Test drive: 2007 Lexus SC430
It's been three years since I last tested a Lexus SC430, and in that time a lot of new retractable hardtops have entered the market. So when we got an invitation to spend July 4th at a friend's house on Lake Nowherenearcivilization, I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to take the SC430 on a road trip to see how it's holding up.
You can probably guess how this one came out -- we all know that Lexus builds a pretty good car. The bigger issue is how the SC430 can compete now that even Pontiac and Volkswagen are offering convertibles with retractable hardtops. (Ford even offers European buyers a Focus with a retractable hardtop!) So how did the SC430 do? Check out my 2007 Lexus SC430 test drive to find out. Got any thoughts on the SC430? Do you think this car still leads the pack -- or is it past its prime? Click the "comments" link below and tell us what you think. -- Aaron Gold
Photo © Aaron Gold
Aaron,
I wonder why they bothered putting in the back seats at all. Even groceries would feel claustrophobic. A cargo shelf for a cooler or picnic basket would have been more practical. I have seen those rear seats, and I can attest that you cannot even put the most miniscule child in the seat. There is no way that 2 inches is enough legroom between the front and rear seats (NOT KIDDING). They probably did it for insurance purposes, but for the sticker price like that, anyone who could afford the car to begin with wouldn’t care about insurance being high.
The other factor beyond price and a silly rear seat is the look. It’s wayyy to bubbly looking, and just not macho enough. They should make it look meaner, like the new IS.
What I think is the big reason why you don’t hardly ever see one of these on the road is that for the same money you can get a Porsche and even though I’m not crazy about Porsche’s “bug eyes” look,at least I know I’ll be driving a “state of the art” sports car rather than a ‘wanna be”…besides, at a party, what impresses people more when they ask you what you drive…a lexus with some numbers after it (that means nothing to 90% of folks) or when you just say PORSCHE!
The SC430 is just plain ugly.
After the striking original SC400 and SC300 coupes of the nineties, the SC430 was a big let-down in terms of styling. The retractible hardtop meant that it was designed with a rather chunky-looking rear end and a comparatively high belt-line.
Furthermore, the SC430, while competent, does not offer particularly sporty handling or performance.
Other luxury cars (notably the Cadillac XLR and the Mercedes-Benz SL), and even non-luxury cars (the Mazda MX-5) pull off the retractible hardtop with a lot more style.
Just like owners of 2-door sedans are more likely to be involved in accidents than owners of the 4-door sedan version of the same make and model of car, insurers have figured out that 2-passenger cars have higher rates of accidents than 4-passenger cars, even cars that can only marginally be considered to be 4-passenger cars. It doesn’t really make sense, but if it saves a few bucks on insurance, then why not?