2025 Lexus LC 500: A V8 Grand Tourer With Soul

There’s something to be said for quiet confidence. The 2025 Lexus LC 500 isn’t trying to shout over anyone. It doesn’t need to. Dressed in Copper Crest with Toasted Caramel leather and Alcantara inside, it simply arrives—gracefully, unapologetically—and suddenly everyone else in the room feels overdressed or out of place. It’s not the flashiest or loudest car on the road. But spend a week behind the wheel and you quickly realize: this is one of the most elegant cars Lexus has ever built. Maybe one of the most elegant grand tourers, period.

Vicarious had the LC 500 for seven days, which wasn’t nearly enough. In that time, it reminded me of something we sometimes forget in this world of touchscreen-everything and electric torque at every turn: beauty still matters. Emotion still matters. Soul still matters.

Let’s not bury the lead. This car is a stunner. I caught myself looking back at it constantly—when parking, at traffic lights, even reflected in storefronts. The proportions are perfect: long hood, cab-rearward stance, impossibly low roofline. With its 21-inch forged alloys, carbon fibre roof, and retractable spoiler, the LC 500 looks like it belongs in a modern art gallery. Or maybe in a Bond film. Probably both.

Underneath the hood is what separates the LC from almost everything else in this segment: a naturally aspirated 5.0-litre V8. In an age of downsized turbochargers and silent EVs, this engine feels like a time capsule from a more romantic era. It delivers 471 horsepower and 398 lb-ft of torque, but forget the numbers. What stays with you is the sound—a mechanical, baritone symphony that builds with every gear. Titanium intake and exhaust valves lend it a rawness that’s hard to fake. Paired with a 10-speed automatic that never feels confused, you can stretch the gears yourself via paddle shifters and enjoy every note of the soundtrack.

On winding roads, the LC 500 carries its weight like a well-trained dancer—graceful but grounded. The Performance Package adds a Torsen limited-slip differential, four-wheel active steering, and a rear performance damper, which collectively tighten things up without sacrificing the car’s GT character. It’s not a corner-carver in the sense of a Porsche 911, but it wasn’t meant to be. It communicates. It flows. It invites you to savour the drive, not attack it.

The interior is Lexus at its most indulgent. The Toasted Caramel semi-aniline leather feels as good as it sounds, and every inch of the cabin feels hand-touched. There’s a level of craftsmanship here—stitched seams, sculpted door panels, knurled knobs—that speaks to intention. The suede headliner alone is worth pausing to admire. While space is tight, it never feels cramped. The driving position is just right, and everything you need is within easy reach. It feels like a cockpit, not a living room, which I appreciated more than expected.

I’ll admit, the infotainment still lags slightly behind the Germans in overall usability. But with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto now standard, plus a new digital instrument cluster, it’s a big step forward. And honestly, once the V8 clears its throat, the idea of scrolling menus feels irrelevant. This isn’t a car you get into to check email or customize ambient lighting. This is a car you get into to drive.

And drive I did. Through countryside lanes and urban streets, up winding escarpments and past lakes shimmering in the late summer sun. Everywhere I went, the LC 500 attracted attention. Not for being loud, but for being different. And that’s what struck me most. In a world pivoting hard toward electrification, screens, and silent acceleration, the LC 500 is a defiant holdout. It’s not chasing trends. It’s perfecting a feeling.

The LC 500 is a rare bird. Lexus doesn’t build them in massive quantities, and it shows. Each one feels tailored. Each one feels like a statement—about what driving can be when form and function dance instead of compete. This car got under my skin, in the best possible way.

You can argue over stats, you can compare lap times or 0–100 figures, but those miss the point. Some cars make you feel something. And those are the ones that stay with you long after you hand back the keys.

Quick Specs: 2025 Lexus LC 500
Price as tested: $140,057.30 CAD
Freight: $2,205.00 CAD (included in total)
Configuration: Front-engine / Rear-wheel drive
Engine / Transmission: 5.0-litre DOHC V8 / 10-speed Direct Shift automatic
Power / Torque: 471 horsepower / 398 lb-ft
Fuel (Capacity): Premium gasoline (82L)
Fuel Economy (L/100 km): 14.7 city / 9.8 highway / 12.5 combined
Warranties: 3 years / 60,000 km basic, 5 years / 100,000 km powertrain
Notable Features: Carbon fibre roof, Torsen limited-slip differential, 4-wheel active steering, Performance Package, semi-aniline leather interior
Main Competitors: BMW M850i xDrive, Jaguar F-Type R, Mercedes-AMG SL 55, Porsche 911 Carrera
Website: Lexus Canada