2021 Lexus LC 500 Review

　　

2021 Lexus LC 500 Review

byReese CountsVehicle Test Editor

　　Reese Counts has worked in the automotive industry since he started as an intern at zzdcar in 2015. He has written or edited thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Reese is a vehicle test editor at zzdcar and has also contributed to Autoblog. Reese has also been featured on Yahoo! Finance, Engadget and AOL reviewing cars and covering automotive technology, auto shows and more. Reese learned to drive in his father's C4 Chevrolet Corvette and now owns his grandfather's 1999 Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG. A love for cars runs deep in his family.

　　The 2021 Lexus LC 500 is a sleek and stylish luxury coupe that serves as the flagship car for the Japanese luxury automaker. The LC 500, along with the LC 500h hybrid, debuted in 2018 and quickly became one of our favorite coupes around. Although it's not as sharp to drive as a Porsche 911, the LC does strike a good balance between comfort and performance. It's an excellent grand tourer.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2021 Lexus LC 500 2dr Coupe (5.0L 8cyl 10A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.78 per gallon for premium unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$236/mo  for LC 500 Base

　　LC 500 Base

　　2dr Coupe (5.0L 8cyl 10A) (Most Popular) - $93,050 MSRP

　　vs

　　$164/mo

　　Avg. Midsize Car

　　For 2021, the LC 500 gets a few mechanical updates to the suspension and transmission that should improve performance yet maintain the car's overall comfort level. The LC also sheds some unsprung weight, which should further improve the car's performance. Lexus confirms that a new convertible variant is on the way sometime soon, though exact timing remains unclear.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Good

　　7.7

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

7.5/10

　　How does the LC 500 drive? The LC 500 doesn't offer the same performance as similarly priced sports cars. But if you think of it more like a grand-touring car — a vehicle that balances power, comfort and luxury in equal proportion — its lofty price makes more sense. The burly roar of its V8 engine makes every drive a joy, especially as it climbs high in the rev range before shifting.

　　Acceleration, however, doesn't quite match the soundtrack. In zzdcar testing, the LC 500 needed 4.9 seconds to go 0-60 mph, which is unremarkable for this class of car. A Porsche 911 Carrera S we tested, for example, ripped to 60 mph in just 3.2 seconds. The LC isn't particularly nimble on tight and twisting roads either. But it feels right at home on more gentle sweeping back roads. It's a car made for luxuriating on road trips.

　　

Comfort

8.0/10

　　How comfortable is the LC 500? The LC 500's suspension excels at absorbing large bumps and smaller imperfections in the road, even with the big 21-inch wheels fitted on our test car. There's a good balance between sport and comfort, and the suspension insulates the cabin well enough from rough road surfaces without making the car feel disconnected from the pavement. Depending on the road surface, we noticed some tire noise and some wind noise at highway speeds. Otherwise, the LC's cabin is quiet and serene.

　　The only kinks we found were our test car's optional sport seats. Well-bolstered and wide, the seats are pleasantly supportive, but we found the seatback overly firm and lacking enough lumbar adjustment.

　　

Interior

7.5/10

　　How’s the interior? Forward visibility is surprisingly good considering the LC 500's windswept profile. The hood's slope and the roundness of the grille, however, can make it hard to judge what's around the car's front end when parking. The rear roof pillars are bulky — typical for a low-slung coupe — but blind-spot monitoring eliminates some of the guesswork from lane changes.

　　Getting in and out is easier than you'd expect of a car sitting this low, and the driving position feels snug and commanding. And while there is a rear seat, it's comically small and best saved for stowing extra bags. The most frustrating aspect of the interior is the awkward touchpad infotainment interface, which can be distracting to use while driving.

　　

Technology

7.0/10

　　How’s the tech? For a car so futuristic-looking, it's unfortunate that it's saddled with Lexus' dated technology inside. The navigation system is clunky and requires some effort simply to input a destination. Apple CarPlay and Amazon Alexa are standard. You'll want to use your phone, too, since the LC's voice controls require an involved voice-training process before serving up consistent results. The Mark Levinson sound system, however, is outstanding.

　　A full suite of driver aids is standard, including front and rear parking sensors (helpful given the long hoodline that's hard to see over) and traffic-adaptive cruise control. The adaptive cruise mostly works well but can occasionally be unpredictably overreactive.

　　

Storage

6.0/10

　　How’s the storage? The LC 500 has little usable space given its size. There's a woeful lack of small-item storage, not even a decent spot to store your phone for easy access. The 5.4-cubic-foot trunk is larger than a Porsche 911's, but the competitive edge ends there. It's still quite small and shallow, with a high liftover height that makes loading anything more difficult. The back seat is actually the most useful storage space in the vehicle.

　　The rear seats provide car-seat anchor points for child seats, but access is difficult enough already. Fitting a car seat might be possible, but this Lexus is pretty much a two-person-only car.

　　

Fuel Economy

7.5/10

　　How’s the fuel economy? The EPA estimate of 19 mpg in combined driving (16 city/25 highway) isn't out of line with figures from the LC 500's competitors. We managed 21 mpg on our standardized 115-mile evaluation route, so that estimate is achievable. That said, most drivers will likely gleefully convert a good percentage of their gas mileage directly into noise.

　　

Value

8.0/10

　　Is the LC 500 a good value? Even at its lofty price, the LC 500 gives you a lot of car for the money. Leather, suede and metal (and metal-like plastic) abound, and overall quality and fit and finish are exceptional. It's disappointing that some of Lexus' technology feels outdated, crude or frustrating. The car's astonishing weight is also odd. We'd expect more exotic, lightweight materials at this level.

　　Despite its mass, we managed 21 mpg combined on our test loop, a better result than the EPA rating. The LC also offers a longer powertrain warranty than many rivals. And given the company's track record, you're unlikely to find a roaring V8 engine that will cost you less in the long run.

　　

Wildcard

10.0/10

　　The LC 500 is a car that you'll find excuses to drive. It's unquestionably fun, it sounds great, and it looks amazing. And it's an everyday kind of fun, not just a car that needs a special road to come alive. Even its slow acceleration, relative to its competition, helps as it lets you dig into the engine a little more than you otherwise might.

　　We would've liked to sample the standard seats, and the LC needs a thorough infotainment and tech overhaul. But overall, it's a roaring, rumbling joy that sticks in your head. Few cars today have such undeniable presence.

　　

Which LC 500 does zzdcar recommend?

The Lexus LC 500 is only available in one reasonably well-equipped trim, so pick one of the LC's excellent paint choices and go from there.

　　

2021 Lexus LC 500 models

The 2021 Lexus LC 500 is available in one trim; the LC 500h hybrid model is reviewed separately. All LC 500s use a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 (471 horsepower, 398 lb-ft of torque). It's paired to a 10-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive. Feature highlights include:

　　LC 500

　　Well-stocked with features, such as:

　　LED headlights 20-inch wheels Keyless entry and ignition Power-adjustable and heated and ventilated front seats Leather upholstery Power-adjustable steering wheelIt also comes with:

　　10.3-inch infotainment screen 12-speaker sound system Integrated navigation system Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Amazon Alexa integration Onboard Wi-Fi with 4G LTE connectionSafety features and driver aids on the LC 500 include:

　　Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the LC 500 and the car in front) Lane keeping assist (steers the LC 500 back into its lane if it begins to drift over the lane marker) Blind-spot monitor (alerts you if a vehicle in the next lane over is in your blind spot) Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios) Notable options include:

　　Touring package

　　Heated steering wheel Upgraded leather upholstery Microsuede headliner 13-speaker Mark Levinson audio system Parking sensorsSport package

　　Sport seats with microsuede inserts Carbon-fiber or glass roof panel Torsen limited-slip differential for improved grip Upgraded brake pads and suspension dampersDynamic Handling package

　　Includes Sport package features and adds:

　　21-inch wheels Rear steering and variable-ratio steering (give the LC a more nimble feel) Speed-activated rear wing

　　

2021 LC 500 Highlights

　　

Base MSRP	$93,050
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	19 MPG
Cost to Drive	$236/month
Seating	4 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	5.4 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles