Lexus SC (01-09) - Review

Review by David Ross on
Lexus is better known for luxury and refinement rather than keen handling sports cars. That's evident in the SC. It may be a two-seater convertible but it's more at home cruising along rather than being hustled down twisting roads. On paper it seems a good proposition with a 280bhp V8 engine and a 0-62mph time of 6.2 seconds, but in everyday driving it feels cumbersome, not helped by the ponderous automatic gearbox. That said, there's not denying the superb build quality, plus Lexus reliability comes as standard. It's also very well equipped while the metal-folding roof folds away neatly and is more secure a fabric hood. However, it feels dated alongside it's main alternatives and is expensive to run.
2.5 out of 5

Other Lexus reviews

2 out of 5

Running costs

With a thirsty V8 engine capable of just 25mpg, high road tax and group 19 insurance, the SC430 is not a cheap car to own. On the plus side a full service is only needed every 20,000 miles and Lexus dealers are the best in the business. But their rates aren't cheap and neither are tyres or parts.

Summary Running Costs

Servicing period

20,000 miles (major), 10,000 miles (minor).

Warranty

Three years/60,000 miles.

Road tax (12 months)

£270.00 - £475.00

Vehicle excise duty (VED) varies according to the CO2 emissions and the fuel type of the vehicle. For cars registered after March 1st 2001 VED or road tax is based on the car's CO2 emissions. For cars registered before March 1st 2001 it is based on engine size.

Full running costs data

1 out of 5

Green credentials

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CO2 emission figure (g/km)

Fuel economy rating

The arrows indicate the best and worst CO2 bands for this model.

Emissions summary

The SC performs badly on the eco front, with emissions of 269g/km of CO2. It's also thirsty and returns just 25mpg.

Find the exact engine and CO2