2023 Lexus RZ 450e AWD Reviewed: Better than the Kia EV6 GT?

[@eganfo]

I drove the Subaru Solterra and was really surprised how much I liked it. I walked away because of the price, but I think they’re fun cars. I’ll check back in a couple years. Solid review.

[@madlucio70]

I really like the Solterra as well, but I do a fair amount of long distance driving in a place that can get to -30 degrees in winter so my Crosstrek PHEV is perfect for all of my needs.

[@retiredtexan8331]

I heard you mention only having level 1 charging at home. I have that situation in a 1960s ranch house with no circuit breaker room for a 220 addition. My garage did have a 120v 20 amp circuit with a single outlet, so I got a 16 amp EVSE and now charge 30% faster which works just fine for my Leaf S with 40kwh battery. We only drive about 30 miles per day and this setup adds 8 miles per hour of charging. A 10-12 hour over night charge every 3 days meets our in-town needs.

[@munchies24]

I didn't think Toyota could come up with a catchier name than the bZ4x, but here we are.

[@boxoffisa]

Lol.

[@rohansingh6094]

What’s wrong with the RZ… nvm you right.

[@rocketrollsvlogs7625]

I will probably wait for the version 2, however being blessed with a pretty much suburban/urban commute of just 18 miles, I could go back and forth to work for nearly a week.

[@RelicDavvi]

The "Hey Lexus" function seems to work off the cloud. If the connection is spotty the system has trouble carrying out commands. Works 98% of the time in my NX.

[@anjansingh3093]

Toyota/Lexus failed at their first BEV. Both Bz4x and this 63k Rz450e with impressive 190 miles range are sitting at the dealer lot for months.

[@distantearth]

Nonsense. There's already a waiting list for these here in Australia. And it's cold comfort to have the longest "range" if a car has lots of other terrible features. Range isn't the only metric to judge these cars by. Longer term quality and reliability and battery life are important too. To use Tesla as an example - they have a lot of other kinds of problems that this car will not have. They don't even have normal radar anymore (it is getting removed during service) and just rely on cameras, which doesn't always work. Or the terrible "autopilot" feature - the Australian CarExpert channel recently reviewed the Model Y and talked about how it is unthinkable that autopilot is even legal, because it works so poorly.

[@anjansingh3093]

@@distantearth you surely do not have any sort of understanding what you are talking about. Only Australian car expert review is true and millions of customers around the world buying Tesla , making it best selling vehicle are fools. Right? Lmao 🤣. Don’t just read stupid reviews and come here to make meaningless comments. Bullshit.

[@boxoffisa]

Where do you live sir?

[@anjansingh3093]

@@boxoffisa lol 😂. Where do you work!!! It’s a pii, lmao.

[@peterfessier9780]

Good review. I agree this is a nice car for around the town and I think he's right to not recommend it in general. I disagree with his assessment of the battery. He says it needs more range but he's against a bigger battery. This is an expensive luxury car and it has a smaller battery than the rivals. That's just Lexus asking more and giving less. I'm not a fan of Tesla's minimalist interior, I think it's mainly about producing cars cheaply, but I do admire their efficiency. It will be interesting to see if Lexus keeps making these and improves the range or if they just move on to something else when they get serious about making an all around good electric car.

[@moloono1]

I guess it’s okay for a first pass, especially since Toyota isn’t 100% committed to EV. I have to agree with you, Ryan. This is good for inner city folks who commute to work and want EV for running errands.

[@ffl1409]

196 mile?! Japanese car manufacturers shitting the bed on EV is a complete mystery.

[@toolonthehill]

Not a mystery, if you look at the brands holding back on ev cars. They probably know more than the public. Food for thought

[@robertwarren20]

I own the Luxury version of this car and LOVE it. But I must say it is not for everyone. I think the review was pretty fair. I did disagree with a couple of things which are personal preference. I love the front styling, as well as the round shift knob once I got used to it. Also, they have probably updated the software for the voice commands as I am amazed at how well the car understands me when I say "Hey Lexus". I would not buy any pure electric car unless I had a level 2 charger at my residence and had access to a gas or hybrid car. Solid State batteries should change that. About 98% of my driving is around town. I take about two road trips a year and when I do, I'll take advantage of the Lexus Reserve program which gives me free rentals for up to three years. I never charge on public chargers, so if a trip looks too far, we will take my wive's Lexus RX. I bought the car because it is reliable, comfortable, luxurous, quiet, fast and has a lot of technology. This car "checks all those boxes" for me. Just depends on how you plan to use the vehicle.

[@mickydee6550]

I leased a RZ 450e two days ago. The sticker was 63k and change and the dealer gave me 5% off that without blinking. I then took advantage of their current lease offer of 10K off that. I am Lexus man and love this car. I’m retired and drive about 10K miles a year split between two cars. My second car is a 2023 Lexus UMX 200 Hybred so I’m covered if I want to go on a long trip. This car works for me and the range and slow charging at home will not be a issue. Also, my lease includes 30 days of free Lexus gas powered car rentals. I leased my car at Lexus of Carlsbad in Carlsbad, California. Courtney Ryan helped me out and she has done my last four Lexus vehicles. Highly recommended.

[@robertwarren20]

I know what you mean about being a Lexus fan. Once you've owned one, it is hard to go to another brand.

[@Soh90]

Ryan, I have a Tesla Model Y and I start my day at 240 miles (80%) and end at 210 miles usually. On a l day where I do heavy driving, I end with 150 miles. 196 miles, or even 145 miles with climate is honestly plenty if you charge at home. I’m addition, my Model Y is capable of 250kw charging, but in my experience at Superchargers, it’ll start at 250 but quickly trickle down to 220, 200, 180, 150, and the majority of the charging is actually done at about 100kw. Also also, I don’t think that the RZ only pulling 65 or 55kw at the charging station was Lexus’ fault. A lot of non Tesla chargers are absolute shit. Do I think the RZ is worth $63,000? Well, not quite. But I don’t think Lexus missed that mark that much. The car has a beautiful interior and like you said excellent build quality. I think that $53,000 or even $58,000 is justified in this car. As Lexus/Toyota continue to develop solid state batteries their EV’s will get much better. What’s important is that they know how to make a great car first and foremost, the EV powertrain will follow at some point. Hyundai and KIA are cool now because of gimmicks, but I think that the RZ is the better car and Lexus went about it the better more mature way (prioritizing battery preservation, ride comfort, and not gimmicks) P.S. The Tesla Model Y also has a traditional center console…

[@boxoffisa]

Yiu said it so well.

[@robertwarren20]

That was a well stated and thought out comment! I am a fan of both Tesla and Lexus.

[@WSAONE]

What is that sensor above the front Lexus emblem? Maybe a camera? Did u miss that on purpose?

[@TundeEszlari]

Wonderful video.

[@gnawty4662]

The perfect city car with the pinky up.

[@DronieUp]

You can see how it started off as the Toyota/Subaru EV. Could this become the second generation?

[@bobdrago69657]

Toyota is very conservative when it comes to Quality Control. 50 amps keeps the battery cooler and ensures longevity. 4.9 0-60 is fine. EVS ensure cleaner air, far less moving parts, and zero expenditures on fossil fuels.

[@rightlanehog3151]

Ryan, Nobody is perfect including Lexus/Toyota. I am confident their next BEV offering will be much more competitive. In the meantime, Lexus/Toyota fans can enjoy their time on the best-in-class Hybrid waiting lists. 😉 😂

[@Eugen-E]

They actually said they will have a completely new BEV platform in 2026 to compete with Tesla.

[@naveenthemachine]

@@Eugen-E by then Toyota won’t even exist anymore 😂

[@Eugen-E]

@@naveenthemachine Toyota will smoke Tesla 🙂 you will see.

[@naveenthemachine]

@@Eugen-E that never happened 😂. Once Tesla first came out they pretty much beat all the competitors including Toyota. And this was in 2012… 10 years ago And 10 years later Toyota makes an ev that’s just god awful

[@Eugen-E]

@@naveenthemachine Why making EVs in 2010-2023 when nobody buy them ? Do you know what's the percentage of full BEVs sales in 2022 worldwide ? ...like 7% LoL. Over 50% of them are in China alone. Tesla beat "all the competitors" ? I think you don't know anything about worldwide car sales and the dynamics of car sales. If in 2023 Tesla is the Nr1 EV seller that doesn't mean it will be the same in 10 years. Tesla already is full of problems in China which is Nr1 BEV market where chinese automakers are destroying Tesla in sales. And it's just the beginning.

[@XMG3]

base RZ is $20,000 more than base BZ4X here, and they're the same car with the difference in battery size. BZ4X having the same comfortable quiet premium ride, I think it's the better value

[@rustlesee]

04:55, anyone under 6 foot may have to get a book or two to sit on to see out that side door window.

[@jml9550]

I am 5’7”, test drive one. No issue.

[@HumperMKB]

Makes me chuckle when talking about how AirCon diminishes battery and range. Emphasize how the small fans add up regardless of fan speed but never mention compressor and temp delta 😂😅

[@jscricca]

I just bought a CPO 2019 etron for $20k less than this. The Audi is a far better vehicle with limited range. I’ve been pretty disappointed with Toyotas first EVs

[@kubi0461]

Aside the presumption of Lexus quality, I struggle to justify this vehicle vs a Cadillac Lyriq. Unless, of course, this would just be an “around town” second car.

[@kevindaniels8480]

You really have to drive it and compare it to the other makes to understand that Lexus does a much better job at the drive characteristics and fit and finish.

[@tallll70]

Maybe the AC compressor is not variable speed for cost savings or the electricity use estimate is rounded and inaccurate rather estimating higher loss then lower

[@Marco-ce8kr]

This thing is worst than the bad BZ4X, I'm impressed. Model 3 RWD is $40,240 right now with 272 miles of range with better efficiency for city and road trip.

[@FlowStateNewOrleans]

Nice to see your video title follows Beveridge's law.

[@andrewzhuk8713]

Do they have LiFePO4 batteries in this Lexus?

[@jywn]

I wonder how the AWD system would do on snow for this one

[@jwang10166]

You’re not waiting for the Lexus command. It does have the climate feature

[@albeklik8055]

I swear you should review only Subarus because that's the only way you going to be satisfy😮

[@boxoffisa]

So are you satisfied after making this comment? I also want to get satisfied.

[@HOBBYTONY600]

Its not a steer by wire. Steer by wire only with the yoke.

[@bobpurcell5662]

Thanks, Ryan...but...Lexus electric-late to the party, poor range, quirky looks, eight year-old tech, ho-hum performance forEV, awful charging rate, cabin environment comfort/range trade-off, etc. - weighed against panel gaps, Toyota reliability, and battery life. "Let's Go Places"??!! Sorry, Mr. T, you need to bring your "legendary build quality" into this decade. So, I vote NO as a 2020 RAV4 owner.

[@KenCheng]

I can't stand this trend of the illuminated badges, I know it's an EV thing but in my opinion, it looks cheesy, like something you buy at Pep Boys and just stuck it on 😂

[@drivingsports]

Total cornball.

[@GT-gt4bf]

I hope Lexus improves that range quickly, it’s simply not acceptable.

[@rinbine2713]

It is Niro or Kona EV level. It can't Compare to IONIQ 5 or EV6 gt-line level. EV6 GT? Wtf..

[@mickeybrumfield764]

Perhaps a bit of a cockpity mentality isn't all bad for electric auto manufacturers.

[@tallll70]

exactly, well it's simply personal subjective preference, but ik people who told me that's what they like and it was one of factors for their choice

[@jacklo325]

I wonder if auto manufacturers would ever offer a battery upgrade as an option...

[@tibcordeiro]

Why bother releasing a car with that kind of range? I expect better from lexus, they soil the brand with a pos like this.

[@kylewhisman]

Not a looker but a good start

[@adamblakeley5865]

Seems pretty underwhelming for a 60 plus thousand dollar car. Seems to me the bz4x/Solterra offer just as good of a package for 10 grand or more under the price of this car. Granted they aren’t a Lexus if someone is into the whole car brand flex thing. Beyond all the enviro-political partisan bs, EVs are really cool. Just as a car guy I think they are really sweet. Not practical for my lifestyle but they are neat. That said with several states claiming they are outlawing ICE new car sales by 2030 or so, manufacturers are going to have to step it up with regard to practicality, usability, and vehicles that can be more than just an urban commuter, short trip vehicle or they are going to lose out on a lot of new car sales in those states. Especially since the states planning to do this have large off-road/outdoor/adventuring populations.

[@Zanderthelab]

Rip to the camera quality.

[@peterscott2662]

Seems like a Luxury version of the BZ4X. Same limitations. FWD biased, and low range.

[@Eugen-E]

A couple days ago a Rivian caught fire while charging )))

[@UnobtaniumsQuickReviews]

What we really want to know is if it's better than a Harley or a Peterbuilt!

[@forrest225]

Seems like a bad time to buy when it looks like in a year or two the Tesla plug is going to be the way to go.

[@dunggg]

This Lexus is an example of trying to force an electric power train into an ICE platform and fail. You have the Lexus with 70kwh batter that get realistically 170-190 miles of range while a Tesla Model Y have the same size gets 300-330 miles of range. The competition is coming for Tesla!

[@boxoffisa]

How is this one a failure? They have quality EVs. Not good enough but peace of mind matters. And they are improving. Other manufacturers who are ahead in this game was once bad. Let’s give them time to perfect and improve their products. I still trust their continuous improving theory.

[@cbotten106]

Let us stick to facts, and I quote, "Built on the e-TNGA platform shared with the Toyota bZ4X/Subaru Solterra, it is the first dedicated battery electric vehicle of the Lexus marque that will be sold worldwide and also the second battery electric model after the ICE-based UX 300e." To review NOT a shared ICE platform, that's what dedicated platform means.

[@dunggg]

@@cbotten106 The Toyota New Global Architecture (abbreviated as TNGA) are modular automobile platforms that underpin various Toyota and Lexus models starting with the fourth-generation Prius in late 2015.[1] TNGA platforms accommodate different vehicle sizes and also front-, rear- and all-wheel drive configurations.

[@cbotten106]

@@dunggg They call it dedicated but apparently they're fudging a little bit. First time a corporations tried that. So totally EV dedicated platform...except for the Prius (and a few others.) Clearly BEVs are not Toyota's jam. And ten years old to boot! Car and Driver called this RZ a throwback to the "compliance vehicles" from the early days of CARB (California) regulations.

[@menifo4334]

The more electric cars pop-up every day the more I loose my interest and enthusiasm in cars. I feel strongly that batteries and electricity is a disorientation of the true potential of future cars. Electrically -powered cars is just a a mindless frenzy and a hype of the current time. This is where the big profits are.

[@Podcastforthewin]

This is my favourite car channel. Scotty Kilmer is a close second. Hah

[@Hobart12]

How do you compare a Kia to Lexus? Doesn’t even sound right

[@inazrof]

What a dumb title..... the EV6 GT has almost.... twice the horsepower.... come on

[@TJDST4]

It got you to click and comment. Job done. Click bait always wins.

[@drivingsports]

Range and charge speeds are far more important metrics.

[@bigdi77]

@@drivingsports well the kia has more range and charge speed and alot more hp and tq but if you dont need the hp the gt line will kill this lexus in range and charge speed

[@inazrof]

Well guys i own a EV6 GT and the only reason a sane person is going to buy that car... is that i'm doing 0-100 in 3.09 sec with proper settings 🤪 I think your a lot more accurate with your EV6 gt-line comparison... even if range and charging are different, a person would shop both

[@CanadianMax]

You guys expect anything different from Driving Toyotas TV?

[@axion8788]

Crap range, not fast, backwards interior design, really expensive. Can't see a single reason to buy this over an Ioniq 5.

[@freedombuy4672]

Don't compair lexus to kia.

[@bigdi77]

well kia is making better BEV sorry more range faster charge time and even faster 0 to 60 time I can keep going if you like

[@CanadianMax]

Yeah, the EV6 is a league above

[@cbotten106]

@@CanadianMax In EV tech it might be two leagues above this Toyota/Lexus offering. But fit and finish and other considerations like dealership experience and such still might lead one to the Lexus shop. Not everyone needs crazy fast DC charging and a big range. Not sure anyone needs a 3.2s 0-60mph either, I sure don't.

[@CanadianMax]

@@cbotten106 fair enough :)