Lexus RC 350 stands out with luxury, sportiness

This review first appeared in the December 2023 edition of the Cruisin' News, "Oregon, Nevada and California's classic auto news & marketplace."

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Sacramento, California -- Here's the sentence fragment you hear a lot when stepping out of the 2023 Lexus RC 350 F Sport AWD: "Say, isn't that a ... "

The last word never seems to find its way to daylight, because the speaker typically realizes that the car is not a Corvette ... or a Mustang ... or a McLaren ...

It that uniqueness that makes the RC 350 fun to drive, and I imagine, fun to own.  You don't notice that many of them on the road.  And being unique has its advantages.

First off, the sleek RC 350 just shouts sports car just sitting there.  The long hood line, muscular power grille and aerodynamic sweep of the roof turn heads.  The F Sport trim touches only add to the aggressive look.

Triple-beam LED headlights lend a saucy Star Wars touch.

Do you feel proud just knowing that people are looking at your eye-catching ride?  Of course.  That's part of the fun.

And then there's performance.  The tester was powered by a 3.5-liter V-6 rated at 311 horsepower. The power plant pushes torque at the low end and horsepower at the high end.  The result is robust sprints off the line and speedy moves on the freeways, with the bonus of a satisfying rumble from under the hood.

I found fellow motorists not only gawking at the car but -- amazingly in California -- kindly stepping aside and letting me pass. Again, looks mean everything, and motorists seemed to take it for granted that I could dust them off if I chose to do so.

Adding to all this driving pleasure was a stellar package of comfort, convenience and safety features.

Among my favorites: The lane departure alert with steering assist was helpful without being annoying.  And I liked the intelligent high beams with road sign recognition, a premium Lexus sound system and the F Sport suspension tuning. Added bonus: the super-luxurious feel of the cabin.

Please note: This RC 350 is billed as a four-seater, but two adults in the rear likely will feel pressed to the edges in those tight quarters.

Fuel mileage is fair at 19 miles per gallon in the city and 26 mpg on the highway.

Uniqueness and luxury come with a price: the $61,430 on the sticker puts this vehicle solidly in a segment of elite sporty machines.

But well worth the price if you are so fortunate.