust to move you rapidly into the upper segment of the rev band. I found myself driving as part of the car, absorbed by the driving experience, willing to take the car to the next level on these winding roads. The other thing that was noticeable for me is the improvement of the new tranny over that in the IS F. The tranmission is much faster is sport+ mode and keep you in the heart of the power band. Ask for a lower gear, and you have it. Shift up, and it responds like a DCT with rapid, effortless shifts. We are all much faster in this car than the IS F...period.

I can't comment on driving at the top end of the rev band. The car was flying in the 5-6K rpm range on the back roads. Yes, I can't wait to take my car out when it arrives on a superhighway to experience the upper end capabilities of the car. I can't imagine 7,300 RPM...I know I will in time.

Steering and Suspension: Here too, it outshines the IS F. The handling is tight, precise--on the mark. Very subtle movements provide instantaneous steering changes. The car feels tight, responds brilliantly, and offers the ambitious driver an opportunity to both build confidence and explore one's personal driving limits.

The car is tight--very tight and nimble. Weight...what weight? Never did that thought even enter my mind until I sat down to write about my driving experience. Again, the car is nimble, and it corners like a champion.

I had the opportunity to take it onto a sinuous road. Given the opportunity, I kicked the car and head at considerable speed into a corner and nailed the brakes. Immediately, the car dropped down a couple of gears with rev matched blips. Upon entering a 70-degree corner, the rear held line nicely and allowed me to aggressively power out. Again, the car is confidence inspiring, and corners in a way that the IS F simply cannot.

Lastly, the RC F is balanced. Despite the frequent changes in steering to manage to the snaking country road, the car did not exhibit any noticeable roll. Grip is also improved through the massive rear tires that do their job well.

Interior Experience: I run the risk of being a broken record, but the sound of the car is spectacular and not excessive. At speeds below 3,500, there is a delightful sound. Move beyond this zone, and the car starts to wail. This car did not have leather and obviously was not a carbon, TVD model. It had a standard audio system, which I did not try. The dash is easily manipulated to provide the data you want. The new touch pad is great, and I had zero issues using it. The display is quite visible, despite my initial concerns.

Seating is outstanding; however, I weigh in at 180. If you are 200+ pounds and wear a size 46 jacket, this might proven to be a snug fit, if it's your daily driver. For me, I was quite comfortable and firmly held in place on tight corners. While the suspension is tight, the seats did a great job of absorbing any rough spots. Ironically, I was more comfortable in the stiffer RC F than my IS F.

Brakes: I can attest to their functionality as I was moving a speed up the road when a driver decided to dart out to pass a tractor. One stab and the car dropped from 80 to 0 in no time at all...a good thing.

Overall: I am extremely pleased with my decision to leave the IS F for the RC F, and I now know that I am not leaving for an "updated" IS F. The styling is slick, and the front grill is much less conspicuous than I would have thought. It is proportionate to the overall car design and adds an exotic element.

This is not an IS anything: this is a drastically different car--one that is already urging me to explore its capabilities on a track. There is so much the car wants to give the driver, and I only tapped into a small percentage of that in today's back road drive.

Unless you need a car that exceeds a 3.9 0-60 MPH and a 170 top end, this car offers a level of Lexus driving experience that approaches the sophistication of the LFA.

Like the IS F, the RC F has two personalities. You can drive it in town up to 3,500 RPM and fit right in with the other cars. Turn the dial to sport+, and the other personality immediately comes to life. (I did not get a chance to try the expert mode.)

So, driving this RC F on an open road will require optimal restraint. It's an aggressive car in design and function, and in the heart of the rev band the RC F is only too willing to run the entire range and eat up the road! I truly felt like one with this car--an experience that I have never known.

 

I'm glad I put money down on mine to avoid people like you test driving it.

 

Thanks for the review.

Great write up

 

Excellent write up. My wife is making noises about how small our recently purchased IS350C is. May have to look-see.

 

I was thinking the same thing while reading this review. I thought these cars had ~1K break in period where it is not good to push them? That's what a friend said about his new M4...I assumed the RCF would be similar.

 

Don't blame the OP for this. This is the responsibility of the salesperson to make sure that test drives do not result in pushing the car harder than is recommended in the break-in period. Of course all the salesperson cares about is making the sale and most likely doesn't have any regard for the long term effects of a non proper break-in for someone else's car that will result in problems way down the mileage road.

 

I can guarantee you the OP won't be doing this to his new $80K car right off the truck...I would NEVER buy this car with more than 1-2 miles on it.

 

Read his post closely, he says he never redlined the car. He only took it up to 5000 - 6000 rpm. Well short of redline.

Besides, the whole "break-in" is just a safety measure. It by no means, is the better way. When I bought my car, I redlined it to 8350 rpm when it did not even have 100 KMs on it. Now, after 12 years, my car has over 180,000 KM and it is smooth idling and very strong over 6000 rpm. I can attest to hard break-ins.

 

I actually showed a lot of restraint.

 

Yes, and I did not go above 5,500 rpm. The experience was still outstanding.

 

ISF001 - I've been waiting for a review like this. Thanks in advance. After the kids are asleep I plan to read it thoroughly and comment.

 

I apologize for the typos, which have been foxed. I rattled this off when the wife was waiting for me to play Santa.

 

First, excellent write up! Really appreciate someone taking the time to let us know what it's like to actually drive this thing. I'm hoping that we see more reviews like this from owners on CL (hint hint). If you don't mind, I have some questions:
- How was the car you drove equipped? You already said no TVD, no carbon, no ML. Sounds like it was pretty basic?
- Which wheels did it have? How did you like them
- You say red "cloth" interior. Did you mean Nuluxe? If so, how was it compared to leather?
- How was the NVH compared to your IS F? You said more comfortable, but was it actually quieter when the engine wasn't on full boil?
- There must be something that didn't quite live up to your expectations. Anything at all?
- When pushing hard did you feel any understeer or oversteer?
Again, thanks for giving us something to get excited about as we wait for our cars to come in!

 

[QUOTE=NewSpace;8806273]First, excellent write up! Really appreciate someone taking the time to let us know what it's like to actually drive this thing. I'm hoping that we see more reviews like this from owners on CL (hint hint). If you don't mind, I have some questions: QUOTE]

- How was the car you drove equipped? You already said no TVD, no carbon, no ML. Sounds like it was pretty basic?

This was a $72,000 version. It did not have leather, ML audio, Pre-collision, the winter package, etc.
The steel trim is more attractive than I expected.

- Which wheels did it have? How did you like them.

It had the 19" 20 spoke, and to my surprise they looked great on the car.

- You say red "cloth" interior. Did you mean Nuluxe? If so, how was it compared to leather?

I personally like leather in my cars, but the Nuluxe looked quite nice and was incredibly comfortable. The seats really absorb the shocks caused by the stiff suspension.

- How was the NVH compared to your IS F? You said more comfortable, but was it actually quieter when the engine wasn't on full boil?

There were no vibrations or noises that I noticed, and I notice those things. The RC F is stiff but not at all harsh--its compliance is surprising good through dips and over bumps.

The sound of the car in idle is delightful for those of us who like to hear a low note. The sound of the engine moving up the rev band is great as it transitions to a higher pitch--more like an entry level Ferrari.

- There must be something that didn't quite live up to your expectations. Anything at all?

Yes. Although I read the procedure for fixing a flat tire, it would have been nice to have some sort of spare. However, the compressor is substantial, and it is easy to use based on my reading.

- When pushing hard did you feel any understeer or oversteer?

Again, I did not abuse the car. On the 70-degree corner I noticed substantially less understeer than the ISF. Also, the rear hangs in there giving a faster and cleaner exit with no noticeable sway.

Again, thanks for giving us something to get excited about as we wait for our cars to come in!

 

. You are right about at least one thing. I am not just another car enthusiast. I've first hand experience with Ferrari, Aston, Cobra, a range of Vetts, IS F, Shelby Stangs, the M3 (never again), and ZXs.

I do not work for Lexus. I am a corporate exec and just like to buy great cars.

This is not a $150,000-$200,000 ride. It's a lot of car for $72,000-$85,000, and a superb daily driver and track car. Would I like more for the money? Who wouldn't want 550 HP, AWD, etc. If this is a negative, so be it. I saw and felt the value and know about the reliability.

If you do not like my ride experience, take one for yourself.

If your preference is for the bimmer, I can only imagine that this review is discomforting.

BTW: I am not a technician...I am a driver. Based on my readings and now brief experience, the racing engine is a masterpiece, IMO.