The Lexus RC 300h: The only way to drive an eco car and look sexy doing it
Forget everything you know about hybrid vehicles that ape the Hunchback of Notredame. The Lexus RC 300h rewrites the rule books on what an eco-friendly car can and should look like.
I've always been a huge fan of the RC: Lexus penned the proportions with aesthetically-pleasing ratios and unlike the Mercedes C class coupe, which looks penguin-rotund at the back, or the BMW 4 Series which is an engineering marvel but has no design flair, the Lexus RC 300h just looks right.
Here in Malaysia, reception of Lexus hybrids has been rather lukewarm because the days when hybrid incentives made luxury car ownership a worthy proposition are gone. But if all goes well and the Government reintroduces these incentives, boy are we in for a cracker because the Lexus RC 300h, the most stunning hybrid you can get today, will be affordable (I use the word affordable loosely).
This coupe earns its environmental credentials by way of a 2.5-litre 4 cylinder Atkinson cycle engine linked to a powerful electric motor that generates 220 bhp - good enough to dust 0-60mph in 8.6 seconds.
Fuel efficiency depends largely on the size of the rims: On standard 18" rims, you'll get 57.6 mpg on a combined cycle (city plus highway) and low emissions of just 113 g/km. If you opt for the larger 19" rims, efficiency suffers slightly at 56.5 mpg and emissions of 116 g/km. The Lexus RC 300h in these pictures wear a set of 18s, and if my eyes aren't deceiving me, they already look good so I wouldn't change the standard formula; I'd leave it as it is and get better fuel consumption.
The aggressive spindle grille is flanked on both sides by LED headlights and daytime running lights that pays a nod to Lexus' L-finesse design language. It's a brutishly handsome front fascia - very masculine - and blends perfectly with an elegant rear so the entire design is at once elegant and refined as it is sporty and menacing. That sort of harmony, not many designers can pull off successfully, so credit where it's due to Lexus.
Stepping inside, it's obvious particular attention was paid towards simplifying driving ergonomics. The area around the driver is divided into two distinct zones: The upper zone where the display screens are set (speedometer, odometer, infotainment screen) and the lower zone where the other controls are located (for climate, multimedia, and gear selection). While non-hybrid Lexus RC vehicles are usually specified with the Remote Touch rotary control, the RC 300h comes with the Remote Touch pad, which works like a laptop mouse with four selection buttons at the corners of the pad. It syncs with the Media Display, allowing seamless interface between driver and vehicle.
I've been in one of these before in London. I can't put a finger to it but there's a real feeling of quality to the interior. The feel, weight and touch for all switches, stalks and major controls have what I call the 'heft of quality' - a feeling you get when you know something is solidly made. Everything operates silently and in automotive engineering, where thousands of mechanical parts press against or move by each other (making all sorts of crackles, rattles, and creaking sounds), making a cabin that operates in eery silence underscores what Lexus is known for: silence is the best way to shout about luxury.
I do hope this car comes to Malaysia (more than that I hope to have the money to get it) because it makes such a unique proposition: You don't need to compromise on looks if saving the planet is your thing. We're so used to hump-backed hybrids like the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight that, at times, it feels designers don't understand how important looks are to us (the haphazardly-laid out Honda CRZ isn't much better either). In a world of aesthetically-challenged hybrids, then, the Lexus RC 300h is what most motorists are looking for. It's so gorgeous you wouldn't mind taking a portrait of it to use as your phone wallpaper. If the girlfriend notices her picture has been replaced, tell her you're on a mission to advocate change for a greener earth. :-)
Do you agree it's the most stylish hybrid you can get today?
Cheers!
All Lexus
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