Lexus RZ Review 2024

The Lexus RZ is everything we've come to expect from Toyota's premium brand. It's an exceptionally well made electric SUV, with almost unrivalled refinement and surprising performance. There's a catch, though, and that's the range...

Before we go any further, let's explore where exactly the Lexus RZ sits in the marketplace. It's based on the Toyota bZ4x - which is also sold as the Subaru Solterra.

Its closest rivals (in terms of size, at least) are the BMW iX3 and Genesis Electrified GV70.

You're also likely to be looking at the Audi Q8 e-tron (or even the smaller Q4 e-tron), as well as the Mercedes EQC, Tesla Model Y and Jaguar I-Pace.

That's quite an extensive list of rivals, especially considering many buyers are still a little nervous about parting with their cash for an electric car. And the first question many ask is how far it can travel on a charge? The answer, in the case of the Lexus RZ, is up to 272 miles (on 20-inch alloy wheels) or 252 miles (on 18-inch alloy wheels).

That sounds like a reasonable distance, although the Audi Q8 e-tron can manage 330 miles, the longest-range Model Y is good for 331 miles and the BMW iX3 can cover up to 285 miles.

Not so good, then, especially when you factor in some real-world conditions and realise you'd be lucky to see 200 miles between top-ups. That's fine in an electric city car, but not so great in a premium SUV.

Anyway, if you can live with the range, the Lexus RZ is a lovely car to drive. It's quicker than it needs to be (most electric SUVs are), while it does an impressive job of isolating you from the outside world. That's until you approach a speed limit, anyway, when it'll beep at you and flash that you're in danger of going too fast.

Ah, yes, the technology. That's a lot of it on the Lexus RZ. From fancy door handles that won't let you exit the car if there's a cyclist approaching, to an advanced self-parking system. The Lexus RZ even monitors your attention and will tell you off if it doesn't think you're concentrating on the road ahead.

A big 14.0-inch infotainment display sits pride-of-place on the dashboard, although we don't think it's quite as user-friendly at some rival systems. If you don't mind shouting at the car, there's an in-built personal assistant triggered by 'hey Lexus'.

The interior feels posh, with lots of lovely (yet sustainable) materials and an impressive amount of equipment as standard. So much so, you probably don't need to opt for the priciest Takumi trim level.

Prices at launch start from around £65,000, while the top-spec models are almost £10,000 more than that. Read our full 2023 Lexus RZ review to find out if it's the right electric SUV for you.

The Lexus RZ does a superb job of isolating you and your passengers from the outside world. It's exceptionally refined, even by electric car standards, while the suspension generally copes well with uneven road surfaces.

It's perhaps a little floaty at higher speeds, but we reckon it's pretty well judged for an SUV of this size (and, more significantly, weight).

There's the usual selection of drive modes - each of which adjusts the four-wheel-drive system (Sport splits the power between the axles for added grip, while Range sends power to the rear for extra efficiency). As ever, we'd leave it in Normal mode most of the time.

You can use paddles behind the steering wheel to adjust the level of regenerative braking. This is great around town, as you can use the electric motor to scrub off speed (which is both easier and more efficient than touching the brakes).

It doesn't go far enough in the Lexus RZ, in our opinion - we prefer systems with a more severe response which allows one-pedal driving.

While the Lexus RZ is initially offered with traditional rack-assisted power steering and a three-spoke steering wheel, a new steer-by-wire system is set to be offered as an option from 2025. This uses a weird 'yoke' steering wheel which will apparently provide more control at all speeds. We'll reserve judgement until we've tried it.

From launch, there's only one RZ available. That's the Lexus RZ 450e, which uses two electric motors to produce a combined 313PS. It certainly feels very quick, accelerating to 62mph in 5.3 seconds.

A Tesla Model Y Performance will outsprint it, but most drivers won't find the Lexus RZ to be lacking in power. Top speed is just 99mph, which is pretty standard for electric cars (drive at this kind of speed and you'll soon need to stop for a charge).

An incessant amount of warning bleeps and alerts make it very clear that the Lexus RZ has a plethora of cameras, radars and sensors acting as a second pair of eyes. Don't try to prove us wrong, but it almost feels impossible to crash a Lexus RZ.

Driver-assistance highlights include a Lane Departure Alert system which can recognise street furniture and parked cars, while the Lane Tracing Assist will follow the vehicle ahead in traffic when road markings are obscured.

One of our favourite safety systems in the new Lexus RZ (we're fun at parties) is the e-latch door release system with Safe Exit Assist. This uses the cameras from the car's Blind Spot Monitor to prevent the doors from being opened into the path of an approaching vehicle or cyclist.

If the worst does happen, the Lexus RZ is fitted with a full complement of airbags, including one between the front seat (helping to prevent the driver and front-seat passenger from colliding in a crash).

The Lexus RZ is yet to be crash tested by Euro NCAP.

With a maximum towing capacity of just 750kg, the Lexus RZ won't make a great tow car. The Lexus RZ Takumi isn't rated to tow anything.

If you're looking for an electric tow car, we'd recommend a Tesla Model Y or Genesis GV70 Electrified instead. These can tow 1600kg or 1800kg respectively.

In the front, the Lexus RZ feels fairly spacious, although a wide centre console does eat into space slightly - you might well find your knees knocking it if you've got long legs.

You sit relatively low for an SUV of this size, although there's enough adjustment in the seat to crank up high if you wish. Meanwhile, a deep dashboard and sloping windscreen mean it doesn't feel claustrophobic in the slightest.

There's a useful storage compartment in the centre console, as well as a pair of cupholders and a wireless charging tray for your mobile phone.

Passengers in the rear don't feel like second-class citizens, either. There's loads of space back there, with plenty of knee room and headroom for tall adults. The middle seat is a little narrow and best saved for occasional use, though, while kids might find the high window line ruins their view.

The boot can carry 522 litres of luggage, which is marginally more than in a BMW iX3 or Genesis GV70 Electrified, but less than in a Tesla Model Y or Audi Q8 e-tron. Access is high (like most SUVs), although an equally high floor means there isn't much of a lip for lifting things over. If you need more space, the rear seats split 60:40 and drop easily, leaving an almost entirely flat floor.

We like the soft boot cover that folds up and can be easily stored in the useful stowage area (along with the charging lead) underneath the boot floor.

The finish of the Lexus RZ's cabin is impeccable. That's not surprising for a Lexus, but it's especially impressive considering the sustainable materials used.

The ultrasuede material used in our Takumi test car isn't actually suede at all, but a suede-like finish made from recycled materials. The other trim models use a synthetic leather that hasn't been near an animal (until you load your dog into the boot, anyway).

All Lexus RZ models come with the same 14-inch central infotainment system as the latest Lexus NX and RX. It has an appropriate amount of wow factor for a modern electric SUV, with sharp graphics and speedy responses.

It's not the easiest system to navigate, though - partly because it relies on touch operation. The Genesis Electrified GV70 has a rotary controller which feels safer to use on the move (and prevents fingerprints on the display itself).

Wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto are provided in the Lexus RZ, while there's also a 'hey Lexus' voice-activated personal assistant.

We found this to be one of the better of such systems, easily understanding our accent and being able to control basic functions (such as adjusting the temperature of the climate control or opening a window).

There's a digital instrument cluster fitted as standard, although this isn't particularly fancy, nor is there much in the way of customisation available. A head-up display is fitted to Premium Plus Pack and Takumi models, projecting information such as your speed (and the current speed limit) onto the windscreen. It does the job but we wouldn't miss it if it wasn't there.

Lexus RZ prices start from £64,500, which is pretty much the same as a BMW iX3 or Genesis Electrified GV70.

You'll pay more for an Audi Q8 e-tron (the Audi has a start price of around £70,000) or Mercedes EQC (£73,000), while the Tesla Model Y undercuts the lot - starting from around £45,000 and topping out at £60,000 for the Model Y Performance.

The most affordable Lexus RZ is the Premium Pack model, with its 18-inch alloy wheels, 14-inch infotainment system and Lexus Safety System+.

It's certainly not a boggo-spec trim level (as you'd expect for a £65k premium SUV, in fairness), although the £68,500 Premium Plus Pack grade adds some desirable features. These include 20-inch alloy wheels, ventilated front seats and a 360-degree parking camera.

Topping the range, the Lexus RZ Takumi is priced from £74,000. Spec highlights include performance suspension, ultrasuede upholstery and a premium sound system.

Is the Lexus RZ expensive? Well, you can certainly buy cheaper electric SUVs. The Toyota bZ4X is closely related to the Lexus and undercuts it significantly in price, starting from around £46,000.

But it's clear where your money's gone with the RZ - the interior is lovely and it certainly feels like a premium product. Chuck in an extensive list of standard equipment and the brand's strong reliability record, and it doesn't look quite so overpriced.

The Lexus RZ comes with a 71kWh battery pack - albeit, only 64kWh of this is usable. It's normal for manufacturers to keep some of the battery's overall capacity in reserve (running it completely flat isn't good for longevity), but that's quite a serious buffer.

The reasoning for that, Lexus says, is it's very focussed on the long-term health of the battery. People expect a Lexus to be reliable and by engineering in this buffer, Lexus is confident that the RZ's battery will retain at least 90 per cent of its capacity after 10 years.

Officially, the Lexus RZ has an efficiency figure of between 3.3 miles per kWh and 3.8 miles per kWh, depending on wheel size. That translates to a WLTP range of 272 miles for those fitted with 18-inch alloy wheels, and 252 miles with 20-inch wheels.

Our Lexus RZ test car, sporting 20-inch alloy wheels, struggled to return more than 3.2 miles per kWh - even in the middle of summer in good conditions.

At one point, our estimated range was down to just 160 miles with a fully charged battery, although Lexus does claim that the range calculator is actually a bit pessimistic - you should have around eight per cent charge left when it's showing zero miles.

Charging takes around half an hour (from 0-80 per cent) using a suitably fast public rapid charger, although topping up at home is more efficient. This'll take around 10 hours using a regular home wallbox charger.

There are three core Lexus RZ models: the RZ Premium Pack, the RZ Premium Plus Pack and the range-topping RZ Takumi.

Highlights of the Lexus RZ Premium Pack include Tahara synthetic leather seat upholstery and steering wheel trim, heated front seats with power adjustment and two-way lumbar support, a heated steering wheel, 14-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay (wireless) and Android Auto (wired) smartphone integration as well as Lexus Link connected services (via app), a wireless smartphone charger, 10-speaker audio system and dual-zone air conditioning.

The Premium Pack also comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, front and rear parking sensors, Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Extended Lexus Safety System+ package, e-Latch with Safe Exit Assist, a power tailgate, rear privacy glass and a fixed panoramic sunroof.

Buy a Lexus RZ with the Premium Plus Pack and it'll also have 20-inch alloy wheels, ventilated front seats, a memory setting for the driver's seat and front seat radiant heaters. The Premium Plus Pack also comes with a head-up display, panoramic view monitor and dual-zone air conditioning.

The top-spec Lexus RZ Takumi features ultrasuede upholstery, LED headlights with adaptive high-beam, 64-colour interior ambient lighting, Advanced Park, a Mark Levinson premium sound system, dimmable panoramic roof, LED front fog and cornering lights, a hands-free tailgate and performance dampers.