Lexus RC vs BMW i Series

What's the difference?

VS
Lexus RC
Lexus RC

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2020 price

BMW i Series
BMW i Series

$88,900 - $233,400

2026 price

Summary

2020 Lexus RC
2026 BMW i Series
Safety Rating

Engine Type
V6, 3.5L
Electric motor type
Electromagnetically Excited
Fuel Type
Premium Unleaded Petrol
Vehicle type
Battery Electric
Fuel Efficiency
9.4L/100km (combined)
Electric range
805 km
Energy consumption

18.8 kWh/100km
Battery capacity

108.70 kWh
Seating
4

5
Dislikes
  • Infuriating multimedia system
  • Token second row of seats
  • Not very fuel efficient

  • Light-touch steering takes some getting used to
  • Feels heavy on some roads
  • The native operating system can be clunky and confusing
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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2026 BMW i Series Summary

There are a lot of big numbers surrounding the BMW iX3, the German brand’s new-from-the-ground-up EV that acts as the flagbearer for its future-facing Neue Klasse (or New Class) architecture, designed to distil all the ingredients that make a BMW a BMW, and then electrify for them for the post-ICE (internal combustion engine) era.

But the one that really stood out? 805. That’s how many kilometres of driving range the iX3 will deliver, though admittedly in its most efficient and least exciting driving modes. That is bonkers, right?

It’s worth pointing out the first BMW i3, which only launched a decade-or-so ago, delivered more like 150km on what would have been the WLTP cycle, if it had existed then. Talk about leaps and bounds.

A good start for the newest BMW EV, then. But what else does the iX3 have to offer?

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Deep dive comparison

2020 Lexus RC 2026 BMW i Series

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