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Well let’s start with a look at the design, and it’s fair to say the RZ more than looks the part! Starting at the back, you’ll find a full-length light bar, some neat little spoilers and big Lexus badging. There may be some fake vents too, but we can forgive them for now. The RZ has a good side profile, with smart creases along the doors, while up front the RZ still keeps the traditional Lexus design, although in this instance there’s no grille.
But while the exterior design looks good, the interior looks even better! The cabin is built with soft-touch materials throughout, and there’s a huge infotainment screen at the centre of the dash that is really intuitive and well-designed. Thankfully it also has separate climate control buttons, so they are easy to manage when driving. The seats are also well-made and available in either fake suede or leather.
When it comes to motors and battery combinations, there’s only one available - two electric motors and a 71kWh battery pack that combine to produce 313hp. It also comes with a claimed range of 272 miles.
So it all sounds pretty impressive! But is it really worth the £64,500 starting price?! Stick with Mat and see for yourself!
Lexus introduced the new RZ, a dedicated battery EV (BEV) model, in Brussels, Belgium. The release is planned to gradually roll out across various regions beginning in fall 2025.
RZ Main Specifications RZ 550e F SPORT AWD
System Max Output 300 kW [407.8 PS]
0-100 km/h Acceleration 4.4 sec.
Cruising Range Approx. 450 km
RZ 500e AWD
System Max Output 280 kW [380.6 PS]
0-100 km/h Acceleration 4.6 sec.
Cruising Range Approx. 500 km
RZ 350e FWD
System Max Output 165 kW [224.3 PS]
0-100 km/h Acceleration 7.5 sec.
Cruising Range Approx. 575 km
The new RZ features a fully redesigned BEV system, delivering increased motor output, an extended driving range, and reduced charging time. It also introduces the next-generation Steer-by-Wire System, providing a completely new driving experience. Improvements to the platform enhance fundamental driving performance, while refinements to the DIRECT4 all-wheel-drive system further elevate its characteristics. These advancements refine the 'The Natural' driving concept, deepening the Lexus Driving Signature for a smoother, more intuitive, and exhilarating drive. A new addition to the lineup, the RZ 550e F SPORT, comes equipped with higher-output front and rear motors, achieving a maximum system output of 300 kW for a more powerful and exhilarating driving experience.
Furthermore, Lexus introduces Interactive Manual Drive for the first time, a feature that enhances the excitement of shifting by synchronizing acceleration and deceleration with immersive sound. This innovation delivers a sportier, more responsive driving feel, offering greater engagement and driving pleasure. The exterior of the new RZ includes exclusive color options, as well as front and rear spoilers and aerodynamic wheels that enhance performance. Inside, exclusive seats and aluminum pedals contribute to a distinctly sporty ambiance.
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- I like how we reached times where: a tall, 2 ton, 5 sitter family car with more than a 500 liter boot is capable to do 0-60 in 5.3 seconds from stand-still and we call it "decent" where just not long ago, really not so long ago, the average SPORTS-CAR barely could do those 5 seconds.. I remember when the Enzo was revealed and also the SLR McLaren that both did 3.8 seconds (Which is only 1.5 seconds faster than this) and those cars were really fast for commercial supercars, so much so that all car review channels and magazines praised them as marvels of technology - where now not even a generation time passed, and we are driving SUVs that are as fast (some even faster) and still capable doing all daily tasks with your family onboard reliably. not having to service a V12 engine against an annual salary payment.- Always been a big fan of Lexus but I must say, this must be the last EV built with techs of an ice car, there's hardly any new innovation. Tesla has left its competitions far behind.
- kind of weird not comparing this to the Model y, you do compare the boot and frunk - why not just include it? The Rz and all the other german cars seem like very bad deals compared, even with a nutty Elon. Elephant in the room anyone?
- I purchased an Rz450e in January, live in Ohio, USA. In mixed temperatures and urban/highway driving, I have averaged 3.8 miles/Kwh since delivery. I use the regen paddles religiously for coasting and regen braking- find that it helps keep you focused on the road ahead, much like a manual shift car that you are trying to maximize mpg from. Rather enjoy that aspect, but might not be for everyone. I also favor the radiant heaters over the central climate control, found that I need leather shoes and good socks to keep my feet from getting cold. Bought the Lexus pop-in roof shades which help a lot above 75 degrees to reduce A/C load. Drive ECO mode in the city and relaxed country driving, Normal mode for our highways for the superior passing and maneuvering. Best car that I have ever owned, hands down. I think that the Toyota engineers actually designed a fine car IF you want to learn the nuances and are willing to adapt your settings and interactions with the machine to maximize performance and efficiency. If you want to “set it and forget it” and want maximum convenience, you will most likely be disappointed in efficiency/range. I also believe that the EV space is too new to value longevity and the few cars with enough miles (say>100k miles)to judge battery health are limited to Tesla models and the early ones at that with questionable build quality. I do think the RZ is conservatively designed to last 10 years as a quality car, but of course only time will tell and technology could always leapfrog everything. My 2 pence worth- no offense intended but I think there are very much 2 sides to the RZ story. In the U.S. the capitalized lease cost gets discounted from $64k to $46k so the MSRP is not only not realistic but actually misleading- Lexus should just reprice to a more realistic level to help people judge the true value proposition. Happy motoring to all.
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