Hi,

Im considering purchasing either a 2017 F type R or a 2018 Lexus LC 500. I’ve taken both out for a spin and enjoyed both quite a bit. What would you recommend I consider to push me in one direction or the other?

This would be my daily driver but I work from home so have no real commute. I occasionally drive up to 5 hours to see family but mostly My driving is fairly limited. Also I live in Atlanta so traffic does always factor in to how long I may spend in the car.

 

The Lexus put me to sleep during a test drive. Made to not push. F Type much more fun. This is not a criticism, but if the differences are not readily apparent, then the Lexus may be the better choice for you.

 

So I build a Lexus for a cool 96k on their site. I wouldn’t get rid of my 5 years young Jag...which I paid half the price for!!
Jag wins hands down...IMO

 

The Lexus looks great in white, black or gunmetal grey IMO - colours that hide the odd bits. On the other hand, the Jag looks great in any colour and IMO better in colours that show the curves, eg silver or red.

The interior of the Lexus is a bit Asian daggy. I just find every Asian car car some incongruity, they try too hard, like people on The Bachelor using words that they dont understand. I find that a bit jarring, whereas the Jag is very classy. That said, the Lexus has more fun stuff for the young at heart.

I like the sound of the Lexus more than the sound of the Jag.

Personally I cant get particularly excited over any Lexus, mainly for aesthetic reasons, and I have to love the looks before I consider anything else. But if the Lexus car was in the Jaguar skin, the tech of the Lexus might sway me to that. That said, I havent driven one. As a DD, the Jags are fine, and they are nice for a long drive as well.

 

The Lexus is a nice package wrapped in weird paper. Will you ever really get used to the front end? I've been trying for 2 years as the used price is pretty good but it hasn't happened yet.

 

I was at a gas pump with an LC500 nose to nose. The guy came over and said he almost went with an F-Type and would I mind revving it for him cuz he never heard one? Who was I to say no? Of course revving an F under a canopy sounds bad *** AF. As soon as the war started his eyes went straight down to his shoes and he paced straight off without so much as a thank you. Seriously.

 

I have not driven either. But have looked at both up close and I just can't warm up to the Lexus grill.

 

If you do long commutes, go with the LC, it is comfier, has better interior and a better infotainment system; everybody knows how outdated our infotainment is. the LC is prettier and cheaper to maintain...and after all, you're buying a Toyota, the most reliable car ever...

 

+1 - LC is a snoozer. Of course I was almost 99% sold on an F-type before driving, but I didn't like it at all. Preferences and tastes are all different but one thing I always focus on is usability and the LC has that weird touch pad and the display is multi-function so so you have to look down and to the right to see what your controlling - radio/climate etc.It looks great but I didn't like the feel of the inside at all. Its like houses, I found an awesome house that met all my criteria last time I moved, but the driveway was terrible and bringing in lowered cars over and over would be a nightmare. Same with the LC, the stuff I would have to live with and touch all the time was not convenient for me. If it had a better sound, I wouldn't mind - I generally drive with no radio on because I like the noise. It also didn't help that the salesperson was not helpful - My attire outside of the office can best be described as "homeless" and it felt like they made a snap judgement about my ability to purchase and treated me accordingly.

 

As someone in the market to buy a F Type S at the moment, the LC 500 would not be the Lexus I personally would look at. Perhaps the LC F, but if I am going to buy a luxury Toyota, I might as well be practical and buy a GS sedan or even SUV.

 

While I think the LC 500 is the best looking car in the Lexus lineup (including the previous ugliest Lexus ever, the LFA), that's not a very high standard. When I went to see them when they first appeared in showrooms, I thought two things, 1) the interior had some very odd touches including what appears to be an unfinished gap under the glove box, and 2) I hate, hate, hate the Nike swoosh symbols under the headlights. It looks like Nike paid Lexus for the logo usage. Otherwise, the shape is nice, and I would assume from reading reviews that the engine is very good. Take the F-type or find a used XKR.

 

I would get LC 500 if you value comfort and do not care about performance that much. You get Toyota reliability, comfortable interior and the car looks great. So unless you take it to the track, only car guys would know that this dog doesn't hunt, and that LS 500 is under-performer in every category and you paid Porsche money for a glorified Camry.

 

The Lexus is tamer, safer, more practical - and boring. Personally, I haven't been able to get past the current Lexus front ends.

 

Both cars are quite capable of doing what you need. Probably the main differentiation will be the R will be AWD and the LC will be RWD. If you have a need to drive in any inclimate weather, the AWD will help out. Other than that, it just comes down to what you prefer looking at. If you are big on infotainment systems, the LC will likely have the edge there.

This is a Jaguar forum, so you'll find people here prefer the looks of the F-Type. If you were to post this on a Lexus forum (which maybe you already have), they will likely prefer the looks of the LC. Pick what "stirs the juices" for you. There is no real bad decision at this level... i.e. first world problems.

 

I agree 100%.

I had a Lexus SC400 and an SC430. Both cars were bullet proof but had no soul compared to the F-Type.

 

The Lexus is the best appliance on the road and it provides exactly the same excitement as a Subzero refrigerator - it also is styled with unnecessary and visually distracting excrescences...and the grille, ugh.

The F-Type, on the other hand, is drop-dead gorgeous (as many Jaguars have been) and just looking at it gets the adrenaline flowing...but wait...add the engine sound and the the performance and handling (mix in the heritage)...no contest, really.

 

I agree on LC F. Best looking Lexus! Not sure that really is a prize.

 

The least ugly Lexus deserves at least a participation award.

 

Toyota's demographics creates reliability. The F-Type has a way more solid build than any stamped out Toyota I've owned (3). It actually has craftsmanship, everywhere. If I drove it like my 80 year old parents drive their Camry it would be just as reliable. But I don't.

 

Plus 1 on the front end. I’ve always liked their cars but never owned one as the Toyota’s I’ve owned lacked any personality and now this trend toward massive ugly grills (my opinion) is something I can’t get passed.