Lexus LC 500h 2019 Review

The world is changing, and car manufacturers are casting around for new means of providing customers with the performance and driving enjoyment enthusiasts demand, all the while balancing the books in the interests of the environment.

Battery-electric vehicles are the simple solution, but for many fans of the internal-combustion engine EVs lack soul.

Is a performance hybrid like the Lexus LC 500h the answer?

It does use some fossil fuel, but nothing like the quantity you would expect from a $200,000 coupe that can reach 100km/h in five seconds.

At $190,200 (plus on-road costs), the Lexus LC 500h is slightly more expensive than the conventional, V8-engined Lexus LC 500, which took part in Australia's Best Driver's Car in 2018 – and finished third in the field.

The price is just $200 more than Lexus was charging for the LC 500h when it arrived here two years ago.

Lexus sells the LC with a four-year warranty, which includes roadside assistance and the brand's formidable customer service whenever you leave the car with the service department – typically around 15,000km or 12 months apart, whichever occurs first.

Lexus is renowned for building cars that last and cost relatively little to run, compared with competitors from rival brands. You get an extra year of warranty coverage that the much-vaunted German brands don't offer.

And then there are also the not-so-practical reasons for purchasing: the striking looks, the opulent interior, the atypical dynamics and V8-like performance.

The Lexus LC 500h has been on sale in Australia since early 2017.

It's a looker, the Lexus LC 500h. So it will appeal to hedonists and aesthetes, the former likely to fall in love with the interior.

Greenies will accept that if you have to own a car at all, you could certainly do worse than the LC 500h; and driving enthusiasts will be converted after exploring the dynamic abilities of the LC 500h.

Mostly though, LC 500h buyers are likely to be technophiles with plenty of disposable income or some other revenue stream for which they can claim the lease of the car as a tax deduction. It would be nice to think they might be automotive enthusiasts as well.

It fits in my garage. And it looks damn good in there too.

In market segmentation terms, VFACTS considers the Lexus LC 500h (and the V8-powered LC 500 variant) to be a sports car priced above $80,000.

Its rivals in that segment are mostly smaller and nippier, if the truth be known, but the Audi RS 5, BMW M4 and the Mercedes-AMG E 53 coupe are probably as close as any competitors come to a match for the packaging and presentation of the Lexus.

I really like the V6 engine in the Lexus LC 500h. It's docile and refined at touring speeds, but a bit of an animal at the redline.

Surely there must be a market for a V6 Lexus LC without the hybrid mechanicals?

Alternatively, a full battery-electric LC that has all the green credentials and tyre-shredding torque in the same package?

Justifying its hybrid powertrain however, the LC 500h finished the week using just 9.0L/100km before its return to Lexus. On the open road the car does better still, down around 7.0L/100km or less with the engine ticking over at just 1000rpm.

At times the transmission bumps back and forth – especially braking to a halt – as it juggles the conflicting needs of power generation from the engine and the two motor/generator units. It's not altogether satisfying, but works much better when you slip the car into Sport or Sport+ mode for full-throttle acceleration.

Oddly, the CVT element hones off the rough peaks and troughs in the rev range shifting gear, while the rest of the transmission provides the close-ratio steps to take optimal advantage of the engine's power and torque curves.

At touring speeds the Lexus is as quiet as the grave inside and road noise is nicely muted, even with the grippy Michelins fitted (245/40 RF21 tyres at the front, 275/35 RF21 at the rear).

With its mid/front engine mounting and the long, loooong transmission, weight distribution must be just about perfect. Cornering is safe but enjoyable and while there's a slight edge to the ride comfort with the low-profile tyres fitted, you only really notice this on mediocre country roads.

As colleague Tim Britten mentioned in his previous review of the Lexus LC 500h, the field of vision is really good by the standards of a two-door coupe of this type. And the car's left mirror dips when reversing, but too far for me to see obstacles on the left. The mirror-dipping function can be disabled if it doesn't suit owners though.

Auto headlights and static cornering lights were very useful, but the lights were set a little low when dipped. That's why you leave the auto high-beam enabled, of course.

The interior is very plush, attractive and the driving position is ideal. Headroom could be a little restrictive for people taller than 180cm, but the relationship to wheel and pedals hits the bullseye. And the indicator is on the right side of the steering column.

Fantastic seats round out the interior. They're very well contoured for comfort and hold the driver in place securely during high-g cornering and braking.

The infotainment systems are easy to operate, mostly from steering wheel switchgear and the voice-recognition facility, but the touchpad continues to be a disappointment. It takes longer to use than a conventional single-point controller with the (non-dominant) left hand.

Don't even pretend for a moment that you could sit in the back of the LC 500h if you're over 13 years of age. There is no headroom back there, and legroom is also suitable for kids only, but at least Lexus provides easy access to the rear seat.

Boot space is large enough and practical for about three large school-size backpacks.

After a week with the car, I've come away feeling almost ambivalent. It's a great looking machine, it's comfortable and refined, as a hybrid it produces results and dynamically it's highly competent. None of that is in dispute.

But ultimately I would rather have an LC variant powered by a conventional V6, as fascinating as the hybrid powertrain is.

There's a reason the V8 outsells the hybrid...

Price: $190,200 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.5-litre six-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid
Output: 220kW/348Nm
Motor: Two permanent magnet synchronous motor/generator units
Output: 132kW/300Nm
Transmission: Four-speed planetary gearset and continuously variable
Fuel: 6.7L/100km (ADR Combined); 9.0L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 152g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: TBA