The RZ 450e is the first all-electric vehicle from Lexus, Toyota’s upscale luxury brand. It shares the “e-TNGA” platform with the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra twins, and its powertrain draws from the same parts bin, albeit with quite a bit more power. Although it resembles the Lexus RX, the RZ is sized more like the smaller Toyota Venza hybrid SUV.
We found the RZ to be a fine-driving SUV, with vigorous acceleration, a comfortable ride, and a quiet cabin. But we came away feeling let down by the new Lexus. Similar to the bZ4X that we also tested, the RZ falters when it comes to driving range, charging speed, and the amount of EV-specific information given to the driver within the car.
With 308 horsepower coming from dual electric motors (one at each axle, giving it standard all-wheel drive), the RZ 450e has ample giddyup, and considerably more grunt than the bZ4X. Need to get around a slower vehicle in a two-lane passing zone? Just floor the accelerator pedal and you’ll zip right by them. In terms of pure acceleration, the RZ 450e sprinted from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.9 seconds, which is competitive with other EVs, and quite a bit quicker than most conventionally powered small luxury SUVs.
The RZ 450e Premium we tested, with its 71.4-kilowatt-hour battery pack and standard 18-inch wheels, has an EPA-rated 220-mile driving range. Not only is that short by today’s standards, but in our own highway range testing the RZ managed just 202 miles of driving range. Worse still, the Luxury trim with its 20-inch wheels sees the driving range reduced to just 196 miles, according to the EPA. An EV that can just barely crack 200 miles of range is well behind the times, and here the RZ notably trails competing models like the Audi Q4 E-Tron, Genesis GV60, and Tesla Model Y. Heck, it’s not even on a par with some non-luxury EVs, such as the Kia EV6, which managed 277 miles of range in our testing.
A puny 6.6-kilowatt onboard charger makes for slow at-home charging—most EVs are able to charge at around 10 to 11 kW. The RZ has a 150-kW max acceptance rate at public DC fast-charging locations, but we noticed real-world results that were significantly slower. For instance, we gained just 40 miles of range during a 20-minute stop, seeing a peak power of only 48 kW; other EVs typically gain well over 100 miles of driving range during that time. This means it will take longer to recharge the RZ, making it less than ideal when you’re on a trip. Of note, Lexus claims the RZ can charge from 0- to 80-percent in about 30 minutes under ideal conditions.
The RZ’s suspension does a good job absorbing most bumps thrown its way, keeping the SUV settled and the ride comfortable. It feels competent during normal driving, but the softly tuned suspension results in considerable body roll through turns when you pick up the pace, lacking the sharpness of the GV60, for example. Overall it feels more mundane than it does sporty, and its ability to slice through our avoidance-maneuver test was compromised by merely fair tire grip, resulting in a low-for-the-class speed of 51 mph.
That mediocre tire grip also affected the RZ’s braking performance, exhibiting a stopping distance on our wet surface that’s more similar to the full-sized Toyota Sequoia than a small SUV. On the other hand, we appreciate that the RZ’s brake pedal feels almost normal, without the low-speed grabbiness that plagues many EVs. We also like that the regenerative braking (which sends energy back to the battery when the RZ is coasting or braking) levels can be changed on the fly with paddles located behind the steering wheel. But, unlike many EVs, even the RZ’s strongest regen-braking level doesn’t allow for “one-pedal driving,” which would enable the driver to bring the vehicle to a stop without ever pressing on the physical brake pedal.
The cabin is quiet and largely free of electric motor whine. It’s mostly up to typical Lexus snuff in terms of fit and finish, with attractive stitching and padded pieces in all the right places. The driver has plenty of headroom, good armrest placement, and a nicely sized left footrest. The main issue our drivers found was that the wide center console infringes on right knee space. The front seats have comfy cushions with a well-bolstered seatback to hold you in place through turns. Some testers found the seatback lumpy, though, and having just two-way lumbar adjustment falls short of luxury car standards. The rear seat is unimpressive for an SUV, providing little in the way of under-leg support, and foot space is tight underneath the front seats.
The 14-inch touchscreen infotainment system consolidates media and climate controls into a single display (typically not a great thing in our book), which results in some relatively basic tasks requiring multiple steps to accomplish. At least the climate functions are always visible, so you aren’t forced to bring up a specific “climate” menu on the screen. We found the unlabeled steering wheel controls—which come as part of the optional windshield head-up display—incredibly annoying, making for an unnecessary guessing game. It’s also frustrating that EV-related displays are stingy. The RZ doesn’t show the battery’s maximum state-of-charge (SOC), and it doesn’t display the predicted driving range within the driver’s instrument screen as soon as you open the front door—unlike most EVs. Route planning for incorporating charging stops on a long trip is also lacking.
Unfortunately, beyond Lexus’ reputation for reliability, we see few compelling reasons for buyers to opt for the RZ over vehicles such as the Audi Q4 E-Tron, Genesis GV60, Tesla Model Y, or a BMW i4 if you don’t mind a lower-to-the-ground car. Even the non-luxury Kia EV6 seems like a smarter choice.
The RZ 450e comes with the “Lexus Safety System+ 3.0” suite of active safety and driver assistance systems. Standard features on the RZ include automatic emergency braking with pedestrian, bicyclist, and motorcycle detection, automatic emergency braking that operates at highway speeds, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic warning, lane centering assistance, lane departure warning, lane keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams.