Dynamic Details Define the Lexus LC 500h, Like Very Fast Art In Motion

Get in, shut the door and you’re surrounded by leather and suede. Heated and ventilated seats. A clean and tranquil palette. A glass roof and 12.3-inch multimedia screen. Would that make you want to reach out and touch everything? Would that make you look forward to being in your car everyday?

My test model featured bright swaths of perfectly stitched ultra-blue suede popped against milky white and blue semi-aniline leather and soft satin metallic trim. When I sat behind the wheel, I grinned like the Cheshire Cat as I traced my fingers along a blue leather-upholstered dashboard. This customized package made me dream of sunny days in Santorini, and the relaxing feeling of an island vacation washed over me as I sat, not moving but perfectly content, wide-eyed, and surrounded by refined, premium materials.

This model also included the Bespoke Build package, which, for $3,200, allows the buyer to select from a variety of palettes and materials to customize the car. The blue and white leather and suede added another $1,900 to the final price. If you have your eye on a car in this price range, you have arrived, and frankly, the price for extras should be a non-issue. There is no reason not to go for the ultimate indulgence. It will result in loads of happiness every time you come near your car.

Related: Check Out Our Maserati Grecale Test Drive — Haute Couture on Wheels

Instantaneous acceleration and solid responsiveness are a luxury, too. The Lexus LC 500h delivers on this promise; it moves with precision and purpose, like a wedding planner anticipating every perfectly executed detail. There was never a time I felt that the power was too much in the LC500h, and never a time it felt underpowered. It requires very little effort to merge onto the highway, to get up to speed, to perfectly arc with the curves of the road.

To get the full experience of the V8, it might be worth signing up for Lexus Performance Driving School, which I had the opportunity to experience, too. This class takes students through the paces of track driving, autocross, and drifting to learn the full spectrum of Lexus capability. Although we did not drive the hybrid cars on the track, we did drive the V8 version, as well as the RC F and the IS 500 F Sport. It was there that I learned just how safe I am in this car.

Throughout the day, we learned to drive the car at its full capacity, from full power braking on the track to full speed to zero in seconds. We learned to floor the throttle on straightaways to hit speeds well over any posted highway limit, which was amazing to experience in and of itself on a closed track. And we learned to let go and regain control of the car, a matter of trust.

After doing the driving school, I feel more confident, too, knowing how to handle situations safely that may come up in my daily commute.

If you’d like to see what a day in the life is like at the Lexus Performance Driving School, check this out.

Despite all that power, the Lexus LC 500h isn’t a gas hog; as a hybrid it actually is quite efficient with a rating of 26 MPG city/33 MPG highway for a combined 29 mpg. It also has a larger gas tank, holding 22 gallons, making this an incredible car to tour in.

My trip to Lexus Performance Driving School at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, a 430 mile round trip, used less than a tank of gas. There’s nothing like smooth sailing on sunny roads with no stopping.

The key to swift and easy in-and-out movement in a sports car is as simple as a head tuck. Sometimes, you need to crouch, tuck, and twist to get into the driver’s or passenger’s seat. The question is, how steep an angle does my head have to be to be seated? If I have to duck too far, I won’t be happy doing this every day, and I have driven a few cars that fit that category—not the Lexus LC 500h, though.

The way Lexus has designed the interior requires minimal effort. The roofline and ground clearance may be low, but the wide-opening doors make the Lexus LC 500h easy to get in and out of; it seems it will accommodate people of all shapes and sizes. This ensures that their entrances and exits are just as elegant as the car itself.

The Lexus LC 500h has the Lexus Safety System+ 2.5, which includes lane trace assist, bicyclist detection, intelligent high beams (these are headlights that monitor traffic conditions by detecting headlights and taillights and lower the illumination so as not to blind anyone), road sign assist, blindspot monitoring, a crisp, clear camera system, and rear cross-traffic alert, among other features. The overall effect is not just safety but assistance; the car looks out for you.

For all the highway miles I drove, I really appreciated adaptive cruise control. It keeps a safe interval between you and other cars on the road. I particularly enjoyed the lane centering at higher speeds on the highway, too. The systems, working in concert, gave me confidence behind the wheel, even in hairy traffic.

Another detail that made the highway miles fly by was wireless Apple Carplay (and Android Auto). You never have to be without your tunes, apps, or preferred navigation systems.

Real estate is limited in the cabin of the Lexus LC 500h. There are two cupholders in the front for the passenger and driver, a small center console, and two USB ports. Honestly, I debated with my spouse about that second cupholder, too. It’s a square and not exactly meant to hold a cup – but it can. Anyway, fair warning: this is not a car for spreading out and eating snacks. You wouldn’t want to mess up the perfectly appointed cabin, anyway.

For an extra $1,220, you can have a 13-speaker Mark Levinson Audio Reference surround sound audio system in the Lexus LC 500. I want you all to know that, in my opinion, this Mark Levinson Audio system is the best stereo system you could possibly hear in a car. The best. I am very picky about my audio equipment, and this system is simply fantastic.

Up until now, my favorite was the Revel system in the Lincoln Navigator. But I feel this one is better. Maybe because listening to music in a sports car is a more intimate, immersive experience than sitting in the back row of an extra-long SUV. You can hear a dynamic range of highs and lows at a variety of volume levels. I highly recommend this add-on if you enjoy jamming on the road.

The Lexus LC 500h is meant for making impressions. It’s meant to be driven by people who appreciate a lavish experience but don’t need to prove to anyone that they have a hot V-8 with 471 horses under the hood. The LC 500h is also for anyone who would enjoy road-tripping in high style and for those who value saving time, money, or both at the pump.

And that is a special luxury. Kind of like being the crowning topper that is the focus of the day on a dazzling wedding cake.

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