Lexus RC is the Most Niche Lexus Ever and YOU Should Buy One!

Intro:

I’m the SimpleCarGuy and this is a Lexus RC300 F Sport. Let’s talk about why this is such a niche car, why it’s not more popular and why you should you look into getting one.
History:

Let’s start with a little bit of background and history. The RC is a little bit of a Frankenstein when it comes to its creation and construction. The front subframe was borrowed from the larger GS car, the mid-section was borrowed from the old IS250 convertible and it shares the rear section with the 3rd generation Lexus IS. All of this adds up to a shorter wheelbase but same length car as the IS that handles wonderfully. Surprisingly, you can pick almost any engine you can think of for this type of car. You can have a fuel-efficient hybrid, a 4 or 6 cylinder and even a naturally aspirated V8 in the RCF.

Why It’s Niche/Unique

So, what makes this car unique? Well, look at this spaceship like instrument cluster! This is so much cooler than a fully digital dash on modern cars. Anyway… the biggest factor that makes this car unique is actually the styling. Love it or hate it, it’s definitely not dull like a lot of other pedestrian Lexus vehicles on the market. Most people love how it looks and you will even catch people starring or complimenting it. I especially like the RCF and the F Sport styling that gives the car a more aggressive look. Of course, not everyone agrees with me on this and there are plenty of people that absolutely hate how this car looks. Honestly, I’m not really sure why, the only styling decision that I think looks funny on this car is the wheel gap. That’s just too much gap for a sports car and it would look much nicer lowered an inch or two.

Either way you look at it, it’s most definitely rare on the road and you will get attention. I live in the Chicago area and I don’t think I see more than one a month driving around. So, if your goal is to stand out from a sea of BMWs and Mercedes and be your own king of the road, this might be a great option for you.

What else makes this car unique is that it makes for a decent daily driver. It may not have as much space as the 4 door IS, but it’s much more versatile than it may first appear. Front passengers get to enjoy plenty of leg space, very comfortable sport seats and great ergonomics. The rear seats fold down creating a large trunk space where you can fit large suit cases, skis or snowboards and whatever else you may need. Of course, this isn’t a family car, but if it’s just you and your significant other at home, it will make for a great daily driver.

Not more popular:

Now, there are a lot of reasons why this car is not more popular and hasn’t sold in the millions, so let’s talk about those.

To start with, this is a heavy car. I don’t mean it’s just a little but heavy, it’s heavier than a lot of 4 door luxury sedans and unfortunately, that also means that it’s not as fast as it’s competition. Coming in at almost 4000 pounds, it cannot complete when it comes to performance with others in the segment. It also doesn’t help that it’s more expensive than the competition and lacks aftermarket power modifications. We’ll talk more about performance and reliability in just a minute.

Another reason the Lexus RC is not more popular is because Lexus makes some really good-looking sedans and SUVs that are just as fast and even use the same engines as the RC range. Lexus is a luxury brand that tried adding performance to its lineup and change the perception where no one really thinks of Lexus when thinking of a 2-door coupe. Lacking the most modern and up-to-date technology doesn’t help attract younger buyers either.

On top of that, the sales of sedans and coupes are down because everyone wants a truck or SUV. There is a market for a small, fun, lightweight stick shift weekend car but generally that’s geared towards the younger crowd with no family or kids and usually no money. I’m sure Lexus sees no reason to chase a diminishing market which is proven by the lack of advertisement. Lexus isn’t really known for doing a great job advertising their performance models and it’s no different with the RC range.

Performance vs Reliability:

So, if you aren’t getting the latest tech or fastest 0-60, what are you actually getting? What you get is very high quality, comfort and super reliability in a fun package. Lexus doesn’t use the latest tech until it is proven to be reliable and useful to the owners. Lexus doesn’t use latest engine tech until it is proven to withstand time and stay reliable way past the warranty periods. Lexus simply will not put anything in their car that they aren’t 100% sure about.

Aftermarket parts that are readily available for other brands are limited and expensive, so making it faster on your own isn’t very easy. Outside of enthusiasts, most people are looking for instant gratification and it may not be something that Lexus RC can deliver.

Conclusion:

With all of that said, I think Lexus RC is one of the coolest, most fun and interesting cars produced by Lexus and I’ll be said to see it go as it’s being discontinued in different parts of the world and soon people will realize what they have been missing. Now is the perfect time to go and find one for yourself despite what car nerds think about its performance. It’s all relative to your expectations and since some models are making 300 and more horsepower, it may meet your needs very well. Even thought there were pricey when they came out, you can now get all that comfort, luxury, sportiness and most importantly reliability for a very decent price. I believe these will become even cooler over time even if they don’t have a convertible version like I always wanted. On that note, thank you guys so much for watching, let me know what you think of the Lexus RC range in the comments down below and I’ll see you in the next one!