In 2026, the world is a strange place. We eat plan based meat, we have meetings in the “metaverse”, and our cars have become silent, soulless iPhones on wheels. So it’s no surprise that today’s society would have you believe that buying a car like this 2026 Lexus LC 500 is not sensible and a bit idiotic. But here’s the thing. Being sensible is boring. And this car is far from boring.
Performance
Engine – Let’s start with what makes this car so special. While everyone else is slapping turbos to 4 or 6 cylinder engines and an electric motor or two, Lexus has stuck with a 5.0L naturally aspirated V8. It produces 471 hp and 398 lb-ft of torque (351 kW & 540 Nm). That doesn’t make the LC 500 a particularly fast car, the Toyota Supra will outrun it to 100 km/h, but with this V8 noise, it feels like you’re strapped into a low flying Spitfire.
Unlike turbocharged engines that run out of puff at around 6,500 rpms, this V8 keeps singing all the way to the 7,300 rpm redline. And what a noise this engine makes. There’s a sound tube that connects the intake manifold directly to the firewall. The result? It physically pipes the mechanical induction roar into your ears.
Inside the engine, it has forged connecting rods along with titanium valves. These are not just there for durability. These allow the engine to rev faster, giving it that razor-sharp response that this engine is known for. This engine will probably go down as one of the best ever made.
Fuel Economy – Of course, with a naturally aspirated V8 that displaces 5 Liters, the LC 500 isn’t exactly a frugal car with the explosive juice. It’s rated for 16 L/100km (14.7 MPG) in a city and 9.5 L/100km (24.7 MPG) on a highway. Both are very believable numbers as I noticed my fuel consumption reading hit 9.8 L/100km (24 MPG) during one trip that involved just highway driving. But with the glorious sounds coming from the engine, along with city traffic, the city fuel economy is also believable. At the end of my time with the car, I averaged 14.8 L/100km (15.9 MPG). But that still cost me over $100 in premium fuel to refill half the tank I had used.
Transmission – The transmission is a 10-speed automatic. The first few gears have shorter ratios so that it gives the LC quick acceleration and keeps the engine in its sweet spot. The last few gears are meant for long distance, highway cruising. Predictably, the gear changes are quick when you’re in the Sport or Sport+ drive modes. Using these lovely alloy paddles is a treat and they are responsive. However, in the normal drive mode, the transmission takes a bit more time to change gears. At least in that mode, the changes are buttery smooth.
Braking – When you have a two-ton luxury cruiser powered by a V8 that wants to go to the moon, you need a way to stop it before you end up in the middle of a lake. To do that, Lexus has fitted the LC 500 with brakes that are, quite frankly, absurd. Behind those 21-inch wheels are front rotors the size of a medium-sized pizza; 15.7 inches to be precise. These are six-piston aluminum monoblock calipers. Six! That’s more pistons than you’ll find in the entire engine of a Honda Civic. In the rear, you get another four pistons. But the real genius is the feel. Usually, big luxury cars have brakes that feel like you’re stepping into a bucket of wet sand. In the LC, they are firm, progressive, and endlessly reassuring. It doesn’t matter how heavy it is; when you ask this car to stop, it doesn’t argue. It just obeys.
Handling – On the handling front, the LC500 is primarily considered a grand tourer. But that’s not to say that you can’t have fun with it when the roads get interesting. It’s heavy at 2 tonnes, but it uses adaptive variable suspension, a limited slip differential, and the engine is pushed as close to the cabin as possible. You can almost call this a front-mid-engined car.
The LC 500 doesn’t feel twitchy and nervous. Instead, it has stability that makes it feel rock solid through corners. Sure, being RWD you can swing the tail out, but this isn’t the type of car that encourages you to do that. It’s more so about settling into a smooth rhythm and gracefully going from one corner to the next.
Comfort
Ride Comfort – Being a grand tourer, the ride should be supple. And it is. Even with these 21-inch wheels and low profile tires, the adaptive suspension soaks up bumps with ease and makes it feel as though you’re driving on a marshmallow road.
The front seats are the other part of the comfort equation. Not only is the driving position perfect but the seats hold you in under cornering Gs and still provide supple support for long commutes.
Interior Space – The 2026 Lexus LC 500 Convertible is a 2+2 GT car. This means that the front occupants have loads of space and the two rear seats are for insurance purposes only. No human being can comfortably sit there. But in the front, there is plenty of legroom even if you’re as tall as me at 6’4”. Headroom is equally good with the roof up. As for visibility around the car, seeing out the back is difficult due to the small window in the roof and the blind zone to the right is fairly large. But drop the top, and these issues fade away. The trunk has 96 L (3.4 cu-ft) of space which is enough for a small bag or two but at least the roof doesn’t impede the trunk volume.
Noise, Vibration, & Harshness – With the top down, your ears are in for a treat. There are no turbochargers, no synthesised sounds from the speakers, just raw noise from the V8. The sound is as smooth as the engine itself. There’s just one “pop” from the exhaust as the transmission upshifts but otherwise, there are no crackles like a BMW or Mercedes-AMG engine when lifting off the throttle. It’s a symphony that rivals an opera.
When the top is up, this is one of the quietest convertibles on sale. The roof is a simple fabric top but it’s been made with 4 layers of fabric and insulation. On top of that, the car comes with Active Noise Control to remove unwanted sounds from the cabin. The result is a cabin that feels more like a sensory deprivation tank.
Odds and Ends
Pricing – The 2026 Lexus LC 500 Convertible will cost you $136,335 CAD ($121,850 USD). This one is the Inspiration Edition 8 which is an extra $590 package and only 350 of these convertibles will be made for North America. This car is number 2 of the series.
Gadgets – As for convenience features that you get for that money, it has heated & ventilated seats, a heated steering wheel, a head-up display, a Mark Levinson audio system, dual zone automatic climate control, and of course that soft-top which can be raised or lowered in 15 seconds and up to a speed of 50 km/h or 30 mph. And for us Canadians who like to drive with the top down even when there’s a negative symbol in front of the temperature, Lexus has thought of you. There’s a little vent here in the seat that blows warm air on your neck.
The best part of this interior is that it no longer uses that finicky touchpad for the infotainment system. The LC500 moves, a bit, with the times and gains a 12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless CarPlay & Android Auto connectivity.
Interior Design – The interior of the 2026 Lexus LC 500 Convertible is nothing short of exquisite. This car still displays a level of craftsmanship that you’d expect from luxury cars such as this. It doesn’t just use touchscreens for everything. There are physical buttons and switches that have a lovely tactile feel. The details of this interior are verging on obsessive. The paddles are made of magnesium. The door panels are lined with semi-aniline leather. The door handles are floating sculptures.
Exterior Design – The Lexus LC 500 looks like a masterpiece. It features the “Spindle Grille” at the front that looks like it wants to inhale passing cyclists. Then you have these ultra-compact triple-projector LED headlights that mimic tears running down the car’s face. And the rear lights are pure theater. Lexus uses an “infinity-mirror” effect inside the housing. When you step on the brakes, it looks like you’re staring down an endless, glowing portal into another dimension. With the roof up, many convertibles look like a sports car wearing a bad toupee. Not this. The four-layer fabric roof mimics the exact silhouette of the coupe. But when you drop the top, it exposes a beautifully kicked-up trunk line that gives the car the stance of a crouching predator.
Safety – Every Canadian LC 500 comes standard with Lexus Safety System+ 2.5. This means you get a Pre-Collision System that can detect pedestrians and cyclists. It also features All-Speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control and Lane Tracing Assist. But because this is a convertible, there is one safety feature I particularly hope you never see. Tucked away behind the rear seats are active, pop-up roll bars. If the onboard computers detect that you’ve thoroughly botched a corner and inverted the car, these heavy metal pillars shoot upward in a fraction of a second to prevent your head from becoming part of the scenery.
Warranty – Like many other Lexus Vehicles, the 2026 Lexus LC 500 Convertible is covered by a 4 year / 60,000 km new vehicle and 6 year / 110,000 km powertrain warranty. Plus, this is a Toyota underneath and it doesn’t have any complicated turbocharger or mild-hybrid components to worry about. So it should last a long time. For more information on Canadian Lexus warranty, click here. For information on American warranty, click here.
Conclusion – Sadly, this is the end of the Lexus LC500. Government regulations are forcing manufacturers to either get rid of V8s like this one or turbocharge and hybridize them. The LC 500 is not the fastest, or the most high-tech nor the most practical. But it is the one that still feels analog in a digital age. It’s the last naturally aspirated V8s we’ll ever see at this price point. It’s flawed, it’s heavy, and it’s magnificent.
Thank you to Lexus Canada for providing the 2026 LC 500 Convertible. www.Lexus.ca
2026 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Gallery
