Lexus RC Vs. LC: What's The Difference Between These Lexus Coupes?

If you're planning to buy a coupe, the RC and LC are two of Lexus' offerings that will appeal as much to ardent sports car enthusiasts as it would to GT buffs. Both are slick-looking vehicles that are thrilling to drive, and come with plenty of power, premium materials, as well as advanced technology. However, the extent to which they perform or offer these amenities vary.

With the RC, for instance, you get a standard turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 241 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, whereas the 2024 Lexus LC 500 offers a brawny 471 horsepower, naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 right off the bat. The LC is also the longer and wider of the two Lexus coupes, but it's shorter than the RC, measuring 187.4 inches long, 75.6 inches wide, and 53.2 inches tall. The 2024 Lexus RC is 185.0 inches long, 72.4 inches wide, and 54.9 inches tall. Here's an in-depth look at how the Lexus LC and Lexus RC compare.

The 2024 Lexus RC is available with three engine options: Rear-wheel drive RC 300 models come equipped with the aforementioned 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine, which makes 241 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, while the all-wheel drive RC 300 has a naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 with 360 horsepower and 236 lb-ft. Both the RWD and AWD RC 350 feature a tuned version of the V6 that bumps those figures to 311 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque. The range-topping RC F, for its part, features a 5.0-liter V8 that generates a heart-stopping 472 horsepower and 395 lb-ft of torque.

With the Lexus LC 500, you get the same 5.0-liter V8 engine as the RC F, but it makes one horsepower less and gains three lb-ft more torque than the RC F's at 471 horsepower and 398 lb-ft of torque. Lexus also offers a hybrid 2024 LC 500h, which pairs Toyota's 3.5-liter Atkinson-cycle V6 with two electric motors motivated by a lithium-ion battery for 354 total horsepower. The hybrid engine is available only for the LC 500 Coupe, while the V8 is offered in both the coupe and convertible LC 500. And, just in case you're wondering, the 2024 Lexus RC is coupe-only. 

Also, while the RC is offered in both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations, the Lexus LC is a rear-wheel drive only vehicle. In LC models with the V8 engine, output is captured by a 10-speed automatic transmission before being directed to the rear wheels. The 500h uses a multistage transmission that combines a Toyota hybrid continuously variable automatic and an Aisin four-speed automatic. RWD Lexus RC models are equipped with an 8-speed automatic transmission, while those with AWD have a 6-speed automatic.

The Lexus RC and LC both offer a lengthy list of equipment, even in the base trim. However, the LC comes with a few standard features you won't find in the base RC, such as leather seats, heated and ventilated seats, an expansive 12.3-inch infotainment system that debuted in the 2024 model, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and a 12-speaker sound system.

The RC isn't short on its own impressive amenities, though. It features standard power front seats, a leather-covered steering wheel, an 8-inch infotainment system, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a 10-speaker audio system, and voice recognition.

As for interior space, the Lexus RC provides a usable front seat space with decent head and legroom: It has 39.0 inches of front headroom, 45.4 inches of legroom, 54.7 inches of shoulder room, and 53.9 inches of hip room. That's way more headroom and legroom than in the Lexus LC, which has 36.7 inches of front headroom, 42.6 inches of rear legroom, 56.6 inches of shoulder room, 54.2 inches of hip room. The RC is also slightly more generous than the LC out back, with 34.8 inches of rear headroom, 27.3 inches of legroom, 50.8 inches of shoulder room, and 44.9 inches of hip room. That's more than the Lexus LC's 32.1 inches of rear headroom, 46.2 inches of shoulder room, and 42.9 inches of hip room. Although the LC's 28.0 inches of legroom is comparatively more than the RC's.

One glance at the LC's well-appointed cabin and feature-laden specs is all it takes to be utterly impressed with the flagship model. That said, those premium appointments are also testament to the huge disparities in prices of the two Lexus coupes. The rear-wheel-drive RC 300 starts at an MSRP of $45,945, while the 300 F Sport RWD carries an MSRP of $50,565. The starting price of the 2024 RC 300 AWD is a reasonable $48,635, whereas the RC 300 F Sport AWD begins at $52,855.

Stepping up to the more powerful 2024 RC 350 RWD will set you back $48,875, while the RC 350 AWD can be had for $51,040. Prices of the RC 350 F Sport RWD and RC 350 F Sport AWD are $53,495 and $55,220 respectively, while the RWD-only 2024 RC F has a starting price of $68,320 — but goes all the way up to $101,195 for the 2024 RC F Track Edition.

The 2024 Lexus LC, meanwhile, commands a starting price of $99,800 for the coupe, $107,300 for the LC 500 Convertible, and $103,100 for the hybrid LC 500h. The costliest LC model is the LC 500 Convertible Inspiration Series, with a starting MSRP of $121,900.