2017 Lexus RC

Fuel economy, running costs, emissions and safety · from U.S. EPA and NHTSA data

The 2017 Lexus RC is sold in the U.S. with gasoline power. The EPA lists 4 configurations for this model year, with combined economy from 21 to 26 MPG and an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,050 to $3,800 at 15,000 miles.

Key numbers

Model year2017
Vehicle classSubcompact Cars
Fuel type(s)Gasoline
Combined economy21-26 MPG
Best / worst combined26 / 21 MPG
Annual fuel cost$3,050-$3,800
Tailpipe CO₂345-415 g/mi
EPA smog rating6-6 / 10

What it costs to fuel

Across its configurations, the 2017 RC costs about $3,050 to $3,800 a year to fuel at the EPA's 15,000-mile basis, averaging roughly $3,575. Over five years that is about $17,875 in fuel alone before maintenance, insurance and depreciation — which is why the running cost, not just the price, decides what a car really costs.

Relative to an average new vehicle, this RC configuration spends about $3,750 more on fuel over five years.

For context, the average combined economy of subcompact cars in this dataset is about 27 MPG. The RC sits roughly 4 MPG below that mark at its midpoint, making it thirstier than average for its EPA class.

Configurations and fuel economy

VersionEngineDriveTransFuelCombinedAnnual fuel
RC 200t2.0L 4-cyl turboRear-WheelAutomaticGasoline26 MPG$3,050
RC 3503.5L 6-cylRear-WheelAutomaticGasoline22 MPG$3,650
RC 300 AWD3.5L 6-cylAll-WheelAutomaticGasoline21 MPG$3,800
RC 350 AWD3.5L 6-cylAll-WheelAutomaticGasoline21 MPG$3,800

Emissions, safety and size

The 2017 RC records tailpipe CO₂ of 345-415 g/mi, an EPA smog rating of 6-6 out of 10. The EPA classifies it as subcompact cars.

Compare this car

Open the comparison tool to line this 2017 RC up against any other vehicle in the database, or jump to other years and trims from the 2017 Lexus RC overview.

← All Lexus RC years ← All Lexus models

Data: U.S. EPA FuelEconomy.gov (public domain) and NHTSA SafetyRatings. Figures are EPA estimates; real-world results vary.