The used Lexus RC to buy is an RC 350 if you want the smooth V6 most people expect from this coupe, or an RC 300 if you mainly want the looks and lower running costs. Whichever you pick, confirm on the VIN that the Denso low-pressure fuel pump recalls are closed on 2017-2019 cars, and that an RC F from 2015-2018 had its high-pressure fuel pumps replaced. Lexus ended the RC after the 2025 model year with no replacement, so the supply only shrinks from here.
That last point comes from Car and Driver's 2025 RC review, which says the coupe ends an 11-model-year run after 2025 with no successor planned. The RC F went out the same year, sold only as a Final Edition, per C/D's RC F page. I checked both pages and ran the NHTSA recalls API for every RC name I could find on Saturday, October 17, 2026. The recall list is short, which is the good news. The bad news is that a short list makes people lazy about checking it.
RC 300, RC 350 or RC F: what you actually get
C/D's current review describes the base RC 300 as a turbocharged four-cylinder with 241 hp and 258 lb-ft, an eight-speed automatic and rear-wheel drive. Here is the confusing part. If you buy an RC 300 with all-wheel drive, Lexus gives you a 3.5-liter V6 instead, rated 260 hp with a six-speed automatic. The RC 350 runs a 311-hp version of that V6, again with an eight-speed in rear-drive form and a six-speed with AWD. So two cars with the same RC 300 badge can have completely different engines, and the only way to be sure is to decode the VIN.
The RC F uses a 472-hp 5.0-liter V8, and C/D lists an adaptive suspension, a limited-slip rear differential and Brembo brakes. It is the enthusiast car of the bunch. Even so, C/D's view is that it never matched the edge of an Audi RS5 or BMW M4. Older turbo cars wear the name RC 200t in NHTSA's database (I found it on 2017 records), so search that name too when you research an early four-cylinder.
Be honest with yourself about the regular RC. C/D gave the 2025 coupe 5.5 out of 10, praising the plush interior, the styling and Lexus's quality reputation, and knocking the cramped rear seat, the lack of performance thrill and so-so fuel economy. It is a comfortable grand tourer, closer to a two-door ES in spirit than a BMW 4 Series. The factory warranty is four years or 50,000 miles, so only the last couple of model years still have any left. C/D's used-value tool showed RC prices from about $21,900 up to $100,808 across years and trims when I looked, and that upper number is a brand-new RC F Final Edition.
RC recalls to check on the VIN
- 18V107, 2015-2018 RC F: under certain conditions the pulsation damper in one of the two high-pressure fuel pumps on the 2UR-GSE V8 can be damaged, which can crack the pump cover and leak fuel. The NHTSA record says dealers replace both high-pressure pumps. The same campaign covers the GS F and early LC 500.
- 20V012 and 20V682, 2017-2019 RC 200t, RC 300 and RC 350: the huge Toyota and Lexus low-pressure fuel pump recalls. A failing pump can stall the engine while you are driving. Under 20V682 dealers fit an improved pump assembly. These two campaigns span dozens of models, so do not assume your specific car is included or excluded. Check the VIN.
- 22V615, 2020-2022 RC F: the tire information label leaves off the vehicle's weight capacity. It is a sticker swap, but it is still an open recall until it is done.
Our Lexus recall check by VIN walkthrough shows where to look up open campaigns for one car, and the Lexus VIN decoder post explains which characters tell you engine and drive type. NHTSA's free vPIC decoder will confirm whether that "RC 350 F Sport" really has the V6.
What to look at on a test drive
Drive it long enough to get fully warm, but know that a clean test drive proves nothing about the fuel pump recall, since an unrepaired pump can quit without warning later. On F Sport models with adaptive suspension, try each drive mode and make sure the ride actually changes. Look closely at the front end and wheels. Low coupes take curb rash and parking-lot hits, and a cheap repaint on a front fascia is often the only sign of a minor accident a dealer never mentioned. On an RC F, ask for tire and brake receipts, because Brembo pads and staggered performance tires are not cheap.
Other cars to cross-shop
If you want this kind of Lexus but need four doors, our used Lexus IS buying guide is the obvious next read, and the used Lexus GS buying guide covers the bigger sedan that shares the RC F's V8 in GS F form. Shoppers comparing Japanese luxury coupes and sedans on a budget should also look at our used Infiniti Q50 buying guide.
Run the history before you send a deposit
Check the title on NMVTIS, then read a full history report for accidents, odometer readings and how many owners the car has had. A seller-supplied PDF is not proof of anything. We have seen edited ones, and on a sporty coupe that has been passed around, a doctored report is exactly the thing that hides a crash. CarVins resells CARFAX and AutoCheck reports under license and has no affiliation with CARFAX, AutoCheck, Experian or Lexus. As of this weekend a single report with us cost roughly $5.50 as a guest or about $4.50 for members, and around $6.75 got both brands, against about $39.99 to $44.99 buying direct. Those numbers can shift, so the checkout page is the final word.
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