Lexus LC 500h Coupe 2021 Review

The Lexus LC500h is certainly a head-turner and its $195K price tag turned a few more when I was asked how much its costs, but this is the Lexus sports flagship and it’s jam-packed with goodies that just may entice potential buyers away from the European marques.

Lexus has thrown its full arsenal of features the LC’s way, with the exterior dominated by huge 21-inch chrome alloys, a glass roof with sun blind, LED headlights with cornering lights, rain-sensing wipers, keyless entry and, in keeping with its clean lines, hidden door-handles.

On the inside you’ll find typically Lexus-like luxurious leather-accented seats with heating and cooling functions, a heated steering wheel, a colour head-up display, an 8.0-inch screen behind the wheel and a central dash-mounted 10.3-inch multimedia screen.

The latter comes with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, plus digital radio and a satellite navigation system with live traffic updates, and it’s topped off by the almost unrivalled clarity of a 918-Watt Mark Levinson 13-speaker stereo.

The Lexus LC 500h is covered by a four-year/100,000km warranty, which isn’t industry-leading, but service costs are capped at just $595 for three years and service intervals are 15,000km.

Perhaps the biggest selling point for the Lexus LC range doesn’t involve the car at all but Encore Platinum – an extension on the already fantastic Lexus owners’ program that includes features like pick-up and drop-off servicing.

Available for owners of the more exclusive Lexus models, Encore Platinum takes it up a notch with ‘On Demand’ service. This brings the opportunity for owners to book a different style of car for eight days, for four occasions over the first three years of ownership.

That means you can book a seven-seat RX-L luxury SUV for a family holiday at no charge. The Platinum level also unlocks hotel and restaurant benefits, as well as valet parking opportunities at selected shopping centres and invitations to Lexus drive day programs across the country.    

The 2021 Lexus LC500h actually hasn’t been crash tested by ANCAP but it’s fair to say it would more than likely receive the maximum five stars given its long list of safety features.

Of course the now customary parking sensors, reversing camera, anti-skid brakes and stability control systems are on board, as are the latest high-tech safety systems like active cruise control, Lane Keep Assist, intelligent Automatic High Beam and Blind Spot Monitoring, along with eight airbags.

The Lexus LC 500 also features a Pedestrian Safety Bonnet which pops up to provide a cushioning deformation zone in the event of an impact with a pedestrian or moveable object. It does this based on signals from sensors in a polyethylene chamber within the front bumper.

Massive two-piece brake rotors with six-piston callipers up front and four pistons at the rear supplement Lexus’ ‘Pre-Collision Safety System’ or AEB. The system works in stages by offering firstly an audible and display warning followed by a ‘Brake Assist’ function which pushes the pistons out of the callipers in readiness for a quick brake application.

It can also apply additional braking force if it deems the driver’s response is inadequate, then finally it takes over and brakes accordingly to reduce impact severity if the driver hasn’t responded.    

Unlike the 5.0-litre V8 powered LC 500 Coupe, which is only a few bucks cheaper, the 2021 Lexus LC 500h is not your average sports car since it’s powered by a not so average and rather unique hybrid powertrain.

It combines a conventional 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine with an electric motor powered by a 650-volt lithium-ion battery in a system called Lexus Hybrid Drive. This combination delivers a total of 264kW of power and 348Nm of torque, and is sent to the rear wheels via CVT automatic transmission.

The LC 500h can dispatch the 0-100km/h sprint in five seconds, which is reasonably quick considering it has to haul 1980kg of mass up the road. Yep, you read it correctly – almost two tonnes! I can’t say that’s an admirable quality in a sports car, but the Lexus engineers have a done great job in reducing its impact.

Considering is weight and power, what is truly impressive about the LC 500h is its official combined fuel consumption figure of 6.8L/100km – a figure one would be very happy with in a family runabout.

If like me you’re struggling to compute and find it hard to associate a hot looking sports car with silent, fuel-efficient running, then there’s always the LC 500 with its huge 351kW/540Nm outputs.

It’s fair to say the LC 500h is not destined to light up the stop watches on track days, but its on-road performance is as strong as you’ll ever need and you’ll be giving competitors a cheeky wave as you pass them by while stuck at the servo.     

Behind the wheel of the 2021 Lexus LC 500h is a genuinely luxurious place to be and indeed does make you feel like you’re being treated to something special.

The angled lines of the A-pillars, low roof line and wide body add to the aggressive feel, as do the torso hugging seats. The seating position is just about right and the front row enjoys heating and cooling, which really should be standard issue – particularly the latter (this is Australia after all) for any car around this price range.

There are copious amounts of accented leather and soft-touch surfaces that typify Lexus luxury. The highlight is the Mark Levinson sound system, which has to be right up there as one of the best in the business for sound quality I’ve heard.

The lowlight is 2+2 seating configuration. Forget the second row for anyone other than small children and even then it would be a stretch, or should I say cramp, to fit them in. Like Porsche 911s, people don’t buy Lexus LCs for transporting families, so it’s a matter of form over function I guess.

Boot space is 172 litres in the hybrid – down from a still-small 200 in the V8, with 28 litres gobbled up by the batteries. I must admit I was surprised by this figure; perhaps the wide boot opening and simple shape makes it appear much bigger. In comparison, Porsche 911 varieties range from 125 to 145 litres (up front).

The LC 500h exhibits perfect road manners but is arguably more of a grand tourer than sports car. It’s quiet, it is super plush, the hybrid engagement is almost seamless and it has enough shove to make things interesting.             

The 2021 Lexus LC500h doesn’t pretend to be an outright performance sports car – more of a stylish road warrior that looks the part and cruises along economically.

There’s nothing quite like a V8 but if you can deal with a picture that doesn’t quite match the soundtrack, then this hybrid drivetrain is all you’ll ever need.

The fuel saving and the fact we can’t really stretch the legs of our cars on Australian roads should probably sway you in the hybrid’s direction.

It’s not a plug-in (PHEV) so the LC 500h relies on regenerative braking to charge the battery. The electric motor is primarily there to support the internal combustion engine during acceleration.

There is a full electric mode that enables silent running for a few kilometres or for a short while in stop-start city traffic, but don’t go thinking the LC 500h is a ‘green’ machine. 

Ride quality is good, handling balance pretty sharp considering its kerb weight, and it’s definitely sure-footed thanks to big rubber boots and stoppers.

The Lexus LC 500h doesn’t exactly pin you back in the seat under acceleration like similar cars around its price range, and many might think of it as less supercar than sheep in wolf’s clothing.

But it certainly gets up and goes and even these days a 5.0sec 0-100km/h time isn’t anything to be sneezed at.

I applaud Lexus for bringing this ‘concept car’ to reality and its looks alone will make many fall in love with it. The best part is it proves that hybrids don’t have to be boring.      

Disclaimer: Luke Youlden is a Bathurst 1000 champion, 2021 Porsche Carrera Cup series competitor, Tekworkx Motorsport mentor and chief driving coach, deputy chief instructor for the Porsche Experience and also works for Pilota Sportiva, whose clients include Audi Driving Experience and Volkswagen Group Australia.

How much does the 2021 Lexus LC 500h cost?
Price: $195,165 (plus ORCs)
Available: Now
Engine: 3.5-litre V6 petrol-electric hybrid
Output: 264kW/348Nm
Transmission: Continuously variable automatic (CVT)
Fuel: 6.8L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 152g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: N/A