Lexus RC vs Aston Martin DB11
What's the difference?

Lexus RC

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2020 price

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Aston Martin DB11

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2019 price

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Aston Martin Vanquish

Lamborghini Aventador

Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Mercedes-Benz C43

Mercedes-Benz C63

Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class

Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Mercedes-Benz E53

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Summary

2020 Lexus RC

2019 Aston Martin DB11

By Justin Hilliard

By James Cleary

Safety Rating

Engine Type

V6, 3.5L

V12, 5.2L

Fuel Type

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency

9.4L/100km (combined)

11.4L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Striking exterior design
Feels rather luxurious
Unrivalled value for money

Looks
Speed
Dynamics

Dislikes

Infuriating multimedia system
Token second row of seats
Not very fuel efficient

Expected safety tech MIA
Modest warranty
No Apple CarPlay/Android Auto

2020 Lexus RC Summary

If it wasn’t for this review appearing on your screen right now, would you have even remembered the Lexus RC was a thing?

At the time of writing, the RC is actually the fifth most popular model in its sports car segment. Yep, only the two-door versions of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and E-Class, and BMW 4 Series and Z4 sell better.

So, why is the RC seemingly invisible? But more importantly, does it deserve to be? Let’s test the RC 350 F Sport to find out.

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2019 Aston Martin DB11 Summary

It might look like a stealth fighter, but this dramatic example of Aston Martin’s DB11 AMR didn’t fly under anyone’s radar during its time in the CarsGuide garage.

Forget the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, this piece of British royalty caused jaws to drop and camera phones to rise more effectively than any mere ginger celebrity or ex-TV trouper.

AMR stands for Aston Martin Racing, and this performance flagship replaces the ‘standard’ DB11, delivering even more fire under the hood and fury from the exhaust. Aston also claims it’s faster, dynamically superior, and sleeker on the inside.

In fact, the DB11 AMR’s 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 now produces enough grunt to accelerate it from 0-100km/h in just 3.7 seconds.

More than just a flash Harry, then? Let’s find out.

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Deep dive comparison

2020 Lexus RC 2019 Aston Martin DB11

Verdict

If you’re a buyer that thinks with their head, the RC 350 F Sport is the obvious choice when compared to its direct rivals.

After all, it looks great (at least to these eyes), feels luxurious in more ways than one, and is unrivalled when considering value-for-money.

But, if you think with your heart instead, it’s clear it is isn’t on the same level dynamically and therefore doesn’t feel as sporty to drive as its name suggests.

So, don’t let its sports car classification fool you, the RC 350 F Sport is more of a grand tourer, or a comfortable cruiser, to be precise, and an underrated one at that.

Verdict

The Aston Martin DB11 AMR is fast, capable and beautiful. It has a unique character and charisma its Italian and German competitors can’t match. That said, some important media and safety-tech features are absent. So, it’s not perfect... just brilliant.

Lexus RC vs Aston Martin DB11 What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Lexus RC vs Aston Martin DB11
What's the difference?