Lexus RC F review

As a two-door, four-seater sports coupe, the Lexus RC F is an alternative to the BMW M4 and Mercedes-AMG C63 Coupe. You’ll find it’s fun to drive, but its frustrating infotainment and hefty weight count against it.

With those scowling headlights and a gaping grille, the RC F appears savage. However, step inside and you’ll find a cabin that’s nowhere near as hostile as the exterior. Instead, it’s comfy, accommodating and well-equipped. The materials are all high-quality, especially the solid-feeling dashboard and leather seats. The front is decently spacious, with plenty of head- and legroom for you and your passenger.

The same cannot be said of the back – although, you would probably expect as much from a sporty two-door coupe such as this. Not only is the roofline low, but the windows are tiny, making for an atmosphere that borders on claustrophobic for adults.

The boot suffers from similar size problems. It can take 366 litres of bric-a-brac, which means it’s dwarfed by the Audi RS5’s 455 litres and the M4’s 445.

Luckily, the equipment available for the RC F is rather generous. As standard, the car’s infotainment has voice recognition, a 10.3-inch touchscreen, a built-in satnav and a ten-speaker sound system. It’s also compatible with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and even Amazon Alexa. Unfortunately, the screen itself is fiddly to use and the menus aren’t the easiest to navigate. Ultimately, it’s outdone by BMW’s iDrive and Audi’s MMI.

Its heaviness means it isn’t as fast or fun as an M4, but the RC F still promises a lot of grip on the road – with loads of cool kit to boot.

Still, the RCF’s driver conveniences and safety features are top-notch. As standard, it has a Drive Mode selector, which adjusts the suspension’s firmness depending on what sort of driving you’re doing. There’s also dual-zone air conditioning, a reversing camera and Lexus’s Safety System+. This integrates lane-departure alerts, automatic high beams, automatic emergency braking and speed-adjusting cruise control, which keeps you a set distance from the car in front.

All of this comes as standard across the RC F range… because there is only one model in the RC F range. This means there is just one engine available: a five-litre petrol V8 with an automatic, eight-speed gearbox. It’s a nippy thing, taking the RCF from 0-62mph in 4.3 seconds. However, the M4 can reach the same speed in 4.1 seconds.

Once you get going, the RC F, with its powerful grip, promises many fun moments but, due to its considerable weight, it doesn’t feel quite as agile as an M4. Still, die-hard petrolheads will love the way it sounds when it’s pushed hard. The standard automatic gearbox is smooth, as well, only really feeling clunky or difficult during slow urban manoeuvres.

So, it’s hard to recommend the RC F if most of your day revolves around driving in town. However, if you spend more time on the open road, this is a reasonably enjoyable option to take into consideration – albeit, not quite as fun as the M4 or C63.