2020 Lexus LC 500h
Timid introverts and the unadventurous probably aren't the principal customers for the 2020 Lexus LC, a formidable flagship coupe whose sharp lines command attention. Prodigious power transports the LC into full-fledged sports car territory. Though it leans toward comfort more than performance, straight-line acceleration approaches supercar levels. Blind-spot monitors are newly standard, and Flare Yellow is a new body color for the 2020 model year. An LC Inspiration Edition has also been launched, which comes with an exclusive Nori Green exterior color. Only 100 are to be built.
The lineup could hardly be simpler with the two available models: the gas-engine LC 500 and the hybrid LC 500h. The LC 500 unleashes a 5.0-liter V-8 that's reminiscent of Detroit-style power as it whips up 471 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque. A slick-shifting 10-speed automatic transmission teams with rear-wheel drive.
In the hybrid LC 500h, propulsion comes from a 3.5-liter V-6 teamed with an electric motor and a battery. Combined output totals 354 horsepower. Note that specifications apply to use of 91-octane gasoline or higher. The hybrid employs an unusual transmission: a 4-speed automatic transmission tied to a continuously variable automatic transmission.
Tapping a button selects drive modes that can invigorate or soften the powertrain. There's even a custom mode that can be tailored to individual preferences.
In hybrid form, the Lexus LC is thrifty for a performance car, EPA-rated at 27 mpg city, 35 highway, and 30 combined. The standard LC 500 is an outright guzzler at 16/25/19 mpg. Premium gasoline is recommended.
Now including blind-spot monitors, the LC's ensemble of standard active safety technology is commensurate with the coupe's lofty price. Automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, forward-collision warnings, active lane control, adaptive cruise control, automatic high-beam headlights, and lane-departure warnings are all standard.
Options include a head-up display and a system that can park the LC automatically. Adding the latter might be prudent, to avoid scratching the coupe's big wheels during parking maneuvers.
Neither the IIHS nor the NHTSA has crash tested a Lexus LC, and probably won't do so because of low sales volume.
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Blind-spot monitors are newly standard, and Flare Yellow is a new body color for the 2020 model year. An LC Inspiration Edition has also been launched, which comes with an exclusive Nori Green exterior color. Only 100 are to be built.
The lineup could hardly be simpler with the two available models: the gas-engine LC 500 and the hybrid LC 500h. The LC 500 unleashes a 5.0-liter V-8 that's reminiscent of Detroit-style power as it whips up 471 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque. A slick-shifting 10-speed automatic transmission teams with rear-wheel drive.
In the hybrid LC 500h, propulsion comes from a 3.5-liter V-6 teamed with an electric motor and a battery. Combined output totals 354 horsepower. Note that specifications apply to use of 91-octane gasoline or higher. The hybrid employs an unusual transmission: a 4-speed automatic transmission tied to a continuously variable automatic transmission.
Tapping a button selects drive modes that can invigorate or soften the powertrain. There's even a custom mode that can be tailored to individual preferences.
In hybrid form, the Lexus LC is thrifty for a performance car, EPA-rated at 27 mpg city, 35 highway, and 30 combined. The standard LC 500 is an outright guzzler at 16/25/19 mpg. Premium gasoline is recommended.
Now including blind-spot monitors, the LC's ensemble of standard active safety technology is commensurate with the coupe's lofty price. Automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, forward-collision warnings, active lane control, adaptive cruise control, automatic high-beam headlights, and lane-departure warnings are all standard.
Options include a head-up display and a system that can park the LC automatically. Adding the latter might be prudent, to avoid scratching the coupe's big wheels during parking maneuvers.
Neither the IIHS nor the NHTSA has crash tested a Lexus LC, and probably won't do so because of low sales volume.
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Retail Price
| Engine | V-6 |
| MPG | Up to 27 city / 35 highway |
| Seating | 4 Passengers |
| Transmission | 4-spd w/OD |
| Power | 295 @ 6600 rpm |
| Drivetrain | rear-wheel |
| Curb Weight | 4,435 lbs |
