RC300h Fuel Consumption (v. IS300h)-Continued

Rabbers · June 18, 2017

As I do at least twice every year, I have just driven 1642km (=1020miles) from Italy to Denmark, all motorway except for a total of about

30km at each end. This was my first such drive in the RC300h after a previous seven or eight in an IS300h over exactly the same route

with few variations of weather, traffic and roadworks to speak of (even if my impression that the latter two factors in Germany could not

get any worse seems to have been proven wrong every time). I did not overly abuse national speed limits, setting the ACC at +5-10%

and, where feasible in Germany, cruising at 160kmh> (=100mpg>). My total fuel consumption (brim-to-brim actuals) for the trip was

127 litres (=28 gals), equal to 12.9km/l (=36.4mpg). Therefore, based on performance over a long and not untypical cross-section of

the Continental European motorway network comprising I, CH, D and DK, and considering that the worst I ever did in the IS was 14.8km/l

(= 42mpg) while usually managing better than 15km/l, I conclude that the RC is something like 14% less economic than the IS in motorway

driving. This compares with the 7-8% difference I have been seeing in day-to-day non-motorway driving.

In summary, if people ask - as they often do because the car arouses their curiosity - I think I can now objectively state consumption

figures of around 13km/l (= 37mpg) for Motorway and 15km/l (=42mpg) for Non-Motorway driving. And, in view of the sheer class of

the car, these are impressive figures.

The RC performed beautifully throughout the long drive, effortlessly reaching and maintaining high cruising speeds (I stayed in Sport+

mode the entire time). I nudged the declared top speed of 190kmh (=118mph) with the speedo showing over 200kmh (=124mph) several

times in Germany and the car did not complain in the slightest. In fact the impression of speed is very much masked by the silence and

quality of the ride. This is appreciably firmer with less body-roll than the IS and, in combination with the lower driving position, this can

be a bit more tiring over long distances. Which, I suppose, is the price to pay for the car's relative "sportiness".

Not unexpectedly, one of the pleasures of driving the RC in Germany was the large number of glances, stares and leers received from

the local motoring population, less often prompted, I surmise, by envy than the shock of discovering that any kind of aesthetic challenge

might exist to their own automotive supremacy.

Linas.P · June 20, 2017

Thanks for sharing,

However, based only on what you said I cannot reach a conclusion that RC shown any "impressive figures". Non-motorway efficiency of 42mpg would be fairly standard for any hybrid, but motorways consumption (unsurprisingly) is just awful. Almost any modern petrol car can reach similar figures and same figures would be blown out of waters by any diesel. 40mpg for such drive is the territory of my car - the natural question is what was Lexus doing since 2005? sitting on their hands? This just enforced what I was saying all along - hybrids should not leave cities, because they suck on motorway.

As well it is helpful you shared the comparison between IS300h and RC, which leads to my next question - why RC uses so much more fuel? I understand that curb weight is different (1620 vs. 1795), but that shouldn't reflect directly (or even more 14%) on consumption... especially on motorway. 8% difference in the city traffic is more realistic... this makes me to conclude that RC is overall poorly designed - not as good aerodynamically... other issues. I consider that beeing bad for car which is 2 years newer and much more expensive.

Trying to summarise above experience RC is very beautiful GT non-GT car, which is worse for GT than non-GT IS as it is more tiring over long distances and not only that, it is less fuel efficient. The point of "relative sportiness" is not found as it is non-sportive neither relatively nor absolutely. In the end of the day it is real shame, because I really wanted to love this car, it is a looker, but what and average performer even withing most average cars.

NemesisUK · June 20, 2017

It's a good thing we are all different and want different things from our cars ..

Linas.P · June 20, 2017

Very true, but is not about wanting different cars or being different.... It is about Lexus being capable of engineering much better car...

rayaans · June 23, 2017

On 2017-6-20 at 8:55 PM, Linas.P said:

Thanks for sharing,

However, based only on what you said I cannot reach a conclusion that RC shown any "impressive figures". Non-motorway efficiency of 42mpg would be fairly standard for any hybrid, but motorways consumption (unsurprisingly) is just awful. Almost any modern petrol car can reach similar figures and same figures would be blown out of waters by any diesel. 40mpg for such drive is the territory of my car - the natural question is what was Lexus doing since 2005? sitting on their hands? This just enforced what I was saying all along - hybrids should not leave cities, because they suck on motorway.

As well it is helpful you shared the comparison between IS300h and RC, which leads to my next question - why RC uses so much more fuel? I understand that curb weight is different (1620 vs. 1795), but that shouldn't reflect directly (or even more 14%) on consumption... especially on motorway. 8% difference in the city traffic is more realistic... this makes me to conclude that RC is overall poorly designed - not as good aerodynamically... other issues. I consider that beeing bad for car which is 2 years newer and much more expensive.

Trying to summarise above experience RC is very beautiful GT non-GT car, which is worse for GT than non-GT IS as it is more tiring over long distances and not only that, it is less fuel efficient. The point of "relative sportiness" is not found as it is non-sportive neither relatively nor absolutely. In the end of the day it is real shame, because I really wanted to love this car, it is a looker, but what and average performer even withing most average cars.

Linas.P, you love to have a good laugh now and then don't you?

40mpg in an IS250 - what a joke! In town it'll barely get 20mpg on a good day. On a run 40mpg is probably possible but maybe when driving at 50mph behind a HGV

Even on Fuelly the IS250 is showing 26mpg average so I dont believe this 40mpg crap.

I don't see many 4 cylinder BMW's, Audi's or Merc's get 36mpg on the motorway unless they are diesel which is irrelevant because they are diesel and have other more concerning issues! They don't manage this despite weighing nearly 200kg less. May as well compare an iguana to a camel.

The kerb weight is obviously going to impact fuel economy - simple maths suggests more than 170kg difference. Get someone to do some fancy physics calculations and you'll be able to see why the MPG drops by 14% (might look like a big figure but a big percentage of something small is less than a small percentage of something big)

Rabbers · June 23, 2017

On 6/20/2017 at 11:13 PM, Linas.P said:

Very true, but is not about wanting different cars or being different.... It is about Lexus being capable of engineering much better car...

Linas, why should Lexus want to engineer a better car than the RC300h when they can so easily con an undiscerning customer like

me into buying the present bad one? Whatever the case may be, I blush to admit that I continue to find little to seriously dislike about

the RC - and, in much the same way as I use inverted commas when including "sportiness" among the car's attributes, I emphasise

the word "seriously" in the hope of preempting criticism from anyone with higher claims to automotive connoisseurship than my own.

The RC, in everyday use, conveys me around town and country comfortably and elegantly and probably more briskly than is strictly

necessary or socially desirable. Surprisingly, and perhaps somewhat mysteriously in view of the stodginess that might be expected

from a declared 0-100kmh figure of 8.6', it still manages to unforcedly leave most other cars behind at lights, and its mid-range

acceleration is so good as to almost constantly tempt one into quick and smooth overtaking simply for the pleasure of it. To these

virtues I can now add, from experience, its ability to cruise all day at 160>kmh, such twinges of stiffness as I might get in my neck

and back after an unusually long drive not being of sufficient gravity to demote the car from the top rank in terms of driver and front

passenger comfort. Really, I neither require or desire more from a car, though I fully realise that I am speaking as the sort of person

who, if he could afford it, would buy a Ferrari out of pure narcissism rather than any ability or particular wish to appreciate and exploit

its capabilities. That I should find the RC's consumption figures impressive if somewhat disappointing in respect of the IS300h, again

somewhat mysteriously since the differences do not directly mirror the kerb weights, is mainly because my pre-hybrid memory has

remained stuck on the four tankfuls an IS250 required to get me from, for example, Italy to Denmark instead of the subsequent and

present two. However, I am also comforted in my belief that the RC is a fuel-efficient car upon hearing the grunts of what I take to

be agreement (or at least not disagreement) during idle exchanges of ball-park consumption figures with owners of other premium

cars, usually diesel and almost always of teutonic origin, this being a combination of factors that tends, rightly or wrongly, to dampen

any enthusiasm I might otherwise feel for them while at the same discouraging me from making detailed comparisons.

Incidentally, reasonably close adherence to the Danish speed limit of 110kmh (except for a few stretches of 130kmh thrown in order

to keep the population happy) has, in combination with relatively light traffic, a flat landscape and warmish weather, resulted in

remarkably good consumption figures on motorway drives of 70-80km or so daily since I have been here. On one of these, the

OBC showed 21km/l (=59mpg), which would be unimaginable anywhere else I know in Europe.

NemesisUK · June 23, 2017

@Rabbers Well said, I really couldn't have put it any better myself

Rabbers · June 23, 2017

3 minutes ago, NemesisUK said:

@Rabbers Well said, I really couldn't have put it any better myself

Thank you for that ...!!!

Linas.P · June 23, 2017

@rayaans - I would disagree, normal fuel consumption on UK motorways somewhat sticking to national speed limits is 38MPG for IS250. That is tested times and times again on route Romford > Luton and Romford > Gatwick, because I often fly to CI for work. I always do early morning drives for 7:20AM flight and always stick with 90MPH and I know for a fact consumption is ~38MPG.Did a trip in RC300h Romford> via M25/A21>Hastings>A26>Brighton>A21/M23/M25>Romford and whilst overall was ~37.2MPG on M25@90MPH it was something closer to 32-35MPG. Did same trip in IS250 for probably 4 times now and get ~35-37MPG.

Back in January, I did 3000miles trip in Europe and average fuel consumption overall was 35.2MPG, bare in mind 4 people with luggage, winter tires, 0w40 oil and -17 degrees C, overall average speed 79MPH and overall average speed through Germany ~110MPH.

Last week did a weekend trip to Scotland and back - 1400 miles, average consumption 38.1MPG, and that is because I was stuck in terrible traffic on single track roads behind campers from Netherlands. That made one of 5 tanks to settle at ~25MPG, but on the way back to London the consumption was 40.2MPG on Motorway ~80MPH. Again 4 people with all hiking gear in the car.

And that is not the best I have seen. Done Romford>via M25/M4>Bath ~100 miles in the city>via A36>Stonehenge>via A303/M3/M25>Romford on one tank 2015 Christmas averaging 44MPG. With 4 people again, just without any gear and it was nice warm British winter weather.

You are on spot in the city though, I see average tanks of 26MPG when driving purely London jams.

One way or another, RC300h consumption in motorway is nothing else but disappointing - that is my main point. That is why it is funny when somebody comes and starts telling me that Lexus hybrid on motorways is somehow not just simple petrol with the heavy Battery pack. Yes it is!

@Rabbers all good points. I guess you explained it very well with your first sentence: "why should Lexus want to engineer a better car than the RC300h when they can so easily con an undiscerning customer". That is exactly what I consider cheating and exactly why I don't like RC300h and exactly opposite to what I am. For me, a company should try their best and be transparent to the customer what they can and can't. I know for a fact they can make better cars - so why they expect me to pay money for a half-baked product? No.. that is unfair... and if a company is unfair to me, how can expect me to be loyal? Furthermore, they sales in EU are not that great, so your point "so easily" doesn't really stand, so if they want to pick-up more market share from BMW, MB and alike they should try harder.

dutchie01 · June 23, 2017

Hey Linas, Lighten Up Man...

A car is more than just digits and i personally could not give a toss about consumption, statistics and other non issues.

in case of a coupe the only ( ONLY) thing that is important is looks. We all know it will be less practical than a 4 door or Suv so LOOKS are all it needs.

Renato, you worded it just right it transports you comfortably and elegantly and that is what a coupe is all about. ( Please please can you post a pic of your beauty..)

If life would be all about consumption i suggest to buy a 320d, also very useful if you cannot get to sleep, just look at your car for 5 mins and ..zzzzzzzz

rayaans · June 23, 2017

30 minutes ago, Linas.P said:

@rayaans - I would disagree, normal fuel consumption on UK motorways somewhat sticking to national speed limits is 38MPG for IS250. That is tested times and times again on route Romford > Luton and Romford > Gatwick, because I often fly to CI for work. I always do early morning drives for 7:20AM flight and always stick with 90MPH and I know for a fact consumption is ~38MPG.Did a trip in RC300h Romford> via M25/A21>Hastings>A26>Brighton>A21/M23/M25>Romford and whilst overall was ~37.2MPG on M25@90MPH it was something closer to 32-35MPG. Did same trip in IS250 for probably 4 times now and get ~35-37MPG.

Back in January, I did 3000miles trip in Europe and average fuel consumption overall was 35.2MPG, bare in mind 4 people with luggage, winter tires, 0w40 oil and -17 degrees C, overall average speed 79MPH and overall average speed through Germany ~110MPH.

Last week did a weekend trip to Scotland and back - 1400 miles, average consumption 38.1MPG, and that is because I was stuck in terrible traffic on single track roads behind campers from Netherlands. That made one of 5 tanks to settle at ~25MPG, but on the way back to London the consumption was 40.2MPG on Motorway ~80MPH. Again 4 people with all hiking gear in the car.

And that is not the best I have seen. Done Romford>via M25/M4>Bath ~100 miles in the city>via A36>Stonehenge>via A303/M3/M25>Romford on one tank 2015 Christmas averaging 44MPG. With 4 people again, just without any gear and it was nice warm British winter weather.

You are on spot in the city though, I see average tanks of 26MPG when driving purely London jams.

One way or another, RC300h consumption in motorway is nothing else but disappointing - that is my main point. That is why it is funny when somebody comes and starts telling me that Lexus hybrid on motorways is somehow not just simple petrol with the heavy battery pack. Yes it is!

@Rabbers all good points. I guess you explained it very well with your first sentence: "why should Lexus want to engineer a better car than the RC300h when they can so easily con an undiscerning customer". That is exactly what I consider cheating and exactly why I don't like RC300h and exactly opposite to what I am. For me, a company should try their best and be transparent to the customer what they can and can't. I know for a fact they can make better cars - so why they expect me to pay money for a half-baked product? No.. that is unfair... and if a company is unfair to me, how can expect me to be loyal? Furthermore, they sales in EU are not that great, so your point "so easily" doesn't really stand, so if they want to pick-up more market share from BMW, MB and alike they should try harder.

Seems like your car must have come from the factory with magic fairy dust sprinkled over it as an added optional extra.

I dont think Lexus cares about UK sales alot. Frankly if they moved out of the UK they wouldn't lose much.

On another note, they could argue that only a small proportion of buyers have your narrow mindedness and therefore they aren't losing much by you not buying another Lexus.

You spend more time slating the products - just go and buy a BMW will you?

Linas.P · June 23, 2017

That is very true as well - 80/20 rule. Again I guess overall RC300h may not be a bad car, but there is a specific problem to me personally or any IS250 owner for that matter. It lacks clear advantage, build quality is not as good (same for IS mk3), materials are not as good (could be argued, but I have few specific examples), the only clear advantage is city MPG, but that doesn't feel as much of achievement when IS250 feels and sounds so much better.

And I wouldn't be spreading my anger here if I would not want the car in that particular shape and from Lexus... problem is that I really feel let down by this half-hearted side-grade model, which is neither best the brand can offer, nor better than older models.

Finally, most annoying is that I might end-up with this car, because my work lease only allows for the cars up to 114g (or 119g) co2. Which means that I cannot get say RC-F or GS450h. So my options are basically to get RC300h on lease or buy used GS450h or BMW640d and claim back annual car allowance... though I need to check if they don't have co2 limits as well (last time I checked I believe they don't on used cars). RC-F simply out of my budget... What I am trying to do is to set my morale so low on this car, that in the end, I would actually enjoy it... I know - first world problems "so sad I have to drive Lexus RC300h".

dutchie01 · June 23, 2017

Well, Lexus seems to be doing pretty well on that CO2 front dont they..

Thing is, you have been bashing the car you will soon be choosing relentlessly so thats a bit hypocritical isnt it?

Another option would be to buy a private car maybe a 640D and claim expenses. Really looking forward to your statistics on that one.

Linas.P · June 23, 2017

It is pretty simple, I am spoiled by IS250 - my expectations were too high for RC300h and that is the result. I don't find values which I associate with the brand in the car and some details really annoy me, sad truth is that there are not many other choices around...

@rayaans - as there is no magic around figures, I might need to write-up my strategy to get to these figures.