Review and specifications
2008 Lexus SC
While the configuration of the Lexus SC430 may lead you to believe it is intended to be a sports car, it isn't. A personal luxury car with a retractable hard top, the Lexus SC430 offers the attributes of a plush coupe with the potential for open-air cruising in one of the most sumptuous and refined interiors on the market. The SC430 is very well finished, with extremely soft carpets and supple leather seats. Motorized panels covering the navigation screen and radio create a nearly continuous sweep of nice-looking wood across the dash. The 4.3-liter V8 engine is smooth and refined, but the SC430 is not particularly quick. However, it does return decent overall fuel economy at 21 mpg on premium, and the six-speed automatic transmission shifts smoothly.
- Market value
- $66,355
- Fuel
- Conventional
- Transmission
- Automatic
- Seats
- 4
At a glance
Model data
Overview
- Powertrain
- Conventional
- Body style
- convertible
- Drive type
- RWD
- Transmission
- Automatic, 6-speed
- Category
- Sports cars 4/5-seat
- Generation began
- 2002
Pricing
- Original MSRP range
- $66,355 - $66,355
Ratings
- Road test score
- 73/100
Fuel economy
- EPA city
- 19 MPG
- EPA highway
- 25 MPG
- EPA combined
- 21 MPG
- Tested city
- 14 MPG
- Tested highway
- 29 MPG
- Tested overall
- 21 MPG
- Annual fuel cost
- $2,345
- Cruising range
- 410 miles
Road tests
- 0-30 mph
- 2.5 sec
- 0-60 mph
- 6.5 sec
- 60-0 mph braking
- 127 ft
- Avoidance speed
- 53 mph
- Test status
- Test Completed
Dimensions
- Length
- 179 in
- Width
- 72 in
- Height
- 53 in
- Wheelbase
- 103 in
- Weight
- 3,870 lb
- Maximum load
- 645 lb
- Towing capacity
- 0 lb
Interior
- Seating
- 4 people
- Front head room
- 3 in
- Front leg room
- 41 in
- Rear head room
- 0 in
- Rear leg room
- 17 in
- Cargo volume
- 0 cu ft
- Luggage
- 2+0+0
Brand context
About Lexus
Lexus, Toyota’s upscale sub-brand, is among the few luxury automakers that successfully merges technologically-advanced designs with consistently great reliability. Interiors are quiet and finished with finely-crafted materials. The engines are generally smooth and powerful. Many of its cars and SUVs are available with more fuel-efficient hybrid powertrains. Lexus continues to sell sedans, with its ES, IS, and top-shelf LS models. Most of its SUVs have done well in our testing, including the NX, RX, and TX. The brand’s first all-electric vehicle, the RZ, is a luxury version of the Toyota bZ4X EV. Lexus also sells two-door coupes and convertibles, the RC and LC. Multiple Lexus models have earned Consumer Reports’ recommendation for used cars.
Vehicle ID: 8301 First published: July 22, 2020 Updated: December 4, 2025
Values may vary by trim, options, location, and market conditions.
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