Contact The Editor
Articles By This Author
Entry level, sometimes, is all you need. It all depends on how and where you enter.
If you get there in a 2016 Lexus RC 200t, the new bottom of the Lexus RC luxury performance line, you still have arrived.
It is just that you've come without implying you normally spend weekends running fast laps at the local racetrack. For that, you need the RC F Sport.
The rear-drive RC 200t has as much external style as the F Sport, and its interior is every bit as pretty as that of the F Sport or all-wheel-drive RC 300, or the RC 350, which can be had in rear-wheel or all-wheel-drive. The emphasis is different.
As noted, the F Sport is track-ready. The RC 300 bows to Mother Nature, especially when she is dumping loads of snow. The RC 350 is for those folks who want and can afford everything. The RC 200t, the most affordable coupe in the Lexus RC line, is an homage to common sense, fuel economy, beauty and fun.
Most of us don't take our cars to run on racetracks; and it doesn't snow every day, everywhere. The RC 200t is for the rest of us who just want a very nice car.
That it is; and you pay for it when it is fully optioned with all the latest electronic safety equipment - a $48,120 final transaction price. That is the Lexus notion of "entry level."
You get a lot, including one of the smoothest running automobiles in the U.S. market.
Entry level and fuel economy, in this case, do not mean wimp. The RC 200t moves nicely, albeit heavily. The car has a curb weight, without people or cargo, of 3,737 pounds. Put in passengers and cargo, and you're looking at in excess of 4,000 pounds - easily.
But the twin-turbocharged (forced air), 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine in the 200t is up to the task. At maximum oomph, it yields 241 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. That is more than enough to get you where you want to go.
The 200t starts at a base price of $39,995. If you are going to spend that much money, you might as well spend nearly $6,000 more for the technology packages and electronic safety options, some of which are sold as standard equipment on the 200t.
I am not trying to be cynical or cavalier. It is just that I've learned over the years and miles that safety equipment such as blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning and rear cross traffic alert, sold as options on many vehicles, could save a lot of pain and money.
Ah, that passenger cabin! Lexus is to be congratulated for not assuming that everyone who wants a sports coupe also wants to be roughed up. Some of us just want to look fancy. But we want a ride that is kind to our bodies and that actually is comfortable for four adults. The 200t offers all of that and more.
The 200t used for this column had a leather-trimmed interior with ventilated front seats (welcome in summer weather). It also came with a premium sound system, Lexus Enform Service Connect (a one-year subscription for emergency services), high-definition backup camera and onboard navigation system. "Entry level," apparently, means more at Lexus.
Nuts & Bolts
2016 Lexus RC 200t
Bottom line: The 200t is the luxury coupe for people who want to save a little money.
Ride, acceleration and handling: It is a heavy car that gets good marks in all three areas.
Head-turning quotient: Stunning inside and out.
Body style/layout: The RC 200t is a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, two-door, fully four-seat coupe. It is the car for those of us who wanted a Lexus RC - but not the F Sport, 300 or 350. Thanks, Lexus.
Engine/transmission: The 200t comes with a 2.0-liter, twin turbocharged, inline four-cylinder, 16-valve gasoline engine with variable valve timing. It is linked to an eight-speed automatic transmission that also can be operated manually via steering-wheel mounted paddle shifters.
Capacities: It seats four people. Cargo capacity is 10.4 cubic feet with all seats in place. The fuel tank holds 17.4 gallons of gasoline. Premium grade is required.
Mileage: I averaged 31 miles per gallon in highway driving with one passenger and no cargo.
Safety: Standard equipment includes front and rear ventilated disc brakes; four-wheel antilock brake protection; emergency braking assistance; electronic brake-force distribution; post-collision safety system; traction and stability control; electronic parking assistance; radar cruise control with pre-collision safety system; blind spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert; side and head air bags.
Pricing: The Lexus RC 200t starts at $39,995 with a dealer's invoice price of $37,195. Price as tested is $48,120 including $5,892 in options (navigation, premium sound system, leather seating and other items) and a $950 shipping charge.
