Lexus may be facing a hard sell with its first global EV, the RZ 450e, an SUV that competes in the luxury market but delivers less range than a sub-$30,000 Chevrolet Bolt.
Despite the RZ 450e‘s meager 220 mile EPA-estimated range with 18-inch wheels (20-inch wheels drop the range to 196 miles), it gets a lot right.
It starts with the handling. Perhaps thanks in part to its 71.4 kWh battery, the RZ feels lighter on its feet than some EVs, which makes sense since its lugging around a smaller battery, tipping the scales at 4,600 pounds.
The ride quality and handling dynamics on our RZ test EV were excellent. Acceleration was brisk, with Lexus claiming a 5-second 0-60 mph time, although AutomotiveAddicts.com topped that estimate with a 4.8 second run.
If the RZ looks familiar to you, it may because it is a corporate cousin to the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra EVs. They share the same platform and many of the same styling cues.
Lexus does add its own design language, including a new front end that mimics the shape of traditional Lexus grille design but swaps in a solid panel.
The RZ 450e featured in this video road test is appearing courtesy of AutomotiveAddicts.com. Publisher Malcolm Hogan says the RZ’s styling reminds him of the Lexus NX as far as its overall appeal and dynamics, which he says is a good thing.
Our RZ 450e carried a MSRP of $62,175 while a fully loaded version with every box checked tops $71,000. Its all-wheel-drive, two-motor powertrain puts out 308 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque.
The RZ 450 features four different drive modes: Eco, Normal, Sport, and Range mode. As you would guess, Range mode delivers the best economy but also turns off the A/C.
When it comes to charging speed, the RZ 450e is okay, but nothing more. It’s onboard AC charger tops out at 6.6 kW, which is slower than economy class EVs such as the MINI Cooper SE (7.4 kW) and Chevrolet Bolt (11.5 kW).
It’s peak DC charging speed is 150kW, which Lexus says will take it from 0-80% in a half-hour under ideal conditions.
With no frunk and no glove box, the RZ’s cargo utility also scores an “okay.” As a hatchback, rear cargo space is fine and the center console is well designed but some competing EVs have raised the bar with more innovative and expansive storage.
Some bright spots include the RZ’s 14-inch infotainment touch screen system, which includes wireless Android Auto and Apple Car Play and a very useful head up display.
The RZ does include some physical knobs and buttons for often used items such as temperature and volume.
Our SUV also included the rear camera mirror system which eliminates rear passenger and other blind spots. It can be flipped on or off for those that prefer a traditional mirror.
Front and rear seating is comfortable and spacious.
Our test car didn’t include one of the most exciting options that Lexus is planning to bring to the U.S.
Lexus is planning to offer an optional yoke steering wheel with drive-by-wire steering for the RZ once production ramps up. Unlike the system found in Tesla’s Model S & X, the Lexus system will offer a much shorter steering wheel turning radius, meaning drivers won’t need to cross their arms when making sharp turns or u-turns.
We’ve only scratched the surface of the RZ 450e in this brief summary post. For the full road test, including handling impressions and more watch the video at the top of this post.
Lexus RZ 450e Selected Specs
- Overall length 189 inches
- Overall width 174.6 inches
- Overall height 64.4 inches
- Wheelbase 112.2 inches)
- Tire size 18/20 inches
- Cruise range Up to 225 miles (U.S. manufacturer-estimate)
- Battery capacity 71.4kWh
- Output (kW): Front 150 | Rear80