If you’re like me and can’t tell the difference between the different Lexus RC variants and are doubly confused because theirs also a Lexus LC, this guide’s for you.
I’ll admit it. Up until now, I couldn’t pick apart the different variants of Lexus RC’s. And if you placed a Lexus RC and LC 500 next to each other, I couldn’t point out which is which, but now…I can thanks to nitpicking the differences between each. So, if you can’t tell if you’re looking at a Lexus RC or LC or can’t immediately name what Lexus RC variant you’re looking at, read on!
Here’s all the variants of the current Lexus RC
- 2018 RC 300 RWD – $40,640 (AKA 2017 RC Turbo)
- 2018 RC 300 F Sport RWD- $44,745 (AKA 2017 RC Turbo F Sport)
- 2018 RC 300 AWD – $43,330
- 2018 RC 300 F Sport AWD – $47,070
- 2018 RC 300H – Not available in US Market
- 2018 RC 300 H F Sport – Not available in US Market
- 2018 RC 350 RWD – $43,540
- 2018 RC 350 F Sport RWD – $47,675
- 2018 RC 350 AWD – $45,735
- 2018 RC 350 F Sport AWD – $49,435
- 2018 RC F – $64,650
And just to add
- 2018 Lexus LC 500 – $92,000
- 2018 Lexus LC 500h- $96,510
You got that right, there are 9 different variants of the same car here in the United States excluding the RC 300H and 300H F Sport.
Here’s how the engines are doled out.
- 2.0L Turbo (241 HP/258 lb-ft)-RC 300 RWD & RC 300 RWD F Sport
- 3.5L V6 (260 HP/236 lb-ft)- RC 300 AWD, RC 300 AWD F Sport
- 3.5L V6 High Power (311 HP/280 lb-ft)- RC 350 RWD, RC 350 RWD F Sport, RC 350 AWD, RC 350 AWD F Sport
- 5.0L V8 (467 HP/389 lb-ft) – RC F
First, how do you tell apart the Lexus RC and LC?
Here are the fronts of the Lexus RC and LC.
Notice how the Lexus RC has separate LED daytime running lights underneath its headlights and the Lexus LC has its LED daytime running headlights integrated into the headlight itself. That’s how you tell them apart when you see one coming up on you in your rear view mirror.
It’s easy to pick apart the RC and LC from the rear. The LC has distinct, sharp rear tail lights as opposed to the RC
Ok, now that you can tell the difference between LC and RC, how do you pick apart the difference between the different RC Variants?
From the front, from what I can tell, you can only tell if its an F-Sport RC or not.
Regular RCs, that means RC 300 RWD, RC 300 AWD, RC 350 RWD, and RC 350 AWD will have this grill.
Notice the divide between the upper and lower sections.
RC with F Sport will have a full mesh grill with no divide as illustrated below. That includes the RC 300 RWD F Sport, RC 300 AWD F Sport, RC 350 RWD F Sport and RC 350 AWD F Sport
RC-F’s the one with the V8 aka the top of the line RC, will have an F Sport grill with extra venting up front on the sides.
From the rear, it’s a lot easier to identify between an RC and LC. The RC’s have that weird rear venting on either side of the rear bumper as seen below.
To differentiate between the different RCs from the rear, there’s a badge!
Below, you can tell its an RC not just from the tail lights, but those weird rear diffusers on the sides. And we can see that it’s a Lexus RC 300 F Sport so it either has the 2.0T or the V6 depending if it’s RWD or AWD.
RC-F’s will have quad exhausts out back as seen here.
I hope that helps you out in ID’ing these Lexus RC’s when they pass you or you pass one down the road.
Just know if you DO see a Lexus RC or LC, it’s the LC you should go “Oooooo Ahhhhhh” when you see it as they MSRP around $100K. Among the Lexus RCs, all the RCs are meh because they retail around $40K-$50K. Big woop. It’s the RC-F with the quad exhausts out back and the honking V8 engine that you should be impressed with.
