Hoovey689

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Hoovey Review: 2018 Lexus LC 500



Exterior:

Short of the magnificent and limited Lexus LFA, The Lexus LC 500 is the most expressive and emotional car Lexus has ever crafted. As the story goes, in 2012 the LF-LC concept was unveiled. The concept was universally well received and given the green light, five years later here we have it, another chapter in the Lexus story that will set the tone for future Lexus platforms, technology, and design.

Now looks are subjective and beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Unlike the RC which came before it, the LC has one of the better implementations of the Lexus Spindle as it looks more cohesive with the body, rather than ‘slapped on’ like some new Lexus’s look. As you approach the LC, you realize this is a big coupe. A nice long hood, short rear deck, and short overhangs pay homage to the sport coupe formula. Twenty or Twenty-one inch staggered wheels hide the large six piston calipers (four piston rear) and two piece disc rotors.

From the front of the LC, the Spindle grille lines up perfectly with the hood lines. There is no chrome strip between the top of the grille and the hood to give off a continuous Spindle look that tapers off to the rear of the car, forming its own spindle. The greenhouse has the ‘floating roof’ element, and the silver roof lines are there to mimic a Japanese samurai sword. The headlamps are some of the smallest in the industry, and grouped together in a cluster of three on each side. They utilize a new construction called Polaric Elipsoid System (PES), which moves the fan to the bottom to make the lights more compact than the traditional back of the lights. The rear taillamps, have a shallow mirror in them that gives off a 3D or ‘afterburner effect’.

Underneath the hood are your typical gray plastic panels hiding the dual intakes. Some extra braces help make the LC more rigid. Lexus engineers dropped the engine position to decrease the overall vehicle height. The die-cast aluminum suspension towers use an advanced flush rivet technology that allows them to attach to steel. Other than that, locations for brake fluid, engine coolant, engine oil, engine oil dipstick, and windshield wiper fluid are in accessible locations, though if you’re buying this car you probably won’t service it yourself .

The flush door handles are new, and help with aerodynamics and an overall sleeker look to the car. Walk up to the door and press the little circle dimple, and the handle pops out. Either grab it and pull towards you to open the door, or push it back in, and the door will lock and mirrors will auto fold if your have that setting on. Also nice to see is when you lock the door, a little green light and a lock symbol become illuminated. A nice indicator and detail compared to current Lexus locks and plungers. As a fun bit of safety technology added to the LC, four tube sensors underneath the hood can determine an impact with a pole or a persons leg, and can ‘pop’ the hood up if it determines someone may collapse onto the hood. This helps reduce the body from absorbing the full impact with the engine.



Interior:

The first thing you notice when starting to get into the LC is that the doors are lighter yet have a solid feel. Lexus used several sheets of carbon fiber and aluminum inner panels to reduce the doors weight by 50% compared to conventional Lexus doors. Not only does it reduce weight, but helps suppress reverberation from the door speakers. The drape-like surface on the interior door panels is a beautiful and refined Takumi crafted treatment. While the LC does have four seats, like most coupes and its SC430 for bearer, the rear seats are rather useless. That said the cabin design focuses on the driver, while the passenger side is relatively open. The overall layout has a flowing theme, while most controls are ergonomic if not always practical. After 50 different seat designs, Lexus settled on two. The more common one will also be the sportier one with the alcantara inserts, though some less aggressive full leather ones are also an option. On the sport seats Lexus engineers developed a 3-dimensional layer approached which means the main seat section warps over the shoulder and around the backside to maintain performance support.

Once seated its pretty clear that all materials are soft to the touch and/or have a nice finish to them. I often talk about ‘stories’, and while I believe appearance wins the heart, details win the soul. Take the relatively simple shift **** for example. The shift **** has a satin chrome bezel wrapped with four genuine strips of leather with an in-stitch technique to keep the thread from view and a smooth texture to the hand. A urethane sheet is placed between the top of the **** and the leather to create the optimal soft sensation to the hand of the driver. Varying thicknesses of materials have been applied throughout the interior, and most controls are cool to the touch thanks to satin coating. The steering wheel was honed on the track, and very comfortable to grip. The large magnesium paddle shifters are welcome compared to the smaller ones on the RC F and GS F. Also worth mentioning is that Lexus has debuted its first full heated steering wheel rather than just the typical 9 and 3 positions. While personally I love the new design of the steering wheel, I am not a fan of the controls. The Multi-Interface Display (MID) controls are no longer on the right, but moved left. It’s a bit cumbersome if you’re right-handed, and takes some getting used to. The bezel does slide like the LFA and some F-Sport Lexus models. Inside the MID, there are more customization options than ever before. Under Vehicle Settings for example you can now adjust Blind Sport Monitor brightness, dim it, adjust volume, and even change the HUD rotation (vertical vs. horizontal). The cruise control is now on the steering wheel itself, rather than the Toyota/Lexus parts bin stalk found on every model.

The LC climate controls are satin finished toggle switches for Auto, Off, Temp, Fan Speed, Defrosters, and Re-circulation/Outside. Unfortunately fan speed along with heated/ventilated seats, heated steering wheel, AC, dual, smog sensor etc... are buried in the climate control menu. The Audio controls have a chrome look to them and are placed right ahead of the revised Remote Touch Interface. The Audio PWR **** also has a nice heft to it, similar to thousand dollar home stereo systems. The LC comes with either a carbon fiber roof or a glass roof. Unfortunately the moonroof which is only available on the glass roof model is small. They should have made it panoramic with a power sliding shade than the small cutout with a small manual shade. Lastly there is no sun-glass holder yeah I don’t get it either.. funny enough where the Lexus Enform SOS button is, there is now a plastic cover on it that you have to flip down in order to access the SOS button. This is to reduce the likelihood of owners pressing the button by accident. As for the trunk, it is very shallow and there is no pass through or spare tire. The LC utilizes run-flat tires because of this. In place of the spare the battery and some fuse boxes are located under the trunk floor to better help distribute weight.



Infotainment and Navigation:

Although this is part of the interior, I felt the new infotainment and RTI system were worth their own section. When you start up the car, the display screen has a fun little pixel wave. Once loaded, the immediate graphics are crisp. This specific navigation we’ll call Gen10. It will be found on the 2018 LC, LS, NX, and RC. All of these by the way utilize the touch-pad version of Remote Touch. A major complaint of the current RTI is how terrible its gesture controls are. Lexus took it to heart and came out with this 2.0 version. The functionality and smoothness is closely related to how one would use their smart phone, and gestures are far more fluid. Overall I’d give the interface an 8/10 compared to the old version which I’d say was 3/10. When you press Menu, the Menu icons line up on the bottom of the screen and can be selected to pull up a specific full screen or when highlighted over them, another row of icons appears see what’s available. The Radio sources now have a ‘Station List’ button that will gather and organize all local stations in order of frequency or you can still use your own presets. Digging further into the menus, there are more vehicle settings to change, as well as a new Valet Mode which you can enter in a 4-digit code to lock. Voice command works well and is the best iteration yet. For people with accents, or people with soft voices (less bass), there is an adaptive mode to train and learn the driver’s voice (though this has been around for Gen8 and Gen9 navigation systems). Also as a Lexus first, ELECTRONIC OWNERS MANUAL! Lastly and unfortunately, the 10.3” screen while nice and vibrant, can get washed out in the sun easily.



Drive:

Lexus has been adamant about crafting vehicles that are fun to drive, yet retain the philosophies and principles that make the car distinctly a Lexus. Suffice to say the LC is a great start. Press the silver start button and the LC bellows out a roar, but quickly settles down at idle. The shifter is the electronic kind found on many Lexus hybrids. Easy to use, simply slide left then downward for Drive. On top of the gauge cluster are the ‘horns’ inspired from the LFA. The left horn is the traction control/VSC, Snow mode, and Auto High Beams. The right horn is the Driver Mode Select with Eco, Comfort, Normal, Custom, Sport, and Sport+. I started in normal just to get a baseline feel. Press the accelerator and the LC moves along without protest. Shifts are virtually unnoticeable with the new Direct Shift 10-Speed automatic in Normal, very smooth. The naturally aspirated 5.0L V8 with 471hp and 398lbft has a balancing act with both an efficient Atkinson cycle and a powerful Otto cycle for loads. Eco mode reduces throttle response and tries to get to the top end gears more quickly. Comfort mode was just that, absorbing bumps and road imperfections well. In fact I found that to be my favorite mode, maybe I’m just getting old .

The LC features an all new double joint multi-link suspension system teamed with a low profile multi-link suspension in the rear. The AVS which responds to immediate driving conditions does about 650 processes a second, helping minimize body motion and maximizing control. This is perhaps why I loved Comfort mode so much. I beg of Lexus to add a Comfort mode to the GS, RX, and other models ASAP. Steering based on the mode is effortless though a little artificial. It is however very direct. The slightest turn, and you’re going in that direction.

In Sport mode and Sport+ the LC really becomes a different animal. The closely spaced gear ratios result in rhythmic shifting, and how an engine sounds directly influences how a person feels about a vehicle. On the LC, Lexus tuned the sound (not synthesized) as it passes through the dual intakes and out the exhaust. As the engine tone changes in response to rpm, its different frequencies are harmonized into an exhilarating sound that reverberates throughout the cabin. It’s beyond intoxicating to lay the hammer down, let off, and then downshift to hear the bark of the engine during rev matching. I still grin every time I think about it. Sure the IS F, RC F, and GS F can all give a similar sensation, but none as refined or buttoned down as the LC.

Lexus’s intent with the LC was to connect with the driver by communicating what the vehicle is doing through sound, motion, and sensation. To me if felt as if you’re plugged right in. The LC is a big coupe, but drives small, something I think people with appreciate.



Overall Impressions:

Suffice to say I am very smitten with the LC. Personally I love its subjective design inside and out, I love how it sounds, and I’m impressed with the material selection. This car is not perfect by any means, the lack of a sun glass holder, the small moon roof, the digging of some climate controls, the sun washed screen, are all gripes that hopefully will be addressed over time. Until then though, the LC is really the next step forward for Lexus. It’s wonderful to see how expressive Lexus was with this project and the upcoming LS. Hopefully the 5GS will be just as emotional. I know a lot of people harp on the Lexus for having an ‘old engine’ or so they claim, but it’s perfectly suited for duty in the LC. In fact enjoy it while it lasts before the LC500 gets the LS500’s 3.5L TTV6. The three words that Lexus has been holding close to heart while crafting new vehicles on the GA-L platform are: Brave, Thoughtful, and Imaginative. So far Lexus IMO has fulfilled that with the LC. Some models further down the Lexus stable have some ways to go before we can associate them with those words, but Lexus is off to a great start. I implore everyone to go drive an LC if they get an opportunity or some free time, and try NOT to leave with a smile on their face.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

There are two LC's I drove. A Caviar with black interior with glass roof, and an Ultra white with red interior and carbon roof. A few more pictures.

SW17LS

Nice! I can't wait to drive one.

As far as ride, on a scale from GS to LS in comfort mode?

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

A GS with AVS and an LC in comfort mode would be comparable, though I'd give a slight nod to the LC because of a more advanced AVS and the suspension components in general. The GA-L chassis is firmer, but the low center of gravity enabled Lexus to reduce the LC's roll angle without making the suspension too stiff which would have sacrificed ride comfort. That said an LS with air suspension and set to Comfort mode will have the better 'ride'. So to answer your question, I would place the LC between the GS and LS, but biased more towards the GS side.

SW17LS

Cool, I think thats great. I thought my GS with AVS rode great for something that was also that stiff and handled that well.

mmarshall

Thanks, Hoovey. I would have maybe (if possible) done my Holiday Review this November or December on an LC (I often, but not every year, do it on a Lexus product). But you beat me to it by a good six months.....I'll probably do an RC instead.

Yep.....this is probably the best integration of the spindle-grille with the body lines that Lexus has done yet.

That's usually not something that's easy to accomplish.

Couldn't possibly have worse rear seats than the SC430 LOL.

Well, there you go.....to learn how to use the complex electronics on the dash and video-screen,
you first have to download and search through MORE electronics. Gee......what a wonderful idea.

SW17LS

My owners manual takes up 2/3rds of my glovebox, that's a nice addition haha

mmarshall

Not surprising. I can't comment on the LC's, because I haven't seen it......but many recent Lexus products do have a small glovebox.

SW17LS

It's a good sized glove box, the book is just huge!

ragingf80

I find electronic manuals to be quite helpful! When you get a warning message, it also includes a link to the manual, no more searching!

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Hah you still can and should! The 2018 RC will have some nice improvements but it still won't be as refined as the LC. Looking forward to more reviews by you though.



Lexus did it by the use of CF and Aluminum, but because of the cars sticker they had a little wiggle room to play with more exotic materials than all steel.

Lets just say Lexus coupes have never been known for rear seat leg room

It's nice to have both.

It's not the largest glove box but its not the smallest Lexus has produced either. The latest RX has a pretty decent sized glove box.

SW17LS

I never read the paper manual. If I need to know something I online and use the electronic manual so I can search.

mmarshall

I can remember when a typical Owner's Manual was around 30-40 pages (one could probably read it in less than an hour)....maybe a little more for luxury-grade Cadillacs, Lincolns, and Imperials and their added features. Today, the index alone is that size LOL. And that doesn't count all of the extra stuff like Manual-Suppliments, On-Star, Sirius/XM satellite radio, Tire-manufacturer's warranty, Maintenance Schedule, etc.....

Even as far back as 1999, though, when I got my new Saturn SL-2 (Saturn had a reputation for long, thorough manuals that described almost anything you could come up against as a driver, and how to handle it)....the manual was well over 400 pages long. Some of them today are longer than that.

SW17LS

Let's make this about the LC not manuals

mmarshall

Yeah...the LC is probably not the only vehicle today with an E-manual.

Did you feel it was more satisfying to drive than the original SC300/400? Now THERE was a Lexus coupe (the SC300) that left a smile on my face when I sampled one....but, of course, that was quite some time ago.