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Buy this Ford vs Ferrari GT40 Movie Car2023 Lexus LC 500 Review
The 2023 Lexus LC 500 trades power for comfort for a unique take on the 2 door coupe. We look at powertrain, interior options, trim levels, and more.
What’s new for the 2023 Lexus LC 500?
The 2023 Lexus LC 500 comes with two powertrains, five trim levels, and rear-wheel drive only. Unlike pretty much every other two-door coupe in this price point, the LC 500 heavily prioritizes style, luxury, and comfort over outright performance.
Lexus has only made one change to the 2023 and that’s to adjust its suspension tuning for improved handling. Otherwise, this little two-door remains identical to its 2022 version.
2023 Lexus LC 500 – pressroom.lexus.com | Shop 2023 Lexus LC 500 on Carsforsale.com
The Breakdown
Stunning styling
Great base engine
Hybrid option
Lower performance for the segment
Outdated infotainment system
Slow handling
The Lexus LC is in a class of its own
2023 LC 500 Specs
- 471 horsepower from base engine
- 398 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 5 available trims
- 5 cu-ft of cargo capacity
- Android and Apple connectivity
- Standard adaptive cruise control
- 1 year complimentary maintenance
2023 Lexus LC 500 Powertrain
The LC offers a pair of very interesting powertrains with one major focus on the general driving experience. The base 5.0-liter V8 offers 471 hp and 398 lb-ft of torque. It’s sent through a 10-speed automatic transmission and then onto the rear wheels only. By far it’s the best-sounding Lexus in the lineup and we like the transmission too.
At the same time, this is a heavy car that’s closer to the weight of a Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing or BMW M5 than it is to rival coupes. That being said, it’s not particularly nimble or fast. For instance, the new Toyota GR Corolla will leave the LC for dead in a straight line and on a track.
The LC 500h is even slower thanks to a drivetrain combination that includes a hybrid V6 engine with a continuously variable transmission and a four-speed automatic transmission that work together to simulate 10 real gears. Both powertrains focus on smooth delivery over outright performance.
The entire LC experience seems to be about style over speed and sharpness. The LC won’t be leaving rival sports cars, like the Porsche 911, in the dust.
2023 Lexus LC 500 Fuel Economy & MPG
The LC also stands in a room by itself when it comes to fuel economy. The 5.0-liter V8 gets up to 16 mpg in the city and 25 on the highway which isn’t bad but the hybrid V6 is a class leader. It gets up to 26 mpg in the city and 33 on the highway. It’s one of the most eco-friendly two-door sports cars this side of an electric vehicle.
Interior, Comfort, & Cargo Space
We love the way Lexus translates the low-slung swoopy styling of the exterior to the cabin of the LC. It fits like a glove but provides more than ample room to stretch out a bit when needed. The dash and gauge cluster look great and Lexus includes a bevy of soft-touch materials too.
The switchgear in the Lexus LC feels nice and provides excellent tactile feedback too. The seats are supportive regardless of which set you choose though we prefer the stiffer sports seats.
Those who go for the convertible get active noise cancellation to drown out the world a bit more regardless of whether the top is up or down. It’s worth noting that the rear seats are largely pointless in terms of transporting humans. We’d use them to stow additional cargo before we tried to put people back there. In addition to that space, the trunk offers 5.4 cubic feet of storage.
Entertainment & Technology
If there’s one thing that needs a major update in the LC it’s the infotainment system. While we think that the customer base clearly isn’t too worried about lap times we get the feeling that they’re used to the best of the best when it comes to technology.
In the LC, navigating the outdated-looking system is accomplished through a very old-school and clunky trackpad that needs to be banished. Sadly, we have to wait another year, for the 2024 model year, when the LC 500 will reportedly get a proper touchscreen. Beyond that, the functionality of the system is ok and the available Mark Levinson sound system is outstanding. We’re also grateful for the inclusion of Amazon Alexa, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Safety Features
Lexus includes a deep safety suite with the LC but it’s not as polished as some more modern versions in rival autos. That being said, the LC comes with forward collision mitigation, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, and automatic high beams.
2023 Lexus LC 500 Trims & Pricing
LC 500 Coupe – $95,600
The base LC 500 comes with leather upholstery, LED headlights, keyless entry, power-adjustable heated and ventilated seats, a glass roof, a 10.3-inch infotainment system, magnesium paddle shifters, an adaptive suspension, 12 speakers, integrated navigation, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Amazon Alexa, a wifi hotspot, and 20-inch wheels.
LC 500 Coupe Bespoke Build – $99,750
Bespoke build cars are available with a number of customizable options like different rear wing styles, upgraded seats, different wheel options, and the choice to add different interior and exterior colors.
LC 500h Coupe – $101,600
The LC 500h Coupe is equipped almost identically to its naturally-aspirated sibling. The only difference is that instead of 20-inch wheels, it gets 21s.
LC 500 Convertible – $103,650
The drop-top version of the normal LC 500 gets 21-inch wheels, a heated steering wheel, a windshield wiper de-icer, upgraded leather upholstery, embossed headrests, additional climate control vents to heat the upper part of the cabin more effectively, and a 13-speaker Mark Levinson audio system.
LC 500h Bespoke Build – $105,290
Identical to its LC 500 kin, the LC 500h Bespoke Build is simply a normal LC 500h with added customizability.
Warranties
Every LC 500 comes with four years or 50,000 miles worth of limited warranty coverage. Powertrain coverage extends to a total of six years or 70,000 miles. Hybrid components on the LC 500h models are good for eight years or 100,000 miles and all LC models get a year or 10,000 miles of complimentary maintenance. That package is much more generous than most rivals offer.
What we think
2023 Lexus LC 500 – pressroom.lexus.com | Shop 2023 Lexus LC 500 on Carsforsale.com
The LC is clearly for the crowd that prefers style over power. It’s worth noting that we can see its appeal as a highway mile cruiser. Very few cars look as cool and the V8 does indeed sound quite good. There are many other sports cars for daily driving that offer more power.
Nevertheless, we’d be searching this new car incentive article for a good deal on a Corvette or Mercedes-AMG SL. We hope to see Lexus return with a proper successor to the LFA someday because the LC isn’t it.
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