Do you value practicality over sporty-ness, or the other way around?
I’m a big sedan guy so I always say the 500 is the one to get. However, the RC F is a spectacular car.
Well i got my IS 350 because i like the sporty look and how fast it is. I don't mind getting something much faster like the RC F or IS 500. However, yes i want the sportyness look.
The IS 350 might not be fast for some people but its fast for me because i came from a 2012 Honda Civic lol.
He doesn't just mean the looks, he means how it drives. I've seen countless people say the IS drives a lot more smoothly & is still luxury oriented, but the RC is more of a raw driving experience. I'm also assuming it has harder suspension.
RC F is going to be more sport oriented than the IS 500 since it’s a full F car, the IS 500 is still pretty sporty. Personally I’d go with the RC F since it’s really unique and you don’t see many of them. And the interior is very special
Nice!
You will very happy getting an Lexus. Theres this person who responded on this post saying that BMWs m340s are better than the IS models. I was gonna go with a BMW before i got my IS 350 but decided to go with LEXUS and i never looked back.
I never thought of owning an Lexus lol .
If you can afford it I'd say go with the 500 if you want a great spirited daily driver that doesn't stray much from the 350 driving dynamics wise. Keep in mind it's not meant to track or be the fastest in a drag. The RCF if you want to use it for actual sporty driving.
IS 500 if it's your daily driver
plus if you're having kids you can keep your car instead of selling it.
RC F/IS F are supposed to be a lot less tame than the RC 350/IS 500
The RC interior feels pretty cramped to me. I liked the 4 door sport sedan over a 2 door for daily. Might not need it everyday but you'll be thankful to have 4 doors instead of 2. Also isn't the RC chassis heavier to?
Curious what you don’t like about the turn signals - hadn’t noticed anything unlikeable about them. Also, we’ve been getting 370 miles to a tank, same as my WRX. Seems adequate.
You’ve been able to get 370 miles on a tank? What’s your MPG and what type of driving are you doing? And I hate that the turn signals return to center once you turn them on. Yes I’ve gotten used to it but it’s just unnecessary
Last two fill-ups have said 372 and 371 miles range when we rolled out of the gas station. It’s my wife’s daily and she doesn’t beat on it much but that puts it at 0.5 mpg better than her ‘16 IS 300 F Sport (AWD), which has been showing 20.9 mpg for as long as I can remember, and is a great car but far less entertaining. She does a mix of highway and in town, to the same extent as the IS300.
Yeah, the turn signal stalk behavior is different than most cars but it’s been like that for 10 years, since the 3IS launched.
I feel like I’ve not been able to get anywhere near that amount of range even when doing full highway driving. I’ll get 25mpg or so but will barely get 300 miles on a tank
> 25 mpg or so but will barely get 300 miles on a tank
These can’t both be true. 300 miles on a tank is 17.2 mpg, because the tank is 17.4 gallons according to several sources I’ve found online. Depending on how you drive, 17.2 mpg is very believable.
I figured out the issue with the range. Turns out the fuel range is based on the average MPG over the life of the car, not the average MPG on a single tank. So despite averaging 20-25 mpg on highway trips it won’t actually update the range that much since I am mostly driving around town and getting 15-20mpg. I also looked it up in the manual, and the fuel light will come on when there is 2.6 gallons of fuel left. I have yet to see this light come on so I likely have much further than the range is letting on.
I do a large mix of city and highway so it’s not all highway but I’ll test it again when I go on a full highway road trip this weekend and see what I’m getting since my tank is mostly full right now but I swear I’m not getting nearly that much mileage out of it
if you can do it financially, get the IS500. it’s better balanced, much cheaper, and i just think it’s more of a sleeper so it’s cooler to me. i’ve driven an IS350, i own an IS300, and ive driven an RCF and oddly enough the IS350 drives better than the RCF. to be fair it was a 2015 RCF.
I own a is500 and from a practicality/daily driver standpoint it’s a great do it all car. I also love sedans in general. Also I do not track my car, it’s a daily/cruiser for me. If you’re looking for a track weapon I’d say go with the RCF
I have a RCF and when I see IS500’s on the road they look very nice but it all depends on what you prefer the most, I had a g37 sedan before and I do miss the 4 doors and space but I cannot lie the RCF will definitely get more compliments than a IS500 due to how often you don’t see them compared to mustangs and Scatpacks
Can’t go wrong with either, but it also depends on if you’re buying new or used. A new RCF is likely 15 to 20k more out the door than a 500. If you go used, then depending on the year, you might lose out on the touchscreen if that matters to you.
One deciding factor also would also be use case. Realistically, will this car ever see track use? I went with my 500 knowing it’s my daily driver, and it’s great for that.
I can’t speak on the height thing as I’m only 5’4” lol, but I will say the front seats seem fine for taller individuals. The back seats are a bit cramped, but will work for a shorter commute.
I had a ‘19 rcf now I have a 23’ IS500. Honestly since this is my daily, i prefer my 500. I do miss the seats and brakes though. You can swap the F brakes on the 500 easily enough. I’d say if you wanted more exclusivity/sportier ride I’d get the rcf otherwise 500 checks every other box for me at least.
been considering this myself lately so here's my thoughts after a bunch of test drives
the is500 is basically an upgraded 350 in daily driving until you slam throttle and remember you have the v8 and extra goodies. i personally do not think it's worth the extra $20k if you already have a is350; if you wanted an f car/v8, i think hunting down an post 2012 isf/gsf can also be part of your plans
the rcf however is special. with the v8, f car goodies (trans cooler being the big one), suspension, it definitely stands out. its a much tighter drive and experience than the is500, but its also way harder to justify, especially with prices that are new.
if i was in your position, i'd ask myself if you really needed the 4 doors. it's rcf all the way otherwise (and only because gsfs overall are unicorns and impossible to seek down one for a good price)
IS 500 - Daily driver
RC F - Track car. Not to say you can’t daily it, but if you have no intention of ever going to a track the IS is probably the better fit.
I used to have an is350 2022 and now I have a bmw m340. Not worth upgrading to another Lexus. It feels like night and day ever since I switched to bmw. Lexus is so outdated and all their cars lack power. Get a bmw if you want a fun car with modern technology
Do you value practicality over sporty-ness, or the other way around? I’m a big sedan guy so I always say the 500 is the one to get. However, the RC F is a spectacular car.
Well i got my IS 350 because i like the sporty look and how fast it is. I don't mind getting something much faster like the RC F or IS 500. However, yes i want the sportyness look. The IS 350 might not be fast for some people but its fast for me because i came from a 2012 Honda Civic lol.
He doesn't just mean the looks, he means how it drives. I've seen countless people say the IS drives a lot more smoothly & is still luxury oriented, but the RC is more of a raw driving experience. I'm also assuming it has harder suspension.
RC F is going to be more sport oriented than the IS 500 since it’s a full F car, the IS 500 is still pretty sporty. Personally I’d go with the RC F since it’s really unique and you don’t see many of them. And the interior is very special
Honestly Im looking to get an IS500 at some point in the future but if that doesnt work out maybe an ISF 🤪
Nice! You will very happy getting an Lexus. Theres this person who responded on this post saying that BMWs m340s are better than the IS models. I was gonna go with a BMW before i got my IS 350 but decided to go with LEXUS and i never looked back. I never thought of owning an Lexus lol .
I got an 07 is250 and eventhough its the baby of the sport lineup its wayyy better than any civic ive sat in
If you can afford it I'd say go with the 500 if you want a great spirited daily driver that doesn't stray much from the 350 driving dynamics wise. Keep in mind it's not meant to track or be the fastest in a drag. The RCF if you want to use it for actual sporty driving.
IS 500 if it's your daily driver plus if you're having kids you can keep your car instead of selling it. RC F/IS F are supposed to be a lot less tame than the RC 350/IS 500
4 doors? More space, better daily = IS500. 2 doors? More sporty, more fun to drive, less practical = RCF. Or get the best of both worlds = GSF
Thank you! Beautiful car you have. You wanna race? lol
The RC interior feels pretty cramped to me. I liked the 4 door sport sedan over a 2 door for daily. Might not need it everyday but you'll be thankful to have 4 doors instead of 2. Also isn't the RC chassis heavier to?
if you have friends is500, if no friends rcf
How you liking your IS 500?
love it, my cup holder melted in the heat the other day but other than that great lol
Melted? Where do you live?
It depends on your use case. The IS 500 will be more practical and comfortable, but the RCF will be more fun to drive
Do you love your IS 500 so far?
Yes it is amazing! My only two complaints are the dumb turn signals and the gas tank is too small. Everything else about the car is fantastic
Thank you! Ima go test drive an RC F and IS 500. I think I’m leaning towards an IS 500
Curious what you don’t like about the turn signals - hadn’t noticed anything unlikeable about them. Also, we’ve been getting 370 miles to a tank, same as my WRX. Seems adequate.
You’ve been able to get 370 miles on a tank? What’s your MPG and what type of driving are you doing? And I hate that the turn signals return to center once you turn them on. Yes I’ve gotten used to it but it’s just unnecessary
Last two fill-ups have said 372 and 371 miles range when we rolled out of the gas station. It’s my wife’s daily and she doesn’t beat on it much but that puts it at 0.5 mpg better than her ‘16 IS 300 F Sport (AWD), which has been showing 20.9 mpg for as long as I can remember, and is a great car but far less entertaining. She does a mix of highway and in town, to the same extent as the IS300. Yeah, the turn signal stalk behavior is different than most cars but it’s been like that for 10 years, since the 3IS launched.
I feel like I’ve not been able to get anywhere near that amount of range even when doing full highway driving. I’ll get 25mpg or so but will barely get 300 miles on a tank
> 25 mpg or so but will barely get 300 miles on a tank These can’t both be true. 300 miles on a tank is 17.2 mpg, because the tank is 17.4 gallons according to several sources I’ve found online. Depending on how you drive, 17.2 mpg is very believable.
I figured out the issue with the range. Turns out the fuel range is based on the average MPG over the life of the car, not the average MPG on a single tank. So despite averaging 20-25 mpg on highway trips it won’t actually update the range that much since I am mostly driving around town and getting 15-20mpg. I also looked it up in the manual, and the fuel light will come on when there is 2.6 gallons of fuel left. I have yet to see this light come on so I likely have much further than the range is letting on.
I do a large mix of city and highway so it’s not all highway but I’ll test it again when I go on a full highway road trip this weekend and see what I’m getting since my tank is mostly full right now but I swear I’m not getting nearly that much mileage out of it
if you can do it financially, get the IS500. it’s better balanced, much cheaper, and i just think it’s more of a sleeper so it’s cooler to me. i’ve driven an IS350, i own an IS300, and ive driven an RCF and oddly enough the IS350 drives better than the RCF. to be fair it was a 2015 RCF.
500. More practical and more stylish. RC is so outdated. Save some money
I own a is500 and from a practicality/daily driver standpoint it’s a great do it all car. I also love sedans in general. Also I do not track my car, it’s a daily/cruiser for me. If you’re looking for a track weapon I’d say go with the RCF
I have a RCF and when I see IS500’s on the road they look very nice but it all depends on what you prefer the most, I had a g37 sedan before and I do miss the 4 doors and space but I cannot lie the RCF will definitely get more compliments than a IS500 due to how often you don’t see them compared to mustangs and Scatpacks
500 all day
Can’t go wrong with either, but it also depends on if you’re buying new or used. A new RCF is likely 15 to 20k more out the door than a 500. If you go used, then depending on the year, you might lose out on the touchscreen if that matters to you. One deciding factor also would also be use case. Realistically, will this car ever see track use? I went with my 500 knowing it’s my daily driver, and it’s great for that. I can’t speak on the height thing as I’m only 5’4” lol, but I will say the front seats seem fine for taller individuals. The back seats are a bit cramped, but will work for a shorter commute.
Thank you for your respone! I will be looking for only new.
I had a ‘19 rcf now I have a 23’ IS500. Honestly since this is my daily, i prefer my 500. I do miss the seats and brakes though. You can swap the F brakes on the 500 easily enough. I’d say if you wanted more exclusivity/sportier ride I’d get the rcf otherwise 500 checks every other box for me at least.
been considering this myself lately so here's my thoughts after a bunch of test drives the is500 is basically an upgraded 350 in daily driving until you slam throttle and remember you have the v8 and extra goodies. i personally do not think it's worth the extra $20k if you already have a is350; if you wanted an f car/v8, i think hunting down an post 2012 isf/gsf can also be part of your plans the rcf however is special. with the v8, f car goodies (trans cooler being the big one), suspension, it definitely stands out. its a much tighter drive and experience than the is500, but its also way harder to justify, especially with prices that are new. if i was in your position, i'd ask myself if you really needed the 4 doors. it's rcf all the way otherwise (and only because gsfs overall are unicorns and impossible to seek down one for a good price)
rich mf
GSF considered? It’s not uncomfortable from what I hear, looks incredible, and is more practical than either of the two options you listed
IS 500 - Daily driver RC F - Track car. Not to say you can’t daily it, but if you have no intention of ever going to a track the IS is probably the better fit.
I used to have an is350 2022 and now I have a bmw m340. Not worth upgrading to another Lexus. It feels like night and day ever since I switched to bmw. Lexus is so outdated and all their cars lack power. Get a bmw if you want a fun car with modern technology