Lexus RC 350 f – Turning Heads And Taking Names

A sweet ride in the Lexus RC 350 f.

I really didn’t know how I’d feel about driving a sports car for a week. I’m not much of a car person to begin with – I like trucks and SUVs. But, my brother in-law assured me I’d like this car and I should give it a chance, you know, so he could ride in it. A few weeks before my week-long drive was scheduled I attended the Dallas Auto Show where I got to see the Lexus RC 350 f in person. Let me just tell you, it is one sweet looking ride. I immediately got excited about this review! I even got permission to have my husband on the lease so he could drive it to work and when we went out for a concert over the weekend.

Lexus Rx 350 F Review

When the fleet delivery guy pulled up in the same white beauty I’d seen at the car show, my heart skipped a beat. I’d get to drive that gorgeous car for a week! I immediately introduced her on Facebook as Stella and lost a few friends to envy.

What We Loved

Red leather interior with black and chrome trim
Zippy: 0-60 in 5.8 seconds
Fantastic suspension gives a curve-hugging ride (the road too!)
Eco, sport and sport+ drive modes let you adjust the drive and fuel efficiency

What You Need to Know

306 horsepower (i.e. this car is fast!)
8-speed automatic (RWD model)
The rear seats don’t have a ton of legroom
19 MPG city/28 MPG highway
Price starts at $47,875 (RWD model); the model we tested: $54,000

Meet the Lexus RC 350 f – Sleek and Sexy on the Outside

Most sports cars don’t turn my head. I’ve driven a few here and there, but they always seem like they’re trying too hard to be cool, or look like a muscle car. The Lexus RC screams class and style: it’s a work of art. I knew the minute I saw it in person that I’d enjoy the looks I’d get when I pulled up next to another driver. And I was right. Everywhere we went, people ogled this car. People asked about it in parking lots. Everyone in my husband’s office wanted a ride in it. My brother in-law declared after two minutes of our ride that he “needed one of these.” It’s just a really sweet ride and I didn’t meet a person who didn’t think the RC was beautiful. I know it comes in other colors, but the white is my personal favorite. There’s just something about the contrast between the shiny white paint and the black and chrome trim!

We all know the little touches are what make the car special. The Lexus RC has plenty of them, but one that really stood out to us was the lighted door handles. The second was the automatic unlocking. When you leave a concert or restaurant after dark and you’ve finally found your car the last thing you want to do is search for your key fob in the bottom of your purse. If you have the fob in your purse or pocket and you walk up to the locked car, it unlocks and the door handles light up. See? Really nice touch.

Inside the Lexus RC 350 f – All Sport and No Play

The outside of the car begs you to open the doors, and when you do, you won’t be disappointed. I have a thing for red leather interiors and this one made me droll every time I opened the doors.

For a relatively small car, the interior of the Lexus RC 350 f is really roomy. Granted there is no leg room in the backseat if the front seats are all the way back, but the legroom in the front is so great that you can glide forward enough to make room for the rear passengers without feeling cramped yourself. Even my 6′ 2″ husband and 6′ 5″ brother in-law had plenty of legroom with the seats forward enough for rear passengers. We took our kids with us several times and they had plenty of space. There is nothing compact about the seating. Every comfort is taken into account with heated and cooled electric seats that are so comfortable you’ll forget you’re in a car.

The dash and controls are truly impressive. With a simple display that changes depending on drive mode, everything you need to know is right in front of you. Extras are in the large LCD display in the center of the dash. Entertainment and navigation tools are controlled via a trackpad conveniently located in the console, right next to the gear shift. That took a bit to get used to, but I liked it better than the joystick controller in the Lexus RX.

Music is a really big deal to me, so the Mark Levinson Surround Sound made me giddy. When I was out alone I’d turn up the music and sing along to all my favorites. The acoustics are perfection.

It’s Hard to Drive Slow in the Lexus RC 350 f

And by slow I mean 75 mph, which is the speed limit on our local Texas highways. Those race car pedals long for a heavy foot and the engine, especially in sport mode, whispers “faster, faster!” I won’t tell you how much faster, but trust me when I tell you, it can exceed 75 mph and there is a regulator. *cough cough*

What’s to Dislike About the Lexus RC 350 f?

It is not a practical family car and it is not in my budget. Honestly, that is all I could find to whine about. I loved Stella so much and was really sad to see her go.

Lexus Rc 350 F

Erica Mueller
Erica Mueller

A web developer, digital marketing consultant, auto journalist, truck expert, photographer and lover of gadgets, Erica is a textbook geek. On her days off she loves to travel, garden, hike and camp, and play her guitar. You can find Erica on Instagram at @EricaDrives. Erica is a board member and a journalist member of the Texas Auto Writers Association.

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