Note: This interior review was created when the 2017 Lexus RC was new.
Interior: | 7.6 |
With a stylish cabin design, the 2017 Lexus RC sports materials of a higher quality than most luxury small cars. It offers good seating space up front, but side bolstering is lacking except in the sport seats. Rear-seat room is at a premium, so don't get any ideas about putting people back there. Standard features are plentiful, but the infotainment system's screen can be tricky to see, and the optional remote touch infotainment controller can be distracting. The available Mark Levinson surround-sound system is a must for music fiends.
With seats for four, the 2017 RC comes standard with leatherette upholstery and power-adjustable front seats. Options include a heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats, leather upholstery, a power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, and two driver memory settings (for the seat, mirrors, and steering column).
By the numbers, the RC is one of the smallest luxury small cars in terms of passenger space. And it feels like it. In the front, seating is comfortable, with extra side support in the sportier F Sport-equipped models and in the RC F. However, the standard front seats are not supportive on long drives. In all-wheel-drive models, a bulge near the driver's right leg may prove to be bothersome for some folks.
Rear-seat space is intolerable for adults, making the RC suitable only for small children. Fitting a child seat is quite challenging, and getting a little one in it can be even trickier.
The RC comes standard with automatic climate control, a rearview camera, push-button start, a 10-speaker audio system, a 7-inch display, Bluetooth, satellite radio, two USB ports, Siri Eyes Free, voice recognition, HD Radio, Lexus Enform Service Connect, Scout GPS Link navigation, and the Safety Connect emergency notification system.
Options include a moonroof, integrated navigation, a Mark Levinson 17-speaker surround-sound system, a remote touchpad, and an in-dash DVD player. There's also numerous optional advanced safety features such as blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, parking assist, and rain-sensing windshield wipers.
With the base setup, the 7-inch screen is set too far back to see it clearly. If you spring for the optional remote touchpad infotainment control, know that it can be distracting to use while driving, which could be dangerous. The upgraded Mark Levinson system emits wonderful sound quality through an impressive number of speakers for a coupe: 17 to be exact.
With 10.1 cubic feet of cargo space, the Lexus RC has one of the smallest trunks in the class, even for a coupe. It does have 60/40 split-folding rear seats, which are convenient when you're carrying longer items or more cargo than the trunk will allow. However, the RC F does away with the folding seats, further hampering its practicality. Interior storage is minimal, with few places to store away the little things.
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