2024 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Quick Drive: Stellar Engine, Good Car

• The Lexus LC 500 finally gets a touchscreen and a usable infotainment interface.
• That fixes the most frustrating things about the LC.
• But does that finally make it the convertible GT of our dreams?

The Lexus also suffers from steering that's remote and leaves you wanting more from the front end when you're hustling on a winding road. The brake pedal leaves you with the same lack of connection. 

But honestly, the Lexus LC isn't the gold standard of acceleration, braking or handling and it doesn't have to be. Any slower and the Lexus would be a couch, any sharper and it might be too overwrought for the big Lexus' so-gosh-darn-appealing grand-touring nature. The way Lexus executed its V8 wasn't for the sake of raw numbers; it was so you could just get comfy and enjoy yourself, and that's exactly what you ought to do. 

The rest of the LC isn't quite as sensational

Everything inside this car is covered in supple leather, from the top of the dash to the seats to the door pockets. It is a work of art and beautiful to behold, especially in the so-blue-it's-nearly-purple and ivory color combination seen in our test car. The Takumis back at the Lexus factory in Japan worked their magic with this space — it's so satisfying to be inside that you just want to sit there after a drive and take it all in. 

Of course, for $117,660, you might expect a bit more in the way of standard equipment. A heated steering wheel is an optional extra in the LC; not so in the BMW 8 Series. The optional Mark Levinson sound system is probably the worst high-end sound system in its class. It might just barely compete with the Harman Kardons of the world, but it's not a shine on the Burmester you'll find in the Mercedes SL. 

Despite the infotainment hardware itself being far easier to use, it isn't perfect. The software behind that new 12.3-inch touchscreen is about as bland as a boiled egg and has none of the character that defines iDrive or MBUX. Fun fact: The software is also exactly the same as what you get in the current Toyota Corolla, and that hardly feels right. Not to add insult to injury, but the Corolla actually does a much better job of blending physical and software-based controls, as well — the Lexus relies far too much on the screen. 

Interior storage is also far from acceptable. The center console isn't very spacious, and neither are the door pockets. A convertible isn't expected to have the most small-item storage, but a decent place to put a Stanley wouldn't hurt. The rear seats are, frankly, useless. They serve zero purpose whatsoever, and though coupes and 'verts aren't exactly built for rear-seat riders, the much smaller BMW 2 Series can fit an adult in the back (in a pinch). 

So no, the LC 500 isn't the perfect GT convertible. But in a world where naturally aspirated V8s are dying, none of these gripes mean a thing when you start the engine and lay into the gas.

Edmunds says

The LC 500 is refreshed and we can confidently say it's better than it's ever been.