Hey folks

considering moving into a lexus after a decade with mainly porsches and bmws.

What attracts me to the brand is the refinement, ride comfort and quality of the cars.

I am hoping to enjoy those attributes of lexus but am also a sucker for a normally aspirated v8!

So I am cross shopping the IS 500, LC and the RCF.

I drove an RCF a few years back when I had a BMW M240i and didn't enjoy it much, found it heavy, paddle shifters were laggy and overall just not that much fun.

I test drove an LC and found it HUGE, but otherwise a lot of fun. Sounds amazing, transmission was much better than the RCF. I really liked it overall, aside from its sheer size which impacts both its livability (live in a condo with tight parking) and its fun around the curves.

I have yet to drive an IS500 and it's no easy feat to get a test drive of one of them given their rarity.

I am wondering if the driving experience and enjoyment in terms of the engine and transmission is that much of a step down from the LC that it makes it worthwhile living with the hugeness of the LC.

I don't care that much about the looks and road presence of the LC and find the IS to be quite a good looking car in its own right.

For me it's all about the overall experience. Either car would be my only car living in a crowded city with bad roads and lots of traffic, but I don't commute to work so it would be a pleasure use only car driven about 3 times a week and 12000 km a year.

Would appreciate hearing people's experiences.

 

I didn't cross shop the LC or RC because I wanted 4 doors.

I was looking at M340i, CT4VB, and CT5VB mostly. I still think a CT5VB would be a great DD.

We do have some RC+IS and LC+IS owners here, hopefully they chime in for you!

 

I started off looking at the LC but quickly switched when the IS500 debuted. The practicality of 4 doors and $45k+ savings were more than worth the trade off in style and better transmission.

Never considered the RC-F given the IS is cheaper, better looking and more practical.

 

A used LC500 makes a lot of sense when all the IS500s are fully loaded and going for mid-$60k. The only reason, IMO, to get the IS is because you need to have a new car and/or want a more practical car. Because the quality of the LC is just that much higher than the IS.

I personally wouldn’t consider an RC F at all. The chassis is a frankenstein’s monster and it just isn’t a competitive car because there are still a few V8 coupes (unlike sedans). I guess if you HAD to have a Japanese coupe with a V8 but those are very specific requirements.

The competitors to the IS 500 are really the CT4-V BW, m340i, RS3 due to price and being sedans.

Personally:

CT4-V BW is out because I’ve never really been into American cars and I don’t want to daily a manual. If I did, this would be the no brainer. It’s a brilliant car.

m340i is probably the best overall car in this class. But, I want something different (had an m235) and the car doesn’t really make you feel anything because it’s very refined and numb.

RS3 is out because I have a 911 and don’t really have in interest in VAG cars outside of Porsche. Also, Audi tends to be more sedately designed and is also not much better feeling than the BMW.


So, why do I want an IS? Because it has a V8 and it’s a more low key car than the LC 500.

 

This exactly, I considered the RC-F especially after the 2020 refresh, but with two small kids my wife let me know my 2-door dreams were dead for at least the next 15 years.

This had me looking at the same M340i but the styling just doesn’t appeal to me. M440i Gran Coupe more so, but by the time you option it out you get further away from the IS500 pricing. I really wanted the V8 over their I6 turbo, and perceived long term reliability and my history with the brand kept me with the Lexus. CT4VB was next obvious candidate but I have zero experience with GM so once again my own brand bias kept me from truly considering it. As I type this, I’m watching Yuri and Jakub (TheStraightPipes) review one and let’s just say I need to go spend time in my garage and stop lusting over others lol.

 

The G20 3-series is great. We had a 330i M-Sport for a couple years before we traded it in on the X3.

Here it was, next to my IS 350 I had at the time.



In fact, I liked it so much that I briefly toyed with the idea of going M340i instead of IS 500. However, claims of the M340i having super-numb steering, along with the threat of interior rattles like the ones our 330i had, made me think twice. Besides, I liked the idea of having the V-8, and the Lexus was easier on my eyes. The pre-LCI M340i looked much like our 330i M-Sport, just with slightly different front grilles and trapezoidal exhaust tips in place of the circular ones on a 330i.

My wife tried to talk me out of the IS 500 for a similar reason, saying it looks too similar to an IS 350 F Sport. I agree, to an extent, but I also like that it is a sleeper. "Oh, look, an IS 350." Think again!

If I am being honest, I am torn. I have driven an RC F, and I liked how planted it felt. While the IS 500 is not far off, the RC F did feel a bit more secure in the turns. Though it was just a brief test drive, I could tell the suspension was a little more sophisticated than what we get in an IS. Also, having an "F" model has a certain cool factor about it. The added cooling and better brakes help, too. The practicality of the IS is what makes me question the RC F. For significantly less money, you get a more usable car with only slight downgrades to its performance.

I still think the LC is the dream. If the RC F felt planted, the 2023 LC I drove felt simultaneously more comfortable and more confident. Though I only drove it on a track (Road Atlanta), it felt unbothered by any of the lumps and bumps it encountered and seemed to be a little on the soft side overall, though not as soft as an IS 500. Truly, it seemed to have all the ride quality of an RC F and similar body control in spite of not being an "F" car. The brakes held up well on track, too - no sign of fade after a couple of laps. In spite of the added weight, my butt-dyno didn't really detect much of a perceived acceleration difference. That could be thanks to the better tires and lower gearing of the transmission when compared to an IS 500. In 2nd and 3rd gear, the LC feels mighty. I suppose where the IS 500 keeps pulling at higher speeds, the LC 500 does die off just a bit due to its weight. But, that's something I think I could live with, since it only is noticeable at triple-digit speeds.

If I could make an LC work, I think I would. But, money and practicality reasons mean I can't right now.

 

I cross shopped all 3, and pretty quickly I discredited the LC. It's too much money for what it is. I cant get over the fact that it shares the chassis and suspension geometry from the LS500. Nothing sporty about that. Sure, you get a pretty neat 10 speed.

The RC has a difficult yet usable back seat, and when I was shopping for one, I was exclusively looking at track/fuji editions. The car is neat, already took its massive depreciation hit, and could supposedly go up in value when the RC is discontinued, but they were super hard to find.

The LE IS500 I kind of stumbled on at carmax when I was selling my old RC, and it ended up being the perfect storm for me to pick it up.

 

I just looked at the BMW M440i and Acura Integra Type S. Both nice cars within the same price range although dealers are asking $10-15 over MSRP putting that car close to $75k. The BMW was very nice, fast, solid, kind of numb feeling and didn't like the exhaust note. The Acura was solid, fast, with great steering, plain interior, little too much boy racer and only manual. In the end the IS 500 didn't excel in everything but it had the perfect combination of everything and enough of what the others had that were better (tech) to make it the winner.

 

The LC feels great. On track it was very direct and precise. The chassis is phenomenal. It is the most rigid car Lexus has ever built; not sure what more you want.

However the cost is a problem, I get that.

 

I honestly couldn't disagree with you more on that. In my opinion, it is simply impossible for a car to feel like a car made for the track when it comes with the EXACT same suspension as the flagship sedan designed to feel like a floating cloud, equipped with massage seats. I'd say that the track edition by far is much much stiffer from the factory. Comes with some pretty sweet carbons chassis braces and performance dampers and other neat things.

I personally feel that you need to be able to feel the road and feel how the tires are interacting with the pavement and feel the suspension load and unload, something you just don’t experience in the LC or LS. The way I see it, you’re getting less for more money. The way my dad sees it, who likes being comfortable driving home his LS, you’re getting more for more.

To be fair, they weren't designed to do that like the RCF was and its not fair to count that against the LC, but thats simply the reason I discounted it from the other two cars when shopping for them.

 

I am not sure that the LC has the same suspension as the LS - if nothing else, it is retuned. Have you actually driven the car? I've never driven an LS, but I'd imagine the F Sport version feels pretty great based on my experience with the LC.

I am not saying the LC feels like a track car or is super-tactile, but it's at the very least as dialed-in as an IS - IMO it feels more precise and direct than an IS 500 does. I am not saying the LC is the right car for you or for me, just sharing my experience driving it on track.

 

My dad has an LS500, ive driven an LC500 a handful of times. I can guarantee you the suspension geometry is the exact same. The only difference between the two is wheelbase, and if the LS has the front axle lifter, you'll have air shocks versus normal dampers. Im sure the spring weights are different for the cars because there is obviously a difference in weight distribution and overall weight. Dampers probably have slightly different valving, but what I said still remains true because of the identical geometry.

Next time you see them at a grocery store, take a look. We don’t have an LS on our lot right now, otherwise id show you. We have about 6 LC's though, including the new LC Convertible in USBM 2.0.

 

Fair enough, I am just going to have to disagree dynamically, as I found the LC to be a joy to drive. It is superb.

However, is it worth the money over an IS 500? Eh, depends.

 

The IS has a stiffer suspension setup, and more road feel and noise is transmitted through the chassis to the driver, which is what I wanted. You cannot disagree that the LC has this same feel. The LC is much more quiet and comfortable, which is a good thing for most people.

Im not saying the LC isn't a joy to drive, it really is. They nailed the car for the market they intended it to be in. Grand tourer luxury couple, for the retired couple going to and from the country club with their golf bags. One of kind, a real looker. It's just not what I needed in a car. They are a blast to drive though, that 10 speed is nice. The gearing is great, and the sound is phenomenal. I wish that our IS came with a valved muffler from the factory.

But the extra 30k on MSRP compared to my LE, I don’t think thats worth it for a subjectively worse car for what I want out of it.

 

I pondered for over a year on the IS500 vs. LC500 decision. The LC is a great car - a flagship for Lexus. Absolutely fantastic transmission, extremely comfortable, stunning spaceship like looks, plants well with good handling. But it is a grand tourer in every sense of the word. It is not a sports car. Neither is the IS500 for that matter. At the end of the day, 3 things I couldn't get past with the LC: It is overweight. No way getting around this. It is a hard fact. You can feel the weight. Completely useless backseats. I need at least some minimum level of practicality with the family. And lastly, even a used LC500 is running north of $Cdn. 100K. A new LC here is running $130K. That just seems like alot of money for what you're getting. Now you will argue that you are getting an extremely refined, high quality built machine that will stand the test of time. But performance wise, this seems a bit below the standard set for vehicles in this price point, imo.
The IS500 doesn't receive the #1 ranking in any particular category. But when you add up all the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place points it receives, it gets the highest total overall score. That's sorta how I see it with this car. Taking everything into consideration.