2015 Lexus RC F: What's It Like to Live With?
Read the latest updates in our long-term road test of the 2015 Lexus RC F as our editors live with this car for six months.
What do you want to know about?
- Introduction
- Climate Control Recirc Button Woes
- Hard to Find All the Power
- Fuel Economy Update for January
- Improved Touchpad Interface
- Door Panel Materials
- 5,000 Mile Update
- Looks Meaner Than It Sounds
- Density
- Powerful, but Too Heavy
- Ventilated Front Seats
- Performance Tested
- Learnings From an Arizona Road Trip
- Fuel Economy Update for March
- Drive Modes Change Gauge Themes (Video)
- Big V8 Takes Big Oil at 5,000 Miles
- Rough Ride Offsets Luxury Lineage
- Attractive and High-Quality Interior Design
- Our As-Tested Price Just Shy of $80K
- V8 Guts and Glory Along Parched California Hills
- Fuel Economy Update For April
- Manual Shift Mode Falls Short of Competitors
- Remote Touch Interface Is Innovative, But Inferior
- I Don't Mind the Ride Quality
- Great Audio, Terrible Interface
- Quiet Cabin Reveals Squeaky Headliner
- Suspension Is Fine - It's the Tires That Are Too Stiff
- Cargo Compromises With Fixed Rear Seat
- Making It Louder With Office Supplies
- Little Touches
- The 40-Cent Solution
- Fuel Economy Update For May — City-Bound Most of the Month
- Why Yes, a Rear-Facing Convertible Car Seat Just Fits
- Ten Cubic Feet of Trunk Space Goes Far Enough
- Throwing Shapes With the Fun Meter
- A Little Worse for Wear
- That's a Wrap
- Wrap-Up
Introduction
What Did We Get?
Lexus has traditionally been the sensible alternative to German luxury. At the expense of driving dynamics, a Lexus offered a top-notch interior, pillow-soft ride and outstanding reliability for less money. That has taken the company far in a very short time, but now it has decided to take on its competition head-on with sharp looks and wicked power.
Lexus has already dipped its toes in the waters of high-performance cars with the development of its "F" line of performance cars. The IS F sedan proved Lexus has what it takes to at least stay in the ring with the BMW M3 and Mercedes C63 AMG, while the LFA supercar showed what can happen when Lexus lets its engineers loose.
Now, the RC F coupe is poised to continue widening the gap between traditional Lexus buyers and younger, performance-hungry drivers. It features a 5.0-liter V8 sending 467 horsepower and 389 pound-feet of twist to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. It also gets more aggressive suspension settings and beefier brakes compared to the standard RC 350 and even the RC 350 F Sport.
Lexus has just two "F" cars under its belt, but the RC is priced competitively and may offer better value. We got one to find out if the coupe is a serious player in this cutthroat performance coupe category.
What Options Does It Have?
Prices for the well-equipped 2015 Lexus RC F in gray, silver, red or black begin at $63,325. A rearview camera, 10-speaker sound system, dual-zone climate control and active rear wing are all standard features on the RC F. But while base cars are less expensive, we want to be able to test as many options as possible.
We started with an RC F in Ultra White, a color that required the addition of the $4,400 Premium package. Features in this package include heated and ventilated front seats, a blind-spot monitor and carbon-fiber interior trim. White on red is a classic color combo that looks good on the RC F, so we added Red Circuit leather seats for an extra $800. We also added a pair of luxury amenities: a 17-speaker Mark Levinson sound system with navigation ($2,840) and sonar parking sensors ($500).
Our RC F is a preproduction vehicle on loan from Lexus and has one option package that is not yet available on production models. It's called the Performance package, and it bundles the torque-vectoring differential ($1,750 à la carte), 20-spoke wheels ($1,500 à la carte), and a carbon-fiber roof and rear spoiler. We will post a future update when pricing is announced.
Excluding the options in the Performance package, our 2015 Lexus RC F retails for $71,865. Add the diff and wheels by themselves and our RC F carries an MSRP of $75,115. Figure in another $1,000-$2,000 for the carbon-fiber bits.
Why We Got It
Lexus has been trying to break into the performance side of the luxury realm for some time now. It has had some success, but still struggles against BMW and Mercedes when it comes to delivering that perfect blend of startling performance and refined luxury.
The RC F is the latest and most concentrated effort yet. It hits right at the heart of BMW's new M4 coupe and Mercedes' various AMG offerings with a mix of V8 power and aggressive styling. It also has a slick interior design and the latest technology. If the RC F can't make any inroads, it's hard to imagine another Lexus that will.
We have six months with our RC F to find out if it has what it takes to break out from the pack. That should be enough time to put at least 10,000 miles on the sport coupe and see where it stands. Follow along on the Long-Term Road Test Updates page for new posts.
Best MPG: 18.2
Worst MPG: 15.6
Average MPG over 674 miles: 17
The manufacturer provided this vehicle for the purpose of evaluation.
After a few hundred miles behind the wheel of our 2015 Lexus RC F I'm surprised by how much I like the seats. I say surprised because they don't immediately strike you as great seats the minute you slide into them.
As aggressive as they look, the bolstering doesn't grab your backside like some other cars in this category. Not sure if this is a conscious decision to make the seats more comfortable for a wider range of drivers or just the way Lexus thinks aggressive seats should feel.
Regardless of the reasoning, the seats have a near perfect shape for my frame which makes them supremely comfortable during everyday driving. And this is without a multitude of adjustments. During moderate cornering loads, there's enough bolstering to keep me in place. Not sure how well they'll do on a more serious road, but I'm guessing just fine. Overall, they seem like a solid compromise between everyday comfort and the aggressive bolstering one would expect in a Lexus "F" car.
Our 2015 Lexus RC F has more than enough power. Its 5.0-liter is rated to produce 467 horses and even with nearly two tons to haul around that's enough motivation to get going in a hurry.
Trouble is, that power isn't always on tap when you want it. In fact, it takes a serious stomp of your right foot to get full thrust, and even then it takes longer than it should. Dialing up the "Sport" mode does speed things up a little, but even then the V8s most potent punch takes too long to arrive.
It seems like a transmission issue at first. There are eight cogs to sift through after all. But I used the manual shift mode as well and even then the big V8 doesn't feel quite as lively as it should.
On the plus side, the transmission delivers some seriously sturdy gear changes when you're on the gas in Sport mode. Feels like a Turbo 400 with a shift kit. Didn't expect that in a Lexus.
Our long-term 2015 Lexus RC F has only been in the fleet for a few weeks but it's already on track to hit its mileage goal. We've put about 1,800 miles on the odometer over the last few weeks (it arrived to us as a tester with 3,120 on the clock) and that's definitely enough for us to start tracking its fuel economy. At this rate, we'll definitely hit 10,000 miles of testing by the time six months rolls around.
Over the four weeks, it would seem we've done more driving with the use-the-big-V8-to-turn-gasoline-into-loud-noises tactic, rather than the see-if-we-can-hit-25-mpg-in-a-V8-sports-car strategy. Maybe things will get better once the RC F goes on a couple of road trips.
Here's how the numbers shake out.
Worst Fill MPG: 15.6
Best Fill MPG: 19.4
Average Lifetime MPG: 17.1
EPA MPG Rating: 19 Combined (16 City / 25 Highway)
Best Range: 253 miles
Current Odometer: 5,000 miles
Our 2015 Lexus RC F has what Lexus calls a "Remote Touchpad" to control the navigation system and various other functions. It's a further evolution of the mouse-like device we had in our 2013 GS 350 sedan.
Most of our staff hated the old setup in the GS. I didn't mind it much. It wasn't the best interface out there, but it wasn't the worst either. I found it fairly easy to use and liked the way you could get to various functions quickly instead of "scrolling" through menus with a wheel.
The new setup does away with the pad but works in much the same way. You point at stuff and tap on it to select. There's haptic feedback so you feel a subtle "thunk" when you select things. Yes, it's a bit odd at first, and sometimes it takes your eyes off the road more than it should, but overall I think it works well.
We'll see how it holds up over time, but as these systems go I think it's an interesting alternative to the wheel-based systems used in most of the RC's German competitors.
I had our long-term 2015 Lexus RC F over the weekend, but before I could even sit down, I noticed the extravagant door panel. "Whoa. That's a lot of colors," I thought. "Black, gray, silver, red, carbon fiber...That's five. Is carbon fiber a color?" I said aloud. Then I started counting materials and the numbers rose even higher.
Before you read on, count the number of materials you can spot on the door and see if it matches my tally. And yes, stitching counts.
To make it simple, I'll count from the top down. First there's the gray door handle-surround and the silver door handle, then the vinyl door pad at the top. The long silver panel below that feels like it's made out of the same stuff as the handle (and so does the bezel around the speaker) so I didn't count it twice. Next is the carbon fiber, the black stitching, the red leather panel behind it, the gray leather on the armrest, the alcantara, the red stitching that holds it in place and finally, the metal speaker cover at the bottom of the door.
That's ten different surfaces by my count. I polled a few other staffers in the office and their counts varied from seven on the low end, to sixteen when they counted multiple uses of the same materials.
Put all these materials in varying colors together and they look jumbled and mismatched, no matter how nice they are. The carbon fiber is part of the optional Premium package ($4,400) we opted for, but even if you build your RC F with the basic "Black NuLux with Silver Performance trim" the door panel still has multiple surfaces. In my opinion it looks way too busy.
It didn't take long for our long-term 2015 Lexus RC F to reach the 5,000-mile mark. In fairness, the RC F showed up to our office with 3,120 miles already on the odometer, so it's not like we've been driving it around the clock, but 1,800 miles in four weeks definitely qualifies it as a popular car.
Right as the Lexus RC F ticked over 5,000 miles, three different lights popped up on the dash warning that maintenance was required. Next up, we'll see exactly what this 5.0-liter V8 needs to keep it running smoothly.
Blame it on the 2015 Jaguar F-Type R Coupe. The sounds which explode from its muffler system are so raw and delicious to the ear, it has me thinking all cars that look mean should sound mean.
They don't.
Case in point: Our new long-term 2015 Lexus RC F. It looks menacing and purposeful, from the bulging fenders, huge grille, fancy wheels and carbon-fiber bits to that odd, stacked quad exhaust system.
But unlike the Jag, which can make a racket at 5 mph should you so choose (press the Loud Exhaust Button), the RC F is, well, Lexus-quiet. It doesn't sound the least bit special, or make any kind of rumbly, enthusiast-ish noises, unless you're heavy into the throttle and the tach is climbing past 3,500 rpm. It means you need to be going pretty darn fast to get this thing to sound good.
For many folks that could be a positive, since the RC F doesn't attract attention at all times like the Jag. Drive it hard, though, and the Lexus will deliver a wonderfully deep, V8 soundtrack.
For me, I was hoping the car would more closely match its race car looks. Even when driving slowly I'd like it to sound at least a bit throaty, or maybe offer some decelerative burbling from the exhaust.
Others may very much appreciate the fact this car doesn't do that.
Our long-term 2015 Lexus RC F is positioned as a contender to the BMW M4 and Mercedes-AMG C63. In my estimation, the RC F plays it too safe to be a viable alternative.
Which is not to say it isn't fast or capable. It is surely both of those things. And its styling definitely doesn't play it safe, but this is an area of such subjectivity that I'll leave it at that.
The root of the RC F's conundrum is weight. It's exceedingly heavy. At more than 4,000 pounds, it's packing a solid 500 pounds over the last M4 we tested. And while the performance numbers the RC F puts up are sure to place it in the hunt with the Bavarian, the Lexus gives up too much tactility in the process.
The RC F has heaps of power but feels blunted by its mass. Oh, its body motions are reigned in well, and on a fast drive it is alert and sure-footed. In fact, I'd say Lexus have done an admirable job of making this fat man dance. But it's still fat. All the praise I have for its dynamics is mentally asterisked by the refrain "for its weight." It's never sloppy, it's just dense.
It's easy to make a modern car fast. Speed is no longer a hurdle. We're spoiled by truly towering horsepower numbers across a variety of vehicle segments, and the systems to corral and dole the ponies in a way that maximizes their effect on the pavement are getting better all the time.
The real issue now, and one exemplified by the RC F, is engagement. There's simply no way to synthesize what lightness does to the driving experience, irrespective of how much power you throw at a heavy car.
Lexus raided the corporate parts bin in creating the RC F. It has chassis sections from the GS and the IS Convertible and the IS sedan, an engine based on the IS F's and a corporate gearbox. I'd argue they pilfered from the wrong bin. I mean, imagine if they'd started with the much smaller and lighter Scion FR-S platform instead. Here's a stiff RWD coupe that weighs roughly 2,700 pounds and has a comically wide engine bay to accommodate its flat-four power plant. Ford and GM V8s already fit into this chassis with ease.
Swapping in the 2UR-GSE 5.0-liter V8 and beefing up requisite areas to the FR-S' chassis and driveline would add a total of, what, 400 pounds? If that? With this 3,100-pound car they could match the power to weight ratio of today's RC F with a significantly detuned version of the 5.0-liter V8.
Or leave it at full 463-hp strength and have a competition-annihilating worldbeater on their hands that nobody would ever, ever describe as "playing it safe." Too extreme for a Lexus? Call it a Supra, then. Or, you know, Fred. Whatever. With that kind of spec sheet, it wouldn't matter what it's named.
After 100 miles of dashing through the twisty bits of my local mountain roads, I should've had a wide smile on my face given that I had our long-term 2015 Lexus RC F for the weekend. This 467-horsepower luxury sport coupe is comfortable, and there's plenty of power on tap. As Jay Kavanagh previously mentioned though, it's just too heavy, especially for this kind of Sunday fun.
At 4,040 pounds, our long-term RC F is about 170 pounds heavier than the standard RC 350 F Sport that we tested a few months ago. That's not a huge difference, but the RC F is about 500 pounds heavier than most of its top rivals.
For comparison, here's now the RC F stacks up against some other luxury coupes we've tested.
| Power | Torque | Weight | 0-60 mph | 1/4 Mile | 60-0 | |
| '15 RC F | 467 hp | 389 lb ft | 4,040 lbs | 4.6 sec | 12.8 @ 110.7 | 110 ft |
| '15 BMW M4 | 425 hp | 406 lb ft | 3,508 lbs | 4.4 sec | 12.4 @ 116.0 | 106 ft |
| '14 M235i | 320 hp | 330 lb ft | 3,507 lbs | 4.5 sec | 12.9 @ 105.9 | 106 ft |
| '13 RS 5 | 450 hp | 317 lb ft | 4,037 lbs | 4.3 sec | 12.5 @ 110.8 | 105 ft |
| '12 C63 AMG | 451 hp | 443 lb ft | 3,990 lbs | 4.2 sec | 12.3 @ 116.3 | 112 ft |
Clearly, the Lexus is the heaviest of the bunch. The Audi RS 5 isn't far behind, but much of that weight can be credited to the Audi's all-wheel-drive system. The C63 is the next-heaviest and the quickest of the bunch, but it also takes the longest distance to stop from 60 mph.
While the M235i may seem a bit out of place, it would be my choice for a pumped-up, four-seater luxury coupe. I haven't had a chance to drive the M4 yet, but the M235i is so close performance-wise that it would be nearly impossible for me to justify the extra $30K for the flagship. I have driven the M235i on the same local canyon roads, where it felt nimble, agile.
The RC F feels a bit more labored, even bothered, with the task of darting back and forth between corners. If you're on a long cruise, the Lexus might be the better car for soaking up bumps, but that's only slightly and that small difference isn't enough to sway me in the Lexus' favor.
I swear I'm not trying to gloat, but it was 85 degrees and sunny in southern California just a few days ago. While the east coast was being attacked by snownadoes, I was breaking in to a sweat just by going outside. That meant I had the air conditioning in our long-term 2015 Lexus RC F set to "LO" and the ventilated seats set to their highest output setting.
I suggested the use of the cooling function on the seat to a friend of mine when she got in the Lexus. After a few minutes, she commented that she could feel them working from both the back- and butt-positions. I had my seats set to the highest ventilation position, too, but I couldn't feel a thing. Apparently, this difference came down to a choice in wardrobe.
My passenger was wearing a thin summer dress while I was wearing slacks and a dress shirt. This small variation in fabric thickness was a big enough difference to render the ventilated seats utterly useless for me.
The ventilated seats come as a part of the Premium package ($4,400), which also includes lots of safety features like rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, parking sensors and LED headlights. The rest of those features work pretty well, so I probably wouldn't exclude the entire package, but if things were al a carte I'd definitely skip these ventilated seats. If they can't get through to actually cool me down, they become a gimmick rather than a useful feature.
When we got our 2015 Lexus RC F, it was delivered to us fully broken in and ready to take to our test track. With a 467 horsepower V8 and starting price just north of $60K, the 2015 RC F has the unenviable task of bringing the fight to sports car behemoths like the BMW M4. With its torque-vectoring differential, carbon-fiber roof and carbon-fiber spoiler, the RC F certainly looks up for a fight. We have performance numbers for both coupes. So which one wins at a stoplight drag race? Read on to find out.
Vehicle: 2015 Lexus RC F
Odometer: 3,800
Date: 1/6/2015
Driver: Chris Walton
Price: $80,000 (Estimated)
Specifications:
Drive Type: Rear-wheel Drive
Transmission Type: Eight-speed automatic
Engine Type: Naturally aspirated V8
Displacement (cc/cu-in): 4,969 / 303
Redline (rpm): 7,250
Horsepower (hp @ rpm): 467 @ 7,100
Torque (lb-ft @ rpm): 389 @ 4,800
Brake Type (front): One-piece ventilated and slotted disc with six-piston fixed calipers
Brake Type (rear): One-piece ventilated and slotted disc with four-piston fixed calipers
Suspension Type(front): Independent double wishbone, coil springs, monotube dampers, anti-roll bar Suspension Type (rear): Independent multilink, coil springs, monotube dampers, anti-roll bar
Tire Size (front): 255/35ZR19 92Y
Tire Size (rear): 275/35ZR19 96Y
Tire Brand: Michelin
Tire Model: Pilot Super Sport
Tire Type: Summer, asymmetrical
As-Tested Curb Weight (lb): 4,040
Test Results:
Acceleration:
0-30 (sec): 2.0 (w/ TC on 2.2)
0-45 (sec): 3.2 (w/ TC on 3.4)
0-60 (sec): 4.6 (w/TC on 4.9)
0-60 with 1-ft Rollout (sec): 4.4 (w/TC on 4.6)
0-75 (sec): 6.6 (w/TC on 6.9)
1/4-Mile (sec @ mph): 12.8 @ 110.7 (w/TC on 13.0 @ 110.6)
Braking:
30-0 (ft): 28
60-0 (ft): 110
Handling:
Slalom (mph): 72.9 (70.5 w/ESC on)
Skid Pad Lateral acceleration (g): 0.93 (0.93 w/ESC on)
RPM @ 70: 1,800
Comments:
Acceleration comments: It's unexpected that this car, with all of its electronic modes/options, lacks a launch control feature. As a result, we found that the best run was the result of nearly zero wheelspin with the traction-control disabled in Sport+ drive mode with the differential set to Track. Compared to a previous test of a different RC F, we found this car was less lenient with the driver overlapping the brake and throttle pedals at a standstill. Doing so too long would either make it putter off the line (in what felt like second gear) or issue a stern visual warning on the instrument panel and take the throttle away completely. Regardless of all of this, this is a thrilling car to run down the drag strip with the glorious sound of that V8 and the lightning-quick and ultra-smooth upshifts. Aside from the initial default run (Normal drive mode, Drive, standard differential setting), each max-attack run thereafter was very consistent. Manual shift mode via the console lever (back for downshifts) isn't our preferred orientation, however the paddles on the steering wheel (left for downshifts) are.
Braking comments: Firm pedal from first to last stop and not one bit of ABS buzz or jerkiness. These brakes can clearly handle a bit of heat and our shortest stop came on the fourth of five total. Straight as an arrow and didn't seem to mind pavement irregularities as much as other high-performance taut-suspension cars have. Excellent performance.
Handling comments: This car feels like two different cars on the slalom course and on the skid pad. In the slalom, it points quickly from cone to cone, offers amazing line-adjustability with throttle input, will allow predictable and useful rear wheel slides, and punches through the exit with the differential sorting out how to put the power down. The steering takes a few runs to get used to its quickness, but the car eats up the slalom... Heck, it has a dedicated 'slalom' mode so it should. [Note that with all the settings in default 'Normal' mode, it was still very capable]. On the skid pad, however, no matter what modes we tried, the RC F would stubbornly understeer at the very same limit without an ability to drive 'through' it or drive around it with any amount of driver influence. I would love to drive this car on a track to see where its 'happy' and 'grumpy' places are because these are but two of many handling traits.
Here is the comparison between our 2015 Lexus RC F and the 2015 BMW M4. The M4 we tested (MSRP $77,450) had a manual transmission and carbon ceramic brakes ($8,150). It wore Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires, the same as the Lexus. Its tire sizes were 255/35ZR19 92Y for the fronts and 275/35ZR19 100Y for the rears.
2015 Lexus RC F |
2015 BMW M4 |
|
Curbweight as Tested (lbs.) |
4,040 |
3,508 |
0-30 (sec.): |
2.0 |
2.0 |
0-45 (sec.): |
3.2 |
3.3 |
0-60 (sec.): |
4.6 |
4.4 |
0-60 with 1-ft Rollout (sec.): |
4.4 |
4.1 |
0-75 (sec.): |
6.6 |
6.1 |
¼-mile (sec @ mph): |
12.8 @ 110.7 |
12.4 @ 116.0 |
Skid Pad Lateral Accel (g): |
0.93 |
0.98 |
Slalom: |
72.9 |
72.9 |
Braking 60-0 mph |
110 |
106 |
Braking 30-0 mph |
28 |
27 |
The 2015 Lexus RC F should be a prime candidate for road trips. Obviously not with kids or bulky leisure equipment in tow, but for the type of two-person, plus-maybe-a-pet-or-two vacations I take, a luxury coupe is just about the perfect choice. You know, like this luxury coupe. But does the RC F deliver as expected? To find out, I set out with my dog Maggie to visit my folks in Arizona.
The Drive
The RC F has been rightly criticized for not delivering the sort of visceral thrills and razor-sharp reactions one expects from a car supposedly intended to challenge the BMW M4. A big part of that is its size. It's just too big and heavy. Those elements can actually be a benefit for a grand touring luxury coupe, which in so many ways is exactly what the RC F feels like. Adding to that perception is abundant V8 power, a smooth transmission and steering that is precise without requiring constant, tiresome attention when driven for long interstate stretches.
There's just one, major problem with the RC F serving as a grand touring coupe: the ride. It's far too rough. You feel every nuance of every bump, every seam and every hole through your hands, back side and brain. It gets tiresome, and although it's certainly worse at lower speeds around town, it makes the RC F substantially less appealing for a road trip. I don't need it to loaf and float about like a Lexus of yore, but it needs better dampening of bumps.
Really, the RC F offers the worst of both worlds: It offers the ride of a sports car with the handling of a grand touring coupe.
The Technology
Lexus Remote Touch is terrible. The previous little joystick was bad enough, but the mouse-style touchpad is even worse. I don't like using the touchpad on my laptop, let alone using one in a moving car. It draws too much attention away from the road and even if you were sitting still, it would still be frustrating.
Here is just one example. I want to zoom in on the navigation map. I swipe my finger to the lower left corner to press the + icon. I miss and hit the map instead. Now, the navigation system thinks I want to scan around the map, which I do not. Normally in other cars, when you select map scanning, you can hit a "navigation" or "map" button to re-center and lock you on the map. Those don't exist in the RC F. When you press the "return" icon or the "return" button on the center console, it does not take you back to the center map. It takes you to the main menu screen where you have to swipe the cursor back up to the navigation icon. This happened to me several times.
There were two other issues. First, the real-time traffic information sourced from the HD radio signal was inaccurate. It repeatedly showed nothing but wide-open, green highway ahead whereas my Google Maps app correctly identified that there was in fact heavy traffic. When I took the photo below, I was stopped, yet the map would indicate I should've been cruising along at 65 mph. In other words, it doesn't work. (It was not at fault for me running into the stopped freeway pictured above caused by a 10-minute construction project. There was no warning or way around that).
Finally, I experienced a glitch when trying to play my iPhone through the USB port. After a while playing a song track, Remote Touch will announce there is an iPod error and shut off the stereo. Unplugging my iPhone and plugging it back in reset the system, but it didn't take long for it to happen again. This is something I experienced in a Lexus NX 200t and NX 300h. To be fair, those cars and our RC F are pre-production cars, which could indicate some teething problems with the new Remote Touch system. Then again, it could be a production problem as well. Something to keep an eye out for.
The Comfort
Putting the ride aside, I found the RC F to be quite comfortable. Some might lament the lack of adjustable thigh support or that the power lumbar is only two-way, but I was able to get comfortable quickly and then never adjust the seat again. Believe me, this is quite rare. What's also rare is a Lexus well-suited to a guy that's 6-foot-3. In so many past models, the driver seat wouldn't go back far enough, wouldn't drop down in the back enough and the roof would seem awfully close to my noggin. I basically sat in the back seat of the previous-generation Lexus IS. The RC F, on the other hand, is wonderfully tall-guy friendly.
I'm not sure how those of broader beam will find the side bolsters (also not adjustable), but I found they provided a nice, gentle, non-constricting hug. They were a little less friendly for Maggie's travel booster seat (basically a big block of foam), but it still managed to fit up front — barely.
The Fuel Economy
The RC F returned 24 mpg from Los Angeles to Goodyear, Ariz., and back. Pleasantly, that's what the trip computer says I was getting. The EPA says it should get 25 on the highway, which should be possible on flatter terrain and fewer morons creating traffic by clogging the left lane.
Frankly, that's pretty good fuel economy from a 467-horsepower, 5.0-liter V8. The problem is more about the range, or rather, the range the car says you have. With most cars, I can easily make the 362-mile-ish journey to Goodyear on one tank of gas. However, the RC F's distance to empty (DTE) gauge said I would need to stop along the way. I did, which is annoying, but it beats being stranded in the desert and besides, Maggie needed a pit stop anyway.
Trouble is, the math doesn't add up. According to the specs, the RC F has a 17.4-gallon tank. Averaging my 24 mpg, I should've been able to go 417 miles before running dry. That would've got me to Goodyear with 55 miles to spare, yet the trip computer said I wouldn't have come close. It was almost 100 miles off. After the fact, this makes sense since the amount of fuel indicated by the fuel gauge didn't seem to be lining up with the DTE readout. It was like the DTE thinks the car has a 13-gallon tank. What's the point of even having the DTE gauge if it goes about its job like Chicken Little?
Final Thoughts
There are a lot of negatives here to be sure, but ultimately, this is a powerful, impeccably built and reasonably spacious car that people really seem to get out of the way for when it comes up behind them on the highway. It could be a brilliant road trip car, but it needs a few key upgrades and/or changes.
We added about 1,400 miles to our 2015 Lexus RC F in March and averaged 19.6 mpg, which is somewhat better than the EPA estimate of 19 combined. James's road trip to Arizona helped us nudge that number higher last month.
We also posted new worst and best fills numbers in March and our overall average mpg went up by .1, although we're still falling short of the EPA combined estimate.
Worst Fill MPG: 12.1
Best Fill MPG: 24.6
Average Lifetime MPG: 17.2
EPA MPG Rating: 19 Combined (16 City / 25 Highway)
Best Range: 253 miles
Current Odometer: 7,589 miles
The 2015 Lexus RC F has four drive modes that alter its acceleration and change the look of the LCD gauges. The speedometer on the right is analog and remains consistent throughout all modes. It isn't very useful though, since the numbers are small and aren't really in your line of sight.
I can't really comment on the nuances of the drive modes since I don't have a road test background, but I will say this: When you're driving in "Normal" mode, it doesn't feel like the car has 467 horsepower. The RC F doesn't drive like you think it would until you're in "Sport S+," the highest setting. I think Sport S+ also has the best gauge layout, partly because it reminds me of the Lexus LFA gauges. Well, a slightly less cool version.
In any case, here's a brief video where I demonstrate what the modes look like. One minor correction in the video, though. I mention that I twist left for the sport modes. Not true. You actually twist left for Eco, right for Sport S and S+, and push down on the knob for Normal.
Our 2015 Lexus RC F wasn't about to let us overlook its desire for scheduled service at 5,000 miles. The instrument panel first displays a polite "service soon" warning. When the need grows more immediate, it switches to "service now." Within a few days of seeing the latter of the two cues, we took the RC F in for maintenance.
Lexus recommends service at 6-month/5,000-mile intervals. An extra 30-day/1,000-mile slot is added primarily for safety and includes visual inspections of the body, chassis, wipers, and driver floor mat installation. Lexus handled this before we took delivery of the RC F, though it is complimentary nonetheless.
At 5,000 miles, the RC F receives its first proper service: oil change, oil filter change, visual inspections of the tires, brakes, wipers and, not surprisingly, the driver floor mat. This is fairly straightforward stuff.
One detail worth mention is the incredibly large oil basin. The RC F holds 9.8 quarts (including the filter) of 5W-30. Compare that to the 6.6 quarts the RC 350 requires. This service interval is also free of charge, but it's the last. At 12 months/10,000 miles, we'll have to pony up.
Total Cost: None
Total Days out of Service: None
Grandma was in town recently and volunteered to entertain the Kid for the evening, allowing the Wife and I something like a date night. Sweet. This little arrangement came up suddenly and for a romantic evening out, the Chevy Colorado, which I'd already signed out, would not do. The 2015 Lexus RC F was the only thing left with a hint of luxury and Travis Langness did me a solid favor by trading keys.
Driving home, my first time behind the wheel of the RC F, I began to have doubts. On the highway, there was more bump and shake than I'd expected. My expectations suffered from short-term memory loss, however, as I soon remembered the last time I drove the IS F. Lexus does small, medium and big sedan comfort very well, but hasn't quite nailed the ride formula for sharp and sporty.
Maybe the Colorado would've been a better choice.
The RC F's seats, which have drawn some praise from my colleagues, were not working for me. Maybe it was a bad posture day at the office, but I couldn't get comfortable in the shapely buckets. The space where the seatback meets the bottom seemed to be a dead zone of spinal support which no amount of lumbar control could alleviate. Nearing home after an hour behind the wheel, I couldn't wait to get out.
Don't know if the Wife will be impressed with this selection.
Date night was a disaster, not because of the RC F, but because of all the other reasons married parents should abandon the folly of "date night." The RC F was nice enough, though. As expected, the ride proved too stiff for expectations. After about five minutes, the Wife wondered aloud "is this really a Lexus?"
Well, yes it is, mostly. It's still a Lexus, still a luxury car that delivers luxury fit and finish. The seat heaters warmed up a chilly night and the navigation system routed us around a side street jam with minimal input and fuss — a good thing since, although the new trackpad interface is an improvement over the previous mushroom stalk, it's still a ridiculous and distracting control surface. Time for Lexus to drop this pretention and get on with a dial-and-button array.
At the end of the night, I warmed to the RC F a little more, chalking up some of my initial grumpiness to genuine flaw (stiff ride lacking the compliance of other sport-lux coupes) and misplaced expectations. Since then, I've come to really enjoy the RC F, but more on that later.
I've been driving our 2015 Lexus RC F for a few days now. Unfortunately, there hasn't been much opportunity for full-throttle acceleration runs or weekend getaways along twisting, ocean-side roads. Instead it's been a lot of highway driving and commuting around town. But sitting in traffic provides ample time to admire what Lexus has done with the RC F's interior. If this were my car, it'd be one of the high points.
The overall theme is T-shaped, with a broad horizontal dash line matched to a high-mounted center console. Within that are a lot of cool design details. There's the prominent analog clock right in the center of the dash, and below that the climate and audio control deck that almost looks like a high-end home audio receiver.
Further back along the center console is a raised and accented pad used for the Remote Touch interface. Above the clock on a separate tier is the display screen flanked by metallic accent bands. The hooded gauge cluster is also prominent and offers the configurable digital displays.
The RC F makes extensive use of leather, simulated suede, and metallic and carbon fiber trim. This is high-quality work, with the stitched padding applied to the center stack's sides (next to the occupants inner legs) being a notable highlight. I also like the hefty-feel shifter, the shapely steering wheel and the sturdy buttons and control stalks.
Travis wrote an earlier update about the wide variety of materials used in our car. I'd have to agree that it's overdone, particularly on the door panels. But I think our test car's configuration is partly to blame. Our RC F's red upholstery looks good against the white exterior, but judging from online photos, the more common black or gray leather upholstery seems to make for a more cohesive interior scheme.
"Our RC F is a pre-production vehicle on loan from Lexus and has one option package that is not yet available on production models. It's called the Performance package, and it bundles the torque-vectoring differential ($1,750 a la carte), 20-spoke wheels ($1,500 a la carte), and a carbon-fiber roof and rear spoiler. We will post a future update when pricing is announced."
We wrote this in the introduction of our 2015 Lexus RC F when it was loaned to us. At the time, we didn't know the full MSRP. We estimated the price at $77,115. Lexus recently updated pricing info for the RC F so we can update our calculations. Read on for final pricing.
Prices started at $63,325, including destination. An RC F in orange, blue or white required the addition of the Premium Package ($4,400). Sonar parking sensors are included in the Premium Package, so that knocks off $500 from our original estimate. A 17-speaker Mark Levinson sound system with navigation added $2,840 while the red leather seats added another $800.
The 20-spoke wheels our car wears were originally included in the Performance Package but were ultimately dropped. Add another $1,500 for this stand-alone option. Our running total was now $72,865.
Included in the Performance Package is a limited-slip differential, which uses a clutch at each rear wheel to distribute torque according to driving conditions. The suite also saves weight in the form of a carbon fiber-reinforced plastic roof and rear spoiler. The Performance Package rings in at $5,500 on top of the options list in the preceding paragraph.
All in, our RC F has an MSRP of $78,365.
Let's just say you've hypothetically stopped at an empty rural intersection in a 2015 Lexus RC F. There's no oncoming traffic in any direction. It's just you and emptiness. You've done your hypothetical pre-flight prep: "Sport S+" mode selected, traction/stability control safety nets loosened, gear shifter in manual mode. You let your foot off the brake and the RC F creeps out slowly.
Now you turn the wheel in and give the RC F the spurs. The 5.0-liter V8 spins up, the rear tires break loose, and there you are, rear end hanging out like an Alabama dirt track racer. You catch the slide with a bit of opposite steer and then tug on the right shift paddle for an upshift as the digital tach approaches the 7,100 rpm redline. The RC F's rear tires bark slightly as second gear catches and then you're off, hammering towards the horizon and distant ribbons of curving pavement.
This RC F is your typical Lexus about as much as Al Capone was just your typical beverage distributor.
Like Capone, the RC F does have a weight issue. ("I'm your density."). But I don't think that results in such a negative, fun-sucking time that you'd rather be anywhere else, including going to the dentist, a Knicks game or watching Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2. If you've got an RC F and empty, curving road ahead of you, you can very well have a cracking good time.
What I like most about our RC F is the easily accessible performance. It's not an intimidating car to drive on a public road. There's a lot of grip, but not so much where I feel like I have to push myself to the limits of my talent (and thus risk pirouetting off a cliff face when it runs out) to have fun. The steering feels solid and communicative in Sport S+.
Around medium-speed corners in particular, just dial in the steering, keep your eyes up and then feed in some gas as you go around the apex to keep the car wonderfully balanced. This is not a slow car, but in some respect the old adage about it being more fun to drive a slow car fast applies.
As the same time, you've got a naturally-aspirated V8 as your companion. Sure, all the other automakers are going with turbochargers and/or cutting out cylinders and making more power. But the RC F's more relaxed, un-boosted, mid-range power delivery also contributes to the car's accommodating personality. Plus, credit Lexus with still giving us that guts-and-glory V8 sound.
True, Lexus has fitted the RC F with some sound enhancement. Normally the V8's noises are buttoned up, but get on the gas in Sport S mode and an in-car actuator (not the car's speakers, Lexus says) blends the V8's normal sounds with its own. Erm, so, it's somewhat fake, but with full wood and the revs coming up to seven grand, it really does sound operatic.
I completely understand why the 2015 Lexus RC F is ultimately going to lose out in the track battles, the bench racing and the comparison tests. But just driving along empty California canyon roads, I can think only that it's a very cool car that makes me happy.
April was a quiet month for our 2015 Lexus RC F. We didn't go on any road trips or rip it up at a high-performance driving event. Instead, the RC F stayed close to our Santa Monica corporate office, filling in for commuting and date nights. As a result, we added only about 1,300 miles. Fuel economy did rise for the month, though.
For April, we averaged 18.9 mpg. That's better than our lifetime average, which has increased from 17.2 in March to 17.6 mpg last month. It seems like the RC F returned dismal fuel economy in its first couple of months with us, but there's been a noticeable uptick in the last 2,700 miles of driving.
If this keeps up, we just might align our lifetime average with the EPA estimate of 19 mpg combined. Or we could just start driving it harder.
Worst Fill MPG: 9.2
Best Fill MPG: 25.0
Average Lifetime MPG: 17.6
EPA MPG Rating: 19 Combined (16 City/25 Highway Combined)
Best Range: 306.8 miles
Current Odometer: 8,672 miles
For everyday driving, the eight-speed automatic transmission in our 2015 Lexus RC F is just what I'd hope for in a modern auto. It upshifts smoothly as the RC F's speed increases and quickly drops down a couple of gears when you gently press on the gas for maneuvering through typical city traffic. The Sport S and Sport S+ drive modes further liven up the shift points and responsiveness.
You can also slot the gear lever to the left for manual shifting, pushing it forward for upshifts, pulling back for downshifts, or use the steering wheel-mounted shift paddles. The speed and smoothness of manual shifts also changes, depending on which drive mode you've selected.
But compared to other competitors with automated manual transmissions, the RC F doesn't quite measure up.
I find the RC F's manual-based shifts are pretty nice. "Sport S" mode, in particular, gives you quick control of gear selection and delivers the best balance of speed and smoothness. Switching to "Sport S+" quickens shift speeds and firms up response, but it's a little too much for street use.
But compared to models like the Audi RS 5 and BMW M4, the RC F, even in Sport S+, doesn't quite match those rivals for ultimate shift speed or precision. The upshifts lack the trigger-like quickness that makes the other cars feel more engaging. Downshifts aren't quite as quick, either. The third-to-second gear manual downshift also often feels poorly rev-matched, resulting in a lurch and unsettling of the car as second gear engages.
The RC F is lovely in "Drive," however, and that smoothness seems more important or valuable considering the majority of time spent just driving around and commuting. But if you want a more focused sport coupe with sublime transmission reflexes, especially for occasional track use, the RC F might be a little disappointing.
We've had a couple updates so far about the technology interface in our 2015 Lexus RC F. Early on, Ed contended that the latest Remote Touch touchpad system in our car was an improvement over earlier Lexus systems such as in our long-term GS and IS. Then about six weeks ago, James drove our RC F to Arizona and found Remote Touch to be "terrible."
I drove our RC F and used the system for more than a week. Here's my take.
Remote Touch presents an interesting alternative to the knob-and-button setups of Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz or the touchscreens of Cadillac and Jaguar. It operates very much like a laptop computer. You move your finger around a touchpad, which moves around a cursor on the display screen. Haptic feedback (vibrations) through the touchpad confirms your movement from one icon on the screen to another.
The touchpad and icons are pretty easy to figure out, and I think this intuition is the system's biggest advantage. All of the icons are there and you just move the cursor where you want. There's not as much menu layering as in some rival systems. The music Shuffle button, for example, is right on the main audio menu. You don't have to dive deeper trying to find it.
This newer touchpad system also introduces some streamlined on-screen menus and a physical "back" button, which the older Remote Touch with the joystick-like knob lacked.
But to James's point, I do agree that the touchpad is very distracting to use while driving. For me, it's positioned too far back along the center console and shifting my arm back to use it, right up against the seat bolster, introduces some imprecision.
Then there's the RC F's stiff ride over bumps that can interrupt your tracking, often causing you to overshoot or miss the desired icon on the screen while moving a finger along the touchpad. Correcting it takes even more time. Choosing what you want from the on-screen buttons, all of similar size and color, can slow you down, too.
Overall, I side more with James and say that Lexus Remote Touch is my least favorite luxury-brand technology interface. The negatives just outweigh its positives.
The alternate title for this update could have been: "Why James and Dan are Wrong." James commented about our 2015 Lexus RC F's stiff ride quality in his Arizona Trip update while Dan's rough ride offsets luxury experience made him initially grumpy. Sheesh, you'd think these guys were ready for AARP memberships.
Actually though, they're not wrong. The RC F does have a stiffly-tuned suspension. But I don't find the ride as objectionable as they do. My viewpoint is that this is a performance car and I'm willing to cut it some slack in exchange for handling precision and set aside the expectations of a car wearing an "L" badge.
What would be nice, though, is if Lexus offered adaptive suspension dampers for the car, so the RC F could be set up for softer highway driving, then returned to its current level (or higher) for more aggressive driving.
Related to this is wind and road noise on the highway. Wind noise is subdued and the tires are quiet on pavement, but on concrete it seems like the RC F's Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires kick up quite a bit more noise. It can get tiresome (get it? Thanks folks, be here all week).
But what's the alternative? An isolation chamber? On a car like this, no thank you.
Say what you will about the Lexus RC F, but it's hard to argue that it doesn't make great noises. No, I'm not talking about the big V8's burble and howl. This time I'm referring to the 17-speaker Mark Levinson premium audio upgrade which, bundled with navigation, adds $2,840 to the price.
The audio system has power and clarity, two things that matter most to me. The hit from the bass is crisp and the highs don't fall apart when the volume knob goes all Nigel Tufnel on you. I threw everything I had at the system: Pink Floyd's Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Verdi's Rigoletto (La Donna e Mobile), Duke Ellington's Jeep's Blues, and even the stylings of Li'l John. All sounded amazing through the speakers.
Combined with a well-insulated cabin that filters out most of the outside world's ruckus, wind and road noise, the audio quality reminded me of our Audi A8 long-termer, one of the more memorable systems in our fleet.
There are some rather fatal flaws, however. The Remote Touch Interface has been well-documented by Brent and James, so I won't belabor the point further. I also encountered the same iPod errors that James did, forcing me to occasionally unplug, then reconnect my device. What a colossal disappointment to an otherwise praiseworthy surround sound system.
Our long-term RC F is quiet inside. The absence of road and wind noise allows the burly V8 and powerful surround-sound audio system to shine. Unfortunately, it also spotlights a flaw.
I noticed a creaky squeak coming from the headliner. It's almost a buzzing noise coming from the hand grab right above the driver's head. Once located, I applied a slight amount of fingertip pressure to the handle and it stopped. It reappeared the next morning and the same amount of pressure made it go away.
It's not a deal-breaker, for sure. Perhaps it just needs to be tightened. I'll give it a shot next time I sign it out or maybe we'll just let the dealer know when it next goes in for service.
Don't worry, I don't intend to beat a dead horse regarding our 2015 Lexus RC F In fact, I think it rides just fine. But as James said in his last post, the tires can sound pretty angry when you're on a concrete freeway. Sure enough, we have plenty of those here in Southern California. And when you're humming along at highway speeds, radio off to better hear the smooth hum of that big V8, the road noise from the tires nearly overpowers all 467 horses.
It's especially noticeable since there are sections of highway that I drive that switch between concrete and asphalt. It's like pushing a button that says "road noise" when you switch between them.
Of course, there's a reason why the tires are so loud.
Look at them. They're 35-series Michelin Pilot Super Sports. They're designed to hold on for dear life when tossing this sizable coupe into a corner at high speed, not cruise along with barely a rumble.
That's the compromise you make with cars like this. And it's one I would gladly make.
Yesterday I learned that the V6-powered Lexus RC 350 and RC 350 F Sport come standard with a 60/40 split-folding rear seat. It makes the trunk of such a sport coupe far more useful.
I also learned that our long-term, V8-powered 2015 Lexus RC F doesn't. Instead, Lexus gives RC F owners only a small pass-through for skis and other long, narrow objects.
This is not a very uncommon modification when a manufacturer takes a performance model and upgrades it to high-performance status. A fixed rear seat and beefed-up bulkhead provide more structure, which is desirable in such an application. It gives the suspension engineers a more rigid foundation to work with, allowing them to tune to a higher, finer level. Ask any suspension engineer and they'll tell you that a stiffer chassis is a better chassis. A fold-down rear seat is usually the first thing to go in pursuit of less flex.
I don't own skis, but I did have to haul a push broom from my house to our photo studio a few miles away. As you can see in the photos, the RC F's pass-through worked perfectly for this type of odd-shaped cargo.
Still, something tells me that Monticello's bike won't fit.
One good thing about our long-term 2015 Lexus RC F? It gets loud.
Under heavy throttle load and around 3,600 rpm, the RC F's 5.0-liter V8 goes from its soft-spoken idle to a booming roar. This change is controlled by a vacuum-actuated flap on the passenger side of the airbox. Vacuum holds the flap shut until you cross that throttle load/engine speed threshold. When you do, the flap opens and broadcasts that wonderful intake sound all around the car. When the engine's off, you can move the flap with your fingers. This gave me an idea.
I once owned a late-90s BMW 3 Series that had a setup like the RC F's. Under similar conditions, a flap in the muffler would open up and play that sweet I-6 exhaust sound just a bit louder. My inner car guy asked, "Why isn't it louder all the time?" An online search revealed the Golf Tee Mod: Pull the vacuum line off and plug it with a golf tee. Apparently, BMW owners have more golf equipment lying around that vacuum caps.
The RC F? We couldn't find any golf tees here at the Edmunds office, but raiding the supplies closet netted a few plastic clips.
We pulled the vacuum line off, clipped it twice to avoid a leak, and fired the car up. As expected, the flap stayed open. The result? A hugely satisfying bark at low engine speeds.
Happy with our test, we returned everything back to normal. But I'll be stopping by a parts store soon for a vacuum cap.
Unless I find a golf tee first.
We needed to pick up a new long-term car at a dealership in San Diego, so I grabbed the keys to the 2015 Lexus RC F and headed south. My 89-year-old father came along for the ride and he was quite outspoken about the car's interior. Keep in mind that one of his first cars was a '34 Ford Coupe. I expected him to be overwhelmed by the gadgetry, but that wasn't the first thing he commented on.
The suede visor over the instrument panel: That's the first thing he mentioned. He absolutely loved it and correctly observed it would help cut the glare. His second comment was how comfortable the seats were and, to his credit, he didn't complain about the stiff ride. I also thought the seats were amazing, although the side-bolstering makes it harder to get in and out of the car.
On the drive back from San Diego, I found myself threading through trans-city traffic, trying to stay ahead of Memorial Day weekend traffic. I relied heavily on the blind spot warning feature, even though it takes a leap of faith to move into a lane I haven't seen with my own eyes. But it's unavoidable since rear visibility is so poor.
I also noticed that the steering is so quick and precise that I constantly found myself making adjustments to stay centered in my lane. On a long road trip, this would be tiring.
While this car is a blast to drive, what stands out for me is the interior. It's like strapping into a jet cockpit and having all the controls at your fingertips. Sure, there's a little overkill here for the young enthusiasts. My father observed that some of the features are little more than geegaws. He also didn't care for the carbon fiber panels. But other than that, the RC F left us both with a favorable impression.
I capped the vacuum line that controls the intake sound of the intake on our 2015 Lexus RC F, like I said I would. It took less than a minute and cost $0.40.
This change (I'm hesitant to call it a modification) falls under the "I can't believe it's not like this from the factory" variety because of its simplicity and its improvement. In fact, documenting the change took longer than the process itself.
But enough people asked about it online, so I wanted to give a longer explanation. With video!
The difference is hard to capture on video, but it's noticeable in the car. Instead of the induction sound "activating" at 3,600 rpm, it's always there under heavy throttle load.
I haven't noticed any negative side effects yet, but I am enjoying the RC F more. The engine sounds like it has more authority in the lower part of its powerband, the part of the powerband where you'll spend the most time if you drive in a city.
There might be a dip in torque at low rpms, but who cares? It sounds cool.
May was another low-key month for our long-term 2015 Lexus RC F. We added 1,190 miles while we debated its ride quality (Brent doesn't mind, Ed says it's the tires), analyzed its manual shift mode, discovered an interior rattle, praised its audio quality and grumbled about its technology interface.
We also didn't do much better in our monthly fuel economy.
Over the course of those 1,190 miles, the RC F consumed 67.5 gallons of fuel, giving it a 17.6 mpg average for the month. That's a touch lower than March and April, and it's the likely result of the amount of time it has spent commuting in the city.
The lifetime average hasn't changed from 17.6 mpg, which we reported last month. So it's still shy of the EPA combined rating of 19 mpg. Then again, the RC F has a larger V8 that makes fun noises when you drive it hard. It's going to drink some gas in the process.
Worst Fill MPG: 9.2
Best Fill MPG: 25.0
Average Lifetime MPG: 17.6
EPA MPG Rating: 19 Combined (16 City/25 Highway)
Best Range: 306.8 miles
Current Odometer: 9,859 miles
My colleague Brent Romans has already successfully installed a front-facing car seat in our long-term 2015 Lexus RC F, so I was a little overconfident when I signed out our coupe for the weekend. I assumed I'd be able to install a rear-facing car seat, even though my child has an extra-large seat.
Well, I was able to fit the car seat. Barely. The hardest part was getting the front passenger seat locked back down into place after engaging the easy-entry feature to wedge the car seat into the rear seat.
The front-passenger seat has to move all the way forward on its track and all the way upright to clear my gargantuan car seat. There's about a quarter-inch of breathing room. No one will be sitting up front with the seat in this position, so the RC F is effectively a two-person car with a rear-facing car seat installed.
OK, maybe three-passenger if you count the five-minute errand with my husband riding in the backseat behind me. I moved my seat forward on its track to accommodate him. I could still drive the Lexus safely, just not comfortably. That opened up plenty of knee room, said my better half, though the seat frame was pressing the toes of his shoes into the carpet.
Really, the main use for the driver-side rear seat in this situation is to load my daughter into her car seat, because there's not enough access from the passenger side.
Although I've made it sound like the Lexus RC-F is pretty useless for kid-hauling (which would hardly be surprising for any coupe), my daughter was happy back here. She could still see out the rear-quarter window.
Nor did the seat impact rear visibility in any significant way. And the lower anchors for the LATCH system are really nice. The spring-hinged plastic doors make it easy to attach the car seat's connectors when you can't really see what you're doing. You just press open the doors with the connectors and keep pressing until you hear them click onto the metal bars. Our Hyundai Sonata has this setup, too, and it's the best.
Certainly, no one would buy a 2015 Lexus RC F if they needed to use a rear-facing car seat on a regular basis. But if you buy one and find yourself needing to transport a baby or toddler occasionally, this coupe can accommodate that.
Our long-term 2015 Lexus RC F has a pretty small trunk at just 10.1 cubic feet. And as Scott pointed out, the non-foldable, fixed rear seats in the F model limits your ability to carry larger items. Nevertheless, there's enough space in this trunk to accommodate my daily needs.
What you see here is about a week's worth of groceries for a family of three, less the two dozen eggs that I placed in the front-passenger seat. Also in here is a compact (and quite elderly) Maclaren Triumph umbrella stroller that, critically, can be loaded wheels first so that it's not stretching across the whole width of the trunk. Not bad, I say, not bad at all.
Many cars today come with gauges that encourage you to drive in a fuel-conscious manner. The dash on the Nissan Leaf grows trees, while our long-term BMW i3 gives you a letter grade. But our 2015 Lexus RC F has something different, something we're seeing in more new sports cars: A fun meter.
Or at least that's what I call it. "It" is a display that logs peak lateral and longitudinal g-forces. See that little yellow circle? When you accelerate, it moves back. When you brake, it goes forward. When you turn left and right, it does the same. The harder you do these things, the more that yellow circle moves.
The resulting Nurburgring-like shape the circle draws is something engineers call a friction circle (note the abnormally high 1.2-1.3 g-force peak readings either result from banking or electronic optimism). All you need to know is that the bigger the shape, the harder you've driven, and the more fun you've had.
When I'm in the RC F, I see the edges of the circle as a challenge. I think I can make it bigger. Or I might try to draw something with it.
When the circle won't grow any larger, you've logged peak acceleration in every direction. You can call it a high score and hit the reset button.
And then do it all over again.
If you obsessively look at ads for old cars like I do, you'll know that the driver seat's outside bolster is a common wear point for leather upholstery.
What's not common is for a one-year-old bolster to have a hole in its hide. But that's what our 2015 Lexus RC F is dealing with as it prepares to leave the fleet.
Granted, our long-term vehicles generally don't lead easy lives. With lots of editors cycling through each car and putting it through its paces, you never know what's going to happen. Still, I can't remember seeing bolster wear like this in any other Edmunds long-termer that came new from the factory.
It's particularly surprising to find it in a Lexus. Maybe somebody's ferret got hungry.
We never quite came to a consensus on whether or not we liked our long-term 2015 Lexus RC F. We certainly liked its 5.0-liter V8. Despite its unapologetic sport-coupe profile, we liked that it offered decent cargo space. We also enjoyed the power and crisp definition of its very nice audio system.
But it felt heavy and the weight blunted its handling performance to some drivers. The body and chassis struggled to keep up with 467 horsepower deployed from the engine compartment. The RC F's interior and exterior style were polarizing. We either liked it or we didn't; there wasn't much in-between. And at $78,000, it was just plain expensive.
This was a shorter test than usual, just six months, and we've wrapped up our time with the RC F. You can read some select thoughts from our time with Lexus's M4 fighter here.
Wrap-Up
What We Got
Lexus' new RC F comes in only one flavor, a coupe equipped with a 467-horsepower 5.0-liter V8 mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Our six-month, 10,000-mile test left us with mixed feelings about the high-performance coupe.
Starting at $63,325, the RC F comes equipped with most of the features we expect in this segment: driver-selectable drive modes, big brakes and a paddle-shifted transmission.
Our car included a number of options that increase its luxury and performance. The Premium package ($4,400) adds heated and ventilated seats, a blind-spot monitor, rain-sensing wipers and more. It also came equipped with a 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system with navigation ($2,840), sonar parking sensors ($500) and the Performance Pack ($5,500). The Performance Pack, an option not available on early RC Fs, combines a torque-vectoring differential and 20-spoke wheels, two stand-alone options, with an unpainted, weight-saving carbon-fiber roof and rear spoiler combo.
All in, our test car stickered at $78,365.
Performance
"The RC F has heaps of power but feels blunted by its mass. Oh, its body motions are reined in well, and on a fast drive it is alert and sure-footed. In fact, I'd say Lexus has done an admirable job of making this fat man dance. But it's still fat. All the praise I have for its dynamics is mentally asterisked by the refrain 'for its weight.' It's never sloppy, it's just dense." — Jason Kavanagh
"The RC F does have a weight issue. But I don't think that results in such a negative, fun-sucking time that you'd rather be anywhere else, including going to the dentist, a Knicks game or watching Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2. If you've got an RC F and an empty, curving road ahead of you, you can very well have a cracking good time." — Brent Romans
MPG
"Over the four weeks, it would seem we've done more driving with the use-the-big-V8-to-turn-gasoline-into-loud-noises tactic, rather than the see-if-we-can-hit-25-mpg-in-a-V8-sports-car strategy. Maybe things will get better once the RC F goes on a couple of road trips." — Travis Langness
"The RC F returned 24 mpg from Los Angeles to Goodyear, Arizona, and back. Pleasantly, that's what the trip computer says I was getting. The EPA says it should get 25 on the highway, which should be possible on flatter terrain and fewer morons creating traffic by clogging the left lane. Frankly, that's pretty good fuel economy from a 467-horsepower, 5.0-liter V8." — James Riswick
Comfort
"As aggressive as [the seats] look, the bolstering doesn't grab your backside like some other cars in this category. Not sure if this is a conscious decision to make the seats more comfortable for a wider range of drivers, or just the way Lexus thinks aggressive seats should feel. Regardless of the reasoning, the seats have a near-perfect shape for my frame, which makes them supremely comfortable during everyday driving. And this is without a multitude of adjustments. During moderate cornering loads, there's enough bolstering to keep me in place." — Ed Hellwig
"Driving home, my first time behind the wheel of the RC F, I began to have doubts. On the highway, there was more bump and shake than I'd expected. My expectations suffered from short-term memory loss, however, as I soon remembered the last time I drove the IS F. Lexus does small, medium and big sedan comfort very well, but hasn't quite nailed the ride formula for sharp and sporty." — Dan Frio
Cargo Space
"Yesterday I learned that the V6-powered Lexus RC 350 and RC 350 F Sport come standard with a 60/40-split folding rear seat. It makes the trunk of such a sport coupe far more useful. I also learned that our long-term, V8-powered 2015 Lexus RC F doesn't. Instead, Lexus gives RC F owners only a small pass-through for skis and other long, narrow objects. A fold-down rear seat is usually the first thing to go in pursuit of less flex." — Scott Oldham
"What you see here is about a week's worth of groceries for a family of three, less the two dozen eggs that I placed in the front passenger seat. Also in here is a compact (and quite elderly) Maclaren Triumph umbrella stroller that, critically, can be loaded wheels first so that it's not stretching across the whole width of the trunk. Not bad, I say; not bad at all." — Erin Riches
Interior
"While this car is a blast to drive, what stands out for me is the interior. It's like strapping into a jet cockpit and having all the controls at your fingertips. Sure, there's a little overkill here for the young enthusiasts. My father observed that some of the features are little more than geegaws. He also didn't care for the carbon-fiber panels. But other than that, the RC F left us both with a favorable impression." — Philip Reed
"If you obsessively look at ads for old cars like I do, you'll know that the driver seat's outside bolster is a common wear point for leather upholstery. What's not common is for a one-year-old bolster to have a hole in its hide. But that's what our 2015 Lexus RC F is dealing with as it prepares to leave the fleet." — Josh Sadlier
Audio and Technology
"Lexus Remote Touch is terrible. The previous little joystick was bad enough, but the mouse-style touchpad is even worse. I don't like using the touchpad on my laptop, let alone using one in a moving car. It draws too much attention away from the road, and even if you were sitting still, it would still be frustrating." — James Riswick
"The audio system has power and clarity, two things that matter most to me. The hit from the bass is crisp and the highs don't fall apart when the volume knob goes all Nigel Tufnel on you. I threw everything I had at the system: Pink Floyd's 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond,' Verdi's 'Rigoletto (La Donna e Mobile),' Duke Ellington's 'Jeep's Blues,' and even the stylings of Li'l John. All sounded amazing through the speakers." — Mark Takahashi
Maintenance
"It didn't take long for our long-term 2015 Lexus RC F to reach the 5,000-mile mark. In fairness, the RC F showed up to our office with 3,120 miles already on the odometer, so it's not like we've been driving it around the clock, but 1,800 miles in four weeks definitely qualifies it as a popular car. Right as the Lexus RC F ticked over 5,000 miles, three different lights popped up on the dash, warning that maintenance was required." — Travis Langness
"One detail worth mentioning is the incredibly large oil capacity. The RC F holds 9.8 quarts (including the filter) of 5W-30. Compare that to the 6.6 quarts the RC 350 requires." — Mike Schmidt
Miscellaneous
"I capped the vacuum line that controls the sound of the intake on our 2015 Lexus RC F, like I said I would. It took less than a minute and cost $0.40. This change (I'm hesitant to call it a modification) falls under the 'I can't believe it's not like this from the factory' variety because of its simplicity and its improvement. In fact, documenting the change took longer than the process itself. I haven't noticed any negative side effects yet, but I am enjoying the RC F more. The engine sounds like it has more authority in the lower part of its power band, the part of the power band where you'll spend the most time if you drive in a city." — Carlos Lago
"This RC F is your typical Lexus about as much as Al Capone was just your typical beverage distributor." — Brent Romans
Maintenance & Repairs
Regular Maintenance:
We only kept the RC F long enough for one service interval. The complimentary 5,000-mile service included an oil (9.8 quarts) and filter change as well as a visual inspection of tires, brakes, wiper blades and the driver's floor mat.
Fuel Economy and Resale Value
Observed Fuel Economy
The EPA estimate for the Lexus RC F is 19 mpg combined (16 city/25 highway). We averaged 17.3 mpg over 7,306 miles. Our best tank was 25 mpg, and the longest distance traveled on one tank was 306.8 miles.
Resale and Depreciation
The Edmunds.com True Market Value (TMV®) cannot be calculated due to the pre-production nature of the vehicle.
Summing Up
Pros: Powerful V8 engine. Attractive interior with high-grade materials. Great-sounding audio system.
Cons: Performance is hampered by weight. Frustrating and distracting infotainment system. Muted engine noise undermines the RC F's sporty guise. Stiff ride quality.
Bottom Line
The RC F struggles to overcome its 4,000-pound curb weight. It isn't slow, but the excessive weight means the handling and performance don't quite match those of its competitors. The interior is well put together with high-grade materials, but a frustrating and distracting infotainment system damps the experience.
| Total Body Repair Costs: | None |
| Total Routine Maintenance Costs: | None (over 6 months) |
| Additional Maintenance Costs: | None |
| Warranty Repairs: | None |
| Non-Warranty Repairs: | None |
| Scheduled Dealer Visits: | 1 |
| Unscheduled Dealer Visits: | None |
| Days Out of Service: | 1 |
| Breakdowns Stranding Driver: | None |
| Best Fuel Economy: | 25.0 mpg |
| Worst Fuel Economy: | 9.2 mpg |
| Average Fuel Economy: | 17.3 mpg |
| Final Odometer Reading: | 10,512 miles |
The manufacturer provided this pre-production vehicle for the purpose of evaluation.