MPG pre and Post Facelift RC300h

[NemesisUK]

Just returned from another stay at our favourite hotel in Cornwall, A trip we have done many times in both models.  447 miles return journey. Average speed ~50mph, (a speed which would be similar for both vehicles over each trip)

My first RC a 2016 pre-facelift model couldn't manage the return journey on a single tank full. We usually had to refill approx 40-50 miles from home.

My second RC a 2019 facelift model does the same journey with ease, showing between 100 to 150 mlles range left when e get home

Just did a brim-to-brim fill and recorded 40.8 mpg almost identical to that recorded from bumbling around town. Impressive. The pre-facelift mpg would plummet to the low 30's on the open road. Lexus have obviously tweaked something..

[Rabbers]

Vindicates the existence of the facelifted model and illustrates the virtues of an educated right foot ….👟I had noticed some improvement in fuel consumption but nothing quite so spectacular.  

[NemesisUK]

Thank you but that's an average speed over the whole trip (I tend to avoid motorways, too boring for me and no escape in the event of congestion). My right foot was somewhat planted when I felt it safe to do so! Both models excel at high speed cruising, mid range, even higher range acceleration is impressive .. 😎

[JRowe]

In the pre 2018 model im now getting an avg of 46 on eco mode and the e10 fuel, highest tank was 48 avg. Full tank hit around 550 miles. The runs was 2 weeks to work, same time of day ect. mix of motorway and A roads 36 miles round trip. Im a truck driver, so called "Trained" in safe and fuel efficient driving.  

[Rabbers]

I no longer monitor my fuel consumption as closely as I once did.  My driving patterns have largely stabilised after a growing tendency, shared with Peter, to stay off motorways, thereby reducing frustration and generally allowing me to take in the scenery.  Like I always did, I fill up immediately or very soon after the low-fuel warning comes on, and then note the resulting forecast full-tank range.  The 890-920km (550-570 miles) I generally see in the 2019 RC indicates an improvement of something like 6% in everyday driving scenarios in respect of the 2016 model's 840-860km (520-535 miles). The forecast range between and after consecutive motorway-only runs would sometimes drop below 700km (435 miles) in the 2016 RC, and although I don't precisely recall what figures I saw after the very few comparable drives I have done in the 2019 model, they were certainly a lot better, maybe even as high as 800km (500 miles).  

In summary, I nowadays prefer to compare successive projected tank ranges after filling up rather than frequently or constantly looking  at the average consumption figure.  But when I do look, I expect to see 15km/l (42mpg) or better, and am frankly disappointed with anything less than 15.5km/l (44mpg).

I haven't for quite some years used ECO mode, or even thought of doing so other than briefly.  I was therefore interested and perhaps a little surprised to read that Jason, if I understand him right, actually does, or did, for as much as a whole tankful.  Never having seen much point to it except perhaps in long queues and abnormally slow traffic, I have not tried to figure out its presumably favourable effect on consumption - though I imagine somebody somewhere probably has.

[R07ARY]

I'm finding my post face lift marginally better then the 1st gen even with the use of E10.  Haven't usd ECO for along time either.  Averaging 40.8 since new, and on 9,500 miles.

[H3XME]

This is an interesting read to say the least.. I've been toying with the idea of RC300h for a while now.. However I have now changed jobs at the start of January which results in 38 mile round trip everyday. I'd say at least 30 of those miles are on the motorway, and my manual IS250 averages 35mpg on this run. Seems like getting an RC300h for fuel economy makes no sense right now, to me anyway. Before I'd be going to work only 5miles away but town driving, averaging 23mpg. Getting a "sensible" everyday car like 300h made sense, but I don't think it's needed anymore.. might as well get 200t maybe. Did you guys consider 200t at all before buying 300h? Obviously there isn't a lot of them in the UK, but still.. 

[Linas.P]

You kind of know the answer 😄

Just don't!

[NemesisUK]

1 hour ago, H3XME said:

Did you guys consider 200t at all before buying 300h?

No, I didn't as I always wanted a hybrid.

The fact Lexus dropped the model very quickly speaks volumes?

[Rabbers]

1 hour ago, H3XME said:

Did you guys consider 200t at all before buying 300h? …

No way.  I believe only 15 units were imported into Italy, of which the majority were re-exported unsold, mainly, I understand, to Eastern European countries.  Since Japanese corporations are renowned for their collective decision-making, I would guess the 200t has became a symbol of collective embarrassment 

[Linas.P]

1 hour ago, NemesisUK said:

No, I didn't as I always wanted a hybrid.

The fact Lexus dropped the model very quickly speaks volumes?

Lexus only dropped the model in UK (not sure about situation in EU). 200t and as they named it elsewhere "RC300" remained quite popular across Asia, Middle East, developing world and US (US more comparable to developing world when it comes to fuel situation). 

There are multiple reason why it doesn't make sense in UK, like list price - in US RC300 was quite significant saving compared to RC350, whereas in UK start price was actually more expensive than 300h. Then there is obviously cost of fuel - 22MPG in US is fine, whereas in Europe it really hurts. Then there is point of taxes etc.

In summary RC200t meant to be "cheap" by Lexus standards, as that suppose to be the sole strength, but in UK it was anything but... thus negating the only strength the car has. I think RC-F being literally more fuel efficient under normal driving circumstances summarises the point. 

[H3XME]

14 hours ago, Linas.P said:

Lexus only dropped the model in UK (not sure about situation in EU). 200t and as they named it elsewhere "RC300" remained quite popular across Asia, Middle East, developing world and US (US more comparable to developing world when it comes to fuel situation). 

There are multiple reason why it doesn't make sense in UK, like list price - in US RC300 was quite significant saving compared to RC350, whereas in UK start price was actually more expensive than 300h. Then there is obviously cost of fuel - 22MPG in US is fine, whereas in Europe it really hurts. Then there is point of taxes etc.

In summary RC200t meant to be "cheap" by Lexus standards, as that suppose to be the sole strength, but in UK it was anything but... thus negating the only strength the car has. I think RC-F being literally more fuel efficient under normal driving circumstances summarises the point. 

Good point. It just didn't work out in the UK.. there is a couple of RC-Fs around 30k which is the same money you'd pay for 300h with only a bit less miles on it.. Not to mention, big V8s can do hundreds of thousands of miles, that engine is fairly old school, in theory it should be a hassle free ownership if you can get over the fuel bill around town. For example, 5.0 V8 mustang GT we have here does ~40mpg on the run (in a real life test) which is insane for such a big engine. RC-F is a no brainer if I had £30k to spend, but unfortunately £20k is more realistic for me.. guess I'll just wait. It's not exactly a great time to buy now anyway. 

[Linas.P]

Yes sometimes they go as low as £25k, at which point buying 200t/300h makes no sense. But it was a while since I have seen RC-F under £30k. As you said now it is not good time - all cars seems to be at least 20% up in price.