I still remember the exact moment I fell in love with Lexus sports cars.
It was a rainy Saturday morning in 2019. A friend tossed me the keys to his brand-new RC F and said, “Just take it for an hour.” Three hours later, I came back soaked, grinning like an idiot, and immediately started saving for my own. That car didn’t just go fast—it spoke to me. Ever since, I’ve been chasing that feeling, and in 2025, the lineup has never been stronger.
So if you’re losing sleep trying to decide which is the actual best Lexus sports car right now, relax. I did the dirty work for you.
What Actually Makes a Lexus Sports Car “The Best” in 2025?
Most people think it’s just about horsepower or lap times. Wrong.
The best Lexus sports car has to nail four things at once:
- It has to feel special every single time you press the start button.
- It has to be reliable enough that you’re never scared to drive it 500 miles on a whim.
- It has to look good parked outside a five-star restaurant and still embarrass supercars on a back road.
- It can’t make you hate your life on a bumpy commute.
Hit those four, and you’ve got magic. Miss even one, and it’s just another fast car.
1 – 2025 Lexus LC 500: The One That Wins Hearts (and the Crown)
Let’s cut the suspense. The LC 500 is the best Lexus sports car you can buy today. Full stop.
Walk up to it in a parking garage, and it still looks like a concept car that accidentally escaped the Tokyo Motor Show. The proportions are perfect—long hood, tiny cabin, hips that flare like they’re daring you to stare. Even after eight years on sale, people stop and take pictures. I’ve watched it happen a dozen times.
Slide inside, and the magic continues. The seats hug you like they were molded to your body, the steering wheel is thick and leather-wrapped just right, and every switch clicks with the satisfaction of a $300 fountain pen. Then you thumb the starter, and that 5.0-liter V8 wakes up with a baritone rumble that makes your chest vibrate.
Mash the throttle, and 471 horsepower shoves you back while the 10-speed automatic snaps off shifts faster than you can blink. Zero to 60 takes 4.4 seconds in the coupe, 4.6 in the convertible—numbers that feel conservative once you’re actually moving. The chassis is brilliant: stiff enough to feel planted, soft enough that you’re not rattled after two hours into a road trip.
Real-world story: Last summer, I drove an LC 500 convertible from Los Angeles to Big Sur and back—over 800 miles in three days. Zero fatigue, zero drama, and I still got 27 mpg on the highway when I behaved. That’s witchcraft in a car that sounds this good.
Price starts around $101,000. Expensive? Sure. Worth it? If you can swing it, absolutely. Nothing else gives you this much theater and comfort in one package.
2 – 2025 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance: The Sleeper That Punches Way Above Its Weight
Want 80 % of the LC 500 experience for half the money? Meet the IS 500.
Same glorious 5.0-liter V8 making 472 horsepower. Same addictive exhaust note. Same bulletproof reliability. But wrapped in a compact sedan body that costs about $60,000 to start.
This is the best Lexus sports car for people who actually have to live with their toy every day. Four doors mean you can take friends (or kids) without drama. The trunk swallows groceries, golf bags, whatever. And because it looks like “just another IS,” nobody expects it to smoke them at a stoplight.
I’ve seen grown men giggle when they hear the quad exhaust bark to life.
It’s not perfect—the back seat is tight, and the interior tech feels a generation behind the Germans—but when you’re ripping through a canyon and that V8 is howling at 7,300 rpm, none of that matters. This car reminds you why rear-wheel-drive sedans used to rule the world.
If your budget tops out at seventy grand and you still want a naturally aspirated V8 with a warranty, buy this car tomorrow. You’ll thank me later.
3 – 2025 Lexus RC F Final Edition: The Collector’s Goodbye Kiss
Lexus just announced the RC F is going away after 2025, and they’re sending it off with a limited Final Edition. Only 120 examples for the U.S., each one lighter, louder, and meaner than ever.
Carbon roof, carbon hood vents, carbon rear wing, titanium exhaust—the works. Zero to 60 drops to about 4.2 seconds, and the whole car feels like it’s on rails. The engine still revs to 7,300 rpm and sounds absolutely feral with the baffles open.
This is the best Lexus sports car for people who love track days and don’t mind a stiff suspension on the street. It’s raw, loud, and unapologetic. If you ever wanted an M4 Competition that won’t break every six months, this is it.
Downside? They’re already sold out at most dealers and marked up into the stratosphere. If you can find one at a sticker (good luck), grab it. In ten years, it’ll be worth double.
Quick Comparison So You Don’t Have to Make a Spreadsheet
| Model | Starting Price | Horsepower | 0-60 mph | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LC 500 Coupe/Convertible | ~$101k | 471 hp | 4.4 sec | Grand touring, date nights, pure joy |
| IS 500 F Sport | ~$60k | 472 hp | 4.4 sec | Daily driving, stealth speed |
| RC F Final Edition | ~$90k+ | 472 hp | ~4.2 sec | Track days, collector garages |
What About the Future?
Lexus just showed an electric two-door concept at Pebble Beach that looks like an LFA successor on steroids—1,000 horsepower, 0-60 in under two seconds, solid-state batteries. It’s stunning, but it won’t hit the streets until 2027 or later.
Until then, the V8 cars we have right now are the last of a dying breed. And honestly? That makes them even more special.
So Which One Should You Actually Buy?
- Dream garage, money isn’t the main issue → LC 500. You’ll never regret it.
- You want insane performance but still need to pick up the kids → IS 500. Best bang-for-buck sports car on the planet right now.
- You’re a hardcore enthusiast with a trailer and track insurance → Hunt down an RC F Final Edition before they’re gone forever.
Whichever you choose, you’re not just buying the best Lexus sports car—you’re buying years of stupid grins, perfect Sunday mornings, and stories you’ll tell for decades.
Read More: Acura Sports Car Models: Legendary Performance & Driving Joy