What's the difference?
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.
Part of the undeniable charm of Toyota’s 70 Series LandCruisers is the fact they don’t change much, if at all. Sure, the much-loved V8 has been dropped from new 70s in recent years, and it now has LED headlights and a new multimedia system, but otherwise not a lot has been altered. And that’s good.
Because, in a world where everything is so slick, and everyone is so worried about offending someone, the 70 stands out as unapologetically being simply what it is: a boxy truck-like live-axle 4WD.
It's not pretty, it's not comfortable and it offers few, if any, real concessions to occupant safety. But it's very capable off-road and has a ton of potential as a handy touring vehicle.
Toyota has a bad habit of doing the bare minimum with its new-release vehicles, yet the loyalists keep coming back for more and new Toyota fans keep turning up, as well.
It seems this kind of ‘do nothing’ approach works wonders in terms of maintaining the appeal of something like the HiLux or 70 Series line-up.
But does it really? We tested the 2026 Toyota LandCruiser 76 Series in GXL trim to find out.
Read on.
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.
It looks like a house brick, it drives like a busted truck, it has less safety gear than a go-kart and fewer standard features than a shopping cart, yet there’s still so much to like about the 2026 Toyota LandCruiser 76 Series.
It’s fun to drive (if you know what to expect), it’s highly functional (for the job-site or camp-site) and one of the best 4WDs straight out of the showroom. And in GXL guise it makes a lot of sense as a work wagon or a touring vehicle.
Sure, Toyota pushes the boundaries of brand loyalty – consistently doing the bare minimum to keep buyers coming back for more – but in the case of the 76, I don’t mind that because this is one of the old-school 4WDs that should always be available.