In this review…
In the already-stacked electric crossover market, the Lexus RZ muscles its way to the front through brawny innovation. Read our thoughts here.
Lexus has long been a signifier of approachable luxury. Toyota’s luxury brand has never shoved its sophistication in your face, but it flourishes when you need your brow soothed. Now, its new crossover SUV, the Lexus RZ, marks the company’s first committed foray into the EV market, and its diligent work to bring new innovations to the table has paid off outstandingly well.
Design and Interior
Lexus has sculpted the new RZ to make the most of being unbogged by a front engine. Flexing more muscular front wings and shining with quadruple LED headlights, this SUV’s profile is sharp enough to cut your finger. The width may make it a struggle to squeeze in parking slots, but the long wheelbase does make a remarkable difference in the ride balance.
Moving inside, the main attraction is the astronomic 14” infotainment touchscreen, one of the biggest you’ll find in a car outside of Maybach. It’s your one-stop shop for getting real-time traffic information and even street parking availability on top of the usual climate controls and smartphone connectivity. The atmosphere inside is as immaculate as you’d expect from a Lexus, with unique features that heighten the ambience to that of a five-star hotel lobby. The dimmable panoramic roof gives you the best of both worlds, letting just the right amount of light in without affecting the temperature, and the door trim has flecks of “Inei illuminations” that project light when the door is opened and closed. These are just some of the flairs that Lexus has thoughtfully placed into the new RZ.
EV Specs and Performance
As an electric car, the Lexus RZ boasts an impressive range of between 251 to 271 miles depending on the trim you choose. This situates it with the likes of the Polestar 2 and the Volkswagen ID.4 for distance covered on a single charge. Interestingly, the range is separated by the choice of wheels: opting for the larger 20-inch wheels offers a WLTP range of 252 miles, but if you’re willing to settle for the 18-inch wheels, you can push that number up to 272 miles. It’s a battle of aesthetics versus energy efficiency that only you can decide.
Drive
With a 0-62mph acceleration rate of just 5.3 seconds, the Lexus RZ is a machine for pace. But the most visceral element you’ll feel in this model is the way you steer – Lexus has created a steering yoke rather than a wheel that drives the car entirely electronically. It looks like something from a starship (or a Tesla), and the technology claims to make the steering more precise in theory. In practice, that is absolutely the case, as the response is nearly instantaneous. You barely have to turn the wheel on the motorway and it’s unaffected by rough roads that usually jut the steering wheel. Steering has never been this easy.
The Lexus RZ steps into the EV world that retains all the great qualities of a traditional Lexus – comfortable, quiet and sophisticated. Thanks to the steering, it can sometimes feel like you’re playing Gran Turismo in VR rather than commanding a real-life car, but get over that physical disconnect and there’s a lot to get sentimental about the RZ. In the already-stacked electric crossover market, the Lexus RZ muscles its way to the front through brawny innovation.
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