2023 Lexus RZ Review

Toyota has dominated the market for hybrid cars, but it has lagged behind in the fight for fully electric cars.

Consequently, Lexus is also in the same situation. But all of that is gradually shifting. By 2030, Toyota hopes to sell 3.5 million electric vehicles, with about 1 million of those bearing the Lexus nameplate.

Therefore, it was only appropriate that we got behind the wheel of Lexus’s first fully electric car on an exclusively electric vehicle platform, the Lexus RZ, which will go on sale in Australia in 2023.

2023 Lexus RZ, What is the price of the Lexus RZ?

The price has not yet been disclosed, but according to my research, the Toyota bZ4x costs $42,000 in the US. In Australia, that comes to about $65,000.

With all the extras that come with owning a Lexus, the Lexus will be a more luxurious option. Furthermore, compared to the Toyota counterpart with whom it shares its e-TNGA platform, it will be faster and more powerful.

As a result, it is safe to assume that it will cost around $100,000 in Australia, albeit the exact price has not yet been decided.

2023 Lexus RZ, How does the interior of the Lexus RZ look?

Let’s start with the yoke—the proverbial elephant in the room. In Australia, the 2023 Lexus RZ will be offered a topless steering wheel, just like the new Tesla Model S.

But the Lexus RZ yoke is a steer-by-wire technology, not like the Tesla Model S. That indicates that, unlike in a conventional car, the steering wheel does not have a direct mechanical connection to the wheels.

Additionally, compared to a regular car, the amount of steering input needed is around a fifth of what it would be. This means that switching from lock to lock only requires 150 degrees of rotation, compared to 540 degrees in a regular automobile.

The more you consider it, the more logical it all makes. Initially, there was a direct mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the wheels via the steering wheel. Your movements were transmitted to the wheels in full.

Then came power steering, then variable-ratio steering, then electronic steering, and finally wireless steering. Why then do you actually have to exert so much steering effort to perform something that is now ostensibly unnecessary?

I’ll test it out to see whether it functions later. However, the steering wheel also has controls for the headlights, wipers, and other crucial vehicle functions in addition to the steer-by-wire technology.

While the roof is electrically charged to enable an almost immediate change between transparent and translucent like the BMW iX, the interior is entirely vegan. A 14-inch infotainment system is used for entertainment, and it has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as AM/FM and DAB+ digital radio.

There is a tonne of storage, just like in many other completely new EVs. both below the center console’s floating section and inside the center console itself. Strangely, there isn’t a globe box to be found here.

Wireless phone charging and USB-C connectivity are both available.

Given the lengthy wheelbase, the second row provides surprisingly spacious knee and headroom. Given that the sub-floor is used for battery storage, the toe room is a touch congested, as is frequently the case with EVs.

Although we didn’t have a formal boot capacity, it feels large. Even more storage space is added to it beneath the cargo floor (not dissimilar to the Tesla Model Y). To allow for the loading of heavier things, the second row also folds nearly flat.

2023 Lexus RZ, What’s under the bonnet?

The Lexus RZ that we drove has the 450e and Direct4 all-wheel drive configurations.

Two electric motors are used in the system, one on each axle—front and back. They work together to generate 230 kW of power (split between 150 kW at the front and 80 kW at the rear). They have a 450km WLTP intended driving range and a 75kWh battery (71.4kWh useable).

While DC charging is possible at up to 150kW, AC charging is offered at 11kW (single- and three-phase). Although we’ll have to wait to see how the charge profile performs, it falls a bit short of what we’ve observed from other companies producing vehicles of comparable size on the market.

Depending on the situation, the Drive4 system can transmit up to 100% of the torque to either the front or the rear axle. Because the transaxle and inverter are integrated, Lexus refers to the motors as axles. These can then reinforce one another to prevent the pitch caused by rapid acceleration.

There is no storage or a variable strut tower brace under the hood; only the front motor and electrical parts for the drive system are present.

2023 Lexus RZ, How does the Lexus RZ drive?

The Lexus RZ drives similarly to most other EVs when traveling at modest speeds. It gives gradual acceleration and is quiet and responsive.

The driver can switch between the four regen settings using the steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

Unfortunately, it didn’t appear to have a single-pedal driving mode, which is unfortunate given that it has gradually become a feature of a significant number of EVs on the market.

What about that yoke, now? The experience is utterly odd but in a nice way. At low speeds, this implies maneuvers like parking are simple because you don’t need to rotate the wheel hand-over-hand. You can turn lock-to-lock with hardly any steering input.

It takes some time to become acquainted with the yoke and how it works with the automobile as speeds increase. Due to the lack of a direct mechanical connection, there isn’t much sensation through the yoke itself, but Lexus does give feedback and feel through the wheel thanks to a motor attached to the yoke itself.

You can feel everything on the road’s surface through the seat, and you don’t get any of the unwelcome kickbacks you usually have with a mechanical rack, so it seems to work well.

Given that our time behind the wheel was confined to Toyota Australia’s test track in Altona, which has a fairly calm surface, we’re eager to get behind the wheel of the production version. In addition, it was pouring rain as we were driving!

The remainder of the kit feels great except for the yoke. It has very little tire noise and is extremely quiet. Adaptive damping also contributes to superb ride comfort. Even if the drive was brief and on a smooth surface, the first impressions are positive.

According to Lexus, it accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 6.0 seconds. Particularly in Sport mode, it feels quick off the line and provides a compelling feel around turns.

The body maintains a rather flat position through turns, and the quick steering allows it to tuck in nicely through tighter corners, though you must be cautious when applying a steering lock because of the fast rack.

2023 Lexus RZ, Conclusion

Even though our time with the brand-new Lexus RZ was limited, it was an interesting introduction to the yoke and Toyota’s vision for an electric car.

On the surface, driving feels interesting and enjoyable. Price and how effectively Toyota follows the bZ4x and Lexus RZ up with additional cars at other price points will determine its success.

When this car finally goes on sale in Australia in the middle of 2023, we can’t wait to give it a genuine test drive on our test roads.

FAQ

Q#1: How much will the RZ 450e cost?

Ans: Information about the cost of the 2023 Lexus RZ 450e. The starting MSRP for the new Lexus RZ 450e is predicted to be around $55,000 for the 450e Premium model. There are also plans for a higher-end 450e Luxury trim, which should be available for about $60,000.

Q#2: Will Lexus redesign the IS in 2023?

Ans: For 2023, Lexus will offer Special Appearance packages for its small sport sedan; the IS 500 will come with a Molten Pearl exterior, a Black NuLuxe interior, and matte black wheels. The IS 350, meanwhile, has darker wheels and an Incognito paint job.

Q#3: Where will the Lexus RZ be built?

Ans: Japan