2026 Lexus Rz Isn't Quite There Yet

Andy Kalmowitz / Jalopnik

Life has been difficult for nan Lexus RZ since it first came connected nan electrical conveyance segment backmost successful 2023. It was hampered by controversial-at-best styling and capacity that was uninspiring to opportunity nan least. While nan RZ was fabulous astatine everything buyers expected a Lexus to beryllium — comfort, refinement and exceptional build value — that's only half of nan equation. It had to beryllium a bully EV if it wanted to beryllium noticed successful a very crowded and very competitory market. As we said erstwhile nan car first launched, it wasn't.

Well, for 2026, Lexus decided to pine up nan RZ pinch a reworked conveyance lineup that gives buyers much powerfulness and much range. Though galore of these improvements did move nan RZ successful nan correct direction, it still falls beautiful good short of wherever different comparable EVs are successful nan market. Hell, it moreover loses retired to immoderate acold cheaper options. That's excessively bad, because nan 2026 RZ remains rather a bully Lexus.

Full Disclosure: Lexus flew maine retired to Portugal, put maine up successful a mates of swanky hotels and fed maine an ungodly magnitude of delicious nutrient each truthful I could thrust nan 2026 RZ lineup.

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The biggest summation to the RZ for 2026 is nan preamble of a high-ish capacity version called nan RZ 550e F Sport. With its dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, this RZ puts retired 408 horsepower and an unknowable magnitude of torque. (Lexus hasn't released those numbers yet.) My butt dyno says it's location successful nan 500-550 pound-feet range. Regardless, it's sewage capable oomph to get nan car from 0 to 60 mph successful conscionable 4.1 seconds. That is quicker than immoderate luxury-oriented Lexus has immoderate correct to be. I could consciousness nan powerfulness connected nan road, too. It's not nan astir nosy EV money tin buy, but nan RZ 500e has a knack for hustling down an quiet backroad if you don't mind a superior deficiency of steering feel. It's a Lexus, what did you expect?

Juice comes courtesy of a caller 77-kWh artillery battalion that Lexus says will springiness nan RZ 550e F Sport a full of 228 miles of range. Folks, if I tin beryllium truthful for existent for a second, that's conscionable not capable for today's time and age. This is an costly ahh luxury EV — I'd expect amended range. Of course, you tin spell down to nan RZ 350e and RZ 450e, and those will springiness you 302 and 261 miles of range, respectively, but moreover those figures are thing to constitute location about. The numbers besides spell down if you switch nan 18-inch wheels for optional 20s. Regardless of which exemplary you spell with, you're going to person to make immoderate concessions erstwhile it comes to charging, too. When DC accelerated charging astatine 150 kW, nan highest powerfulness nan RZ will accept, going from 10% to 80% artillery takes astir 30 minutes. That's not a awesome number, but hey, it's an betterment complete nan 35 minutes it utilized to take.

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One characteristic nan RZ 550e F Sport has that sets it acold isolated from nan immense mostly of its title is eight-speed M Mode. That's Lexus' simulated EV cogwheel system that useful likewise to nan 1 successful the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. It's surely a goofy characteristic to have, but it adds a definite magnitude of enjoyment to driving nan RZ that wouldn't beryllium location otherwise. I'll ever invited silly worldly successful a caller car. There's obscurity adjacent capable of it. To me, nan astir nosy measurement to usage nan strategy is to fto nan centrifugal bounce disconnected nan "redline" and past propulsion nan paddle. It creates a earnestly nosy sensation arsenic if you're being kicked successful nan backmost by an aged single-clutch automated manual. If this isn't for you, it's fine. You ne'er person to touch M Mode if you don't want to, but you'll beryllium missing retired connected what benignant of sounds for illustration straight-cut gears mixed successful pinch EV centrifugal noises. I'm not judge if it's nan champion sound ever, but it's astatine slightest interesting. 550e F Sports besides travel pinch a slew of "F" badging, bluish stitching, bluish brake calipers, 20-inch wheels, much heavy bolstered seats and a very goofy helping connected nan backmost that I benignant of adore.

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Not everyone wants aliases needs each of nan powerfulness nan RZ 550e F Sport provides, and that's why nan 350e and 450e AWD exist. The erstwhile uses a front-mounted 221-hp motor. Acceleration is simply a less-than-brisk 7.1 seconds, but I'll beryllium real, it felt good for mundane driving and merging onto highways. I deliberation sometimes we get a spot jaded erstwhile it comes to 0-60 times. This is fine. It is enough. Still, if you want a spot much power, measurement up to nan 450e AWD. That gets buyers a akin dual-motor setup to nan 550e, but successful this application, nan driver is moving pinch 313 hp and a 0-60 clip of 4.9 seconds, according to Lexus. Both of these cars shop juice successful nan aforesaid 74.7-kWh artillery pack. Unfortunately, nan 450e was nan only version successful nan lineup I wasn't capable to test. Instead, we were fixed akin RZ 500e AWDs to drive, since each of nan cars we drove were Euro-spec vehicles. Don't worry, though, I still sewage nan gist.

Andy Kalmowitz / Jalopnik

Something every RZ still lacks is one-pedal driving, which I really for illustration having successful nan EVs I get down nan instrumentality of. Instead, you've sewage 3 levels of regen braking — nary of which consciousness beardown capable — aliases you tin move it disconnected completely. I deliberation this is simply a immense mistake. At nan very least, nan regen and nan accepted rotor braking are blended together very smoothly.

One large prize for nan 2026 RZ is nan truth that it now comes modular pinch a NACS charging larboard connected nan rider broadside beforehand fender of nan vehicle. That intends you'll beryllium capable to juice up astatine immoderate Tesla Supercharger, provided nan owners aren't holding immoderate benignant of Elon Musk support rally successful beforehand of it. That's not thing you'll want to get progressive with.

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Not only was nan 500e I sampled a trim level that isn't coming to nan U.S., it besides featured Lexus's crackpot steer-by-wire system. Don't worry, it's not coming to nan States conscionable yet. Between you and me, it's not going to show up present until 2027 astatine nan earliest, but I committedness you're not going to miss it.

It's a very weird strategy to use. Sure, it's kinda neat, but for nan astir part, I conscionable recovered myself asking "why" nan full time. I mean, I tin conjecture why. It's for packaging and redeeming money. Wires are a hellhole of a batch cheaper to nutrient than a mechanical steering system, and nan deficiency of 1 intends you tin alteration nan measurement you package nan vehicle. Still, I don't deliberation these are bully capable reasons for this point to exist. Maybe if I drove it more, I'd get utilized to it, but I conscionable kept uncovering myself either over- aliases under-steering, meaning I'd person to make tons of corrections successful nan mediate of a turn, not thing precisely perfect for capacity driving (or immoderate driving for that matter).

Andy Kalmowitz / Jalopnik

Aside from nan characteristics of nan system, nan yoke steering "wheel" besides near a spot to beryllium desired. Everything is mounted to it, including your move signals. Finding nan fastener you want tin beryllium a spot of a chore. Do you cognize what's really disorienting? Having your move awesome stalk not beryllium successful nan aforesaid spot you near it. Listen, nan saying is "don't reinvent nan wheel." Perhaps we should each listen.

Unfortunately, nan U.S. besides doesn't get this really cool light-brown suede interior option. That's a damn shame, because it some looks and feels fabulous.

Andy Kalmowitz / Jalopnik

I cognize I've been ragging connected nan 2026 RZ rather a bit, but it's sewage plentifulness of bully attributes arsenic well. This crossover is an fantabulous Lexus. It's comfortable and luxurious capable that moreover nan astir discerning Lexus purchaser would beryllium pleased pinch it. Inside, it feels very akin to your run-of-the-mill Lexus crossover, and that's benignant of connected purpose. Lexus wants to entice its existent buyers to make nan move to nan RZ, truthful its extremity was to make this point consciousness arsenic normal arsenic possible. Designers and engineers met their targets erstwhile it comes to that.

Like each Lexuses, there's plentifulness of absorbing patterns and worldly choices to beryllium recovered throughout, and you're besides going to find oodles of space. At 6-foot-1, I was capable to beryllium very comfortably successful nan rear spot down my driving position. I suppose that's nan occurrence of EV packaging. Inside, nan car feels overmuch bigger than its 189.2-inch magnitude would suggest.

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There's besides plentifulness of tech, but successful emblematic Lexus manner (at slightest since ditching nan touchpad), it's each very easy to use. A existent item is nan RZ's 14-inch touchscreen, which is laid retired very intelligibly and is very responsive. If you're not into nan full homegrown infotainment strategy thing, you tin ever hook up wireless Android Auto aliases Apple CarPlay to play immoderate euphony done nan optional and lovely-sounding Mark Levinson stereo system.

One interior lowlight is nan mini integer gauge cluster, which seems a spot blurry and retired of attraction each of nan time. Its mini size besides intends it's not very customizable and can't show a map. It looks and feels a procreation aliases 2 down nan infotainment system.

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The RZ besides comes pinch Lexus' latest suite of information tech that includes bully adaptive cruise and lane-keeping assistance programs. It makes driving down nan road a existent breeze successful this car, and it further accentuates nan relaxed quality of nan RZ. That's wherever it thrives. Like astir Lexuses, it's not a driver's car, but it is simply a fantastic, comfortable cruiser. Unfortunately, you've sewage to extremity cruising a spot excessively often to complaint up for my liking.

Andy Kalmowitz / Jalopnik

Right now, pricing is still a mobility mark, arsenic Lexus hasn't announced wherever nan 2026 RZ will extremity up. Just for reference, nan front-wheel-drive 2025 RZ 300e, which nan 350e replaces, starts astatine $43,975 including destination. Stepping up to nan RZ 450e will group you backmost $48,675. As for nan 550e F Sport — who nan hellhole knows? Only our early selves are blessed pinch that knowledge.

I cognize nan RZ isn't a bad car. I mean, it's beautiful good, and surely amended than before. Here's nan thing, though. This is Toyota — nan biggest automaker successful nan world. It's nan institution that made hybrids mainstream successful nan early 2000s. I cognize that nan institution isn't ace into nan full EV point arsenic a concept, and unfortunately, that half-hearted ethos trickles down to nan RZ.

I tin show that there's a bully car successful present somewhere. It conscionable needs a spot of a going-over tech-wise. More scope and faster charging times will spell a agelong measurement to achieving that. EVs are conscionable getting amended and better, truthful if Lexus doesn't commencement taking this worldly seriously, it's going to find itself falling farther and farther behind.

Andy Kalmowitz / Jalopnik

Andy Kalmowitz / Jalopnik

Andy Kalmowitz / Jalopnik

Andy Kalmowitz / Jalopnik