Car & Driver has published a comparison test with the Lexus RC 350 F SPORT, Cadillac ATS coupe 3.6, and Audi S5. The results for the RC were not pretty:
Some of Lexus’s dreams come true, many do not. In the normal driving mode, the RC350 shows poise any grandma would love. The engine hums with nary a harsh note. The transmission hurries to overdrive, ride motions are plush, the steering is light to the touch. Turn-signal clicks are barely audible.
Hustled through the slalom cones, this car turns enthusiastically, then stumbles into crippling understeer. Are the rear-steering wheels, the tires, or the engineers to blame? We suspect all are.
Back-road moves are also a mess. The light, quick steering fools you into diving into bends too aggressively for the available grip. Brake-pedal mushiness saps confidence. Ride motions are jiggly and induce abundant head toss.
In the end, the RC F SPORT finished last in the comparison. Out of a total 240 points, the S5 finished with 209, the ATS with 195, and the RC F SPORT with 165. Strangely, the $5,000/$7,000 premium for the S5 over the RC/ATS does not reflect in the scores at all.
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