The 2024 Lexus RZ Is Solidly "OK" But Is That A Reason To Buy It?

[@AAutoBuyersGuide]

Sooo, KZbin somehow deleted the audio from our first upload, and the second. This one has audio I swear! Yikes! Here it is again! In a nutshell, the RZ is fine. Its range isn't actually that far off most of the competition, but it doesn't have any real way that it beats the competition. Tesla has the charging network and aggressive prices, Mercedes has a world class interior, Genesis has more luxury and super super fast charging, etc etc. Lexus? They have a Lexus logo...

[@naveenthemachine]

The Lexus logo doesn’t mean anything now. Only people who have zero physical sense will find meaning L stands for lackluster or loser now

[@radudeATL]

Yay!

[@MJSEN]

Climate controls beep sounds like Squid Games is starting up 😱

[@mark_u]

Thanks for reuploading, Alex. I do think the RZ looks better than its BMW and Merc competitors but that is its only saving grace. I still prefer the Lexus' interior (despite the woeful lack of a glovebox) over Merc's all-screen mess but the Genesis GV60/GV70 electrified are much more desirable.

[@Trades46]

I sold Lexus for 3 years and definitely like the brand. When I was EV shopping I wanted to test the RZ 450e but then realized in Canada you can't even get one unless you lived in BC or QC. The range is really poor and that is deal breaking for many EV buyers. The rest of the car is actually quite nice, and definitely harks back to an EV RX.

[@financenumber2953]

I live in BC - Tesla Y after $5k federal rebate and referral bonus is approx. $68k. Lexus EV is approx. $85k. I don’t mind paying more for luxury, but $17k is a lot of money for a car with very low range. It’s a hard pass for me.

[@RSwrightMD]

The criticism of this car are largely unfounded. I drove a Tesla Model 3 one week as a rental , then went and looked at the RZ at the local Lexus dealer. What an upgrade to get the RZ! I know the range is a negative but it is offset by the more comfortable front and back seats, the enhanced controls for driving (ergonomics) and the Lexus safety features. This is The EV to buy in my opinion!

[@neilyadig]

@RF-it7uv wow, thanks for posting your experience with the RZ vs. Model Y - it's really helpful. You should cross post this over to RZForums so more people can find it!

[@Get_yotted]

@@neilyadigif you’re looking for quality just go for a regular Hybrid Lexus. These Toyota EVs are not that good. They weren’t made with any interest. Just to fulfill an EPA requirement. For you money this is a bad car

[@neilyadig]

@@Get_yotted Not when the dealer is offering over $20k discount on the lease and I'm only keeping it for 24 months. It becomes a nice deal at that point.

[@MBergyman]

This car is now selling sub 40k in California for 2023 models with sub 10k on the odometer. RZ forums members are reports mi/kWh figures in the low to mid 3's. That is perfectly acceptable efficiency, especially in temperate climates. Toyota has (IMHO) conservatively, and unnecessarily restricted the DC fast charge curve and is going to turn buyers away, but my guess is that these restrictions mean that any and all of these cars will see little to no degradation of the battery, making it an extremely safe buy as a used vehicle, which is the only way that I'll ever buy cars. I predict this vehicle will outlast most other brands in terms of its reliability and longevity, just like every other Lexus.

[@Zhenocnra]

The GV70 would be the easiest pick if it wasn't for the fact that Genesis is still taking their time in building a standalone dealership network. I would rather Genesis just go towards direct sales and build service centers/inventory lots. I don't want to buy from a dealership but I want even less of having to go to a Hyundai dealership for luxury-priced service bills.

[@naveenthemachine]

I’d give up the dealer experience to get a superior car These days it’s not about the brand. It’s about the car itself

[@rxonmymind8362]

​@naveenthemachine all fine and dandy u til the vehicle freezes up for no reason. There's so many computers running in these. Look at TFL and their Hummer. A 3 ton vehicle just freezing on them in the middle of the road.

[@MistSoalar]

That comparison to Ariya is spot on. I love the style of that Nissan over Lexus.

[@Nonyabuisness90]

Same

[@naveenthemachine]

I think anyone would choose the Ariya or in fact literally any other ev on sale over the Lexus.

[@geft]

I have an Ariya and I’m very happy with it. I’d 100% take it over the RZ.

[@BubbaBearsFriend]

The 6.6kW max AC charging is crazy low considering even the inexpensive Bolt includes 11kW AC charging.

[@mikefucito6030]

It’s fine for charging overnight at home.

[@davidkeller1040]

Alex- this was an accurate review but I could add a couple of pointers; I have owned an Rz450e Premium with the 18’ wheels in Ohio since January and have put on 2500 miles, avg. 3.9 miles/kwh overall. The regen paddles are critical because the lowest setting is coasting and then the 3 variable settings allow a significant recapture if used to maximum effect. Setting on any of those 3 regen levels as a set point is significantly less efficient. I can get 255 mile range with decent low end buffer below 0. The radiant heaters are very effective and efficient as you described but do not reach the drivers feet so leather shoes and decent socks make a big difference below 40 F if you want the big energy savings. The pop-in shades for the sunroof are expensive but an absolute must on the Premium trim with no photovoltaic glass option. Of course the 18” wheels improve the ride and range. Last point is that the discounts and incentives brought the lease cost basis down to $45k and you get 30 days free Lexus loaners over the 3 year lease term. Would I recommend this vehicle to a friend? It depends- if you want to consciously engage with the car and everything the engineers included for peak efficiency, absolutely. If you want to “set it and forget it” on climate controls and regen settings so it’s just like driving an ICE Lexus, then no, you will be dissatisfied. The other wild card is Lexus engineering and programming this for sustained performance over 10-15 years which is true to their values and culture but questionable in a technology space progressing like the BEV space. A more aggressive charging curve coupled with a shorter warranty period would benefit the original purchaser without a doubt and Lexus could easily make that a selectable option. Safe travels to all.

[@Galvezerick]

Luxury brands should only be compared to other luxury brand. Most shoppers would never buy a Nissan over a Lexus no matter how much better it is what they offer.

[@Nonyabuisness90]

Normally I think you are a bit tougher on Lexus/toyota products but this time I actually agree

[@naveenthemachine]

I’m much harder on Toyotas now 😂 Or as everyone would call me the biggest Toyota hater out there 😂

[@uludak8468]

funny, i thought most english speaking auto channels are too soft on toyota

[@AAutoBuyersGuide]

Grand Highlander won our SUV of the year, for the record...

[@Nonyabuisness90]

@@AAutoBuyersGuide yeah a brand new model just this year wow such amaze 🙄

[@Nonyabuisness90]

@@naveenthemachine I know who you are I have you blocked on Facebook because I find your comments annoying on ALL brands

[@RZOwnerFL]

Since I purchased my 23RZ 450e Premium, it provided me with a $10k rebate from Lexus (for '24, it's $7.5k rebate). This is a significant rebate and justifies the cost factor for the vehicle. I find the Premium (which has a faux leather interior) to be much nicer than the Luxury, and comes at quite a savings as well. So, for a vehicle under $50k is pretty incredible. Charging in my garage is no issue and it allows for programmed charging to receive a rebate from my electrical provider when charging off-peak (at night). Overall, I keep a car only a few years -- this is a luxury ride, very roomy, and doesn't have an interface that's "wonky". The storage in the trunk is underrated in this video as I can get everything that I'd store in that hidden compartment. Competition for a Genesis comes at a very premium out the door cost (at least in March 2024).

[@darmokt]

Considering whether this vehicle is competitive on range or charging speed misses the point. For the family that already has one gas vehicle, something that gets about 200mi of real world range and charges overnight covers anything short of a road trip. Plug-in hybrids can handle a commute, but shuffling the kids around to various extracurriculars, sports meets that might be 40-50mi away, sleepovers, etc. can quickly exhaust the battery range. For that kind of family, having a car that's always ready in the morning and doesn't ever need a trip to the gas station is one less thing to think about. All that vehicle needs to do on top of that is to be large enough for those needs, be relaxing to drive, and be reliable. I'm already starting to see these around and like the proliferation of the RX into high school drop-off lines everywhere, the more of them that are on the road, the more they'll sell. As for comparisons to Genesis and Nissan products, in the real world the dealers those are sold from have "Bad credit? No credit?" banners on the side of their buildings. Until that changes, any comparison to a Lexus product is irrelevant to their target demographic. Tesla? No dealers, not relaxing to drive, and good luck figuring out how to adjust the windshield wipers when Timmy and Bobby are hitting each other in the back seat. Against the rest of the luxury-branded competition the RZ acquits itself fairly well and if I didn't care about driving dynamics I could absolutely see having one for kid-shuttling duty.

[@peterfessier9780]

Sure this is probably a great car for some people, but for the price you can get nice car with more range, better charging speed and more range. Maybe people shouldn't worry about such things so much, but they do. I think the fact that Toyota didn't bother to make a competitive car says something. Either they can't or they don't care to.

[@darmokt]

@@peterfessier9780 sure, in most market segments you can get more car for your money at the Hyundai dealer than at the Lexus dealer. That people are comparing these on specs just speaks to the immaturity of the EV market. It’s appropriate for the Toyobaru EVs, but I think Lexus will find a market that isn’t comparing that way.

[@EasyBee]

Outstanding Review. Test drove one today as a Lexus owner and fan. Wanted additional info and you brought it home. Thanks !!!!

[@rightlanehog3151]

Alex, Third time's the charm! 😉🤞🤞🤞

[@AAutoBuyersGuide]

Oh I hope so

[@DGDanConsumerGuru]

great coverage of key points - I agree with all and learned a lot of new info. However, two key factors you could say more about are service and reliability. I was so disappointed with the Hyundai-Genesis dealerships that, although I prefer their EVs, I cannot justify the years of expected hassle and low-quality care/service. That may be my favorite part of my 10 mostly satisfied years with Lexus cars.

[@judey814]

@RF-it7uv​​⁠ thank you so much for your detailed feedback, special for this prospective RZ owner - really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience as an actual owner. Would you know if the numbers you’re getting with the 450 would apply to the new RZ 300e? That’s the model I’m looking at currently. TIA! 🙏

[@mrgurulittle7000]

Good range, good practicality, and good driving dynamics is why people would buy this car. Nobody needs an extra 50mi of range from competitors like Genesis, BMW, and Acura, especially when they cost a lot more than this Lexus. It’s pointless to dismiss it as “ok” when it’s good for the money.

[@naveenthemachine]

Your fanboyism towards Lexus is really showing here isn’t it. I can see you’re doing what I used to do and overlook all the negatives. But unfortunately when I did that, reality bit me in the rear end. And I can say the same thing is happening to you: it’s not working in your favor🤣 Other EVs offer more range and faster charging speeds. And they also offer much higher levels of performance. That’s a fact. You’re also forgetting there are faster and bette evs for less than the RZ. Ioniq5, ev6 especially are superior in every way

[@mrgurulittle7000]

⁠​⁠@@naveenthemachineWhat? I just stated facts. Hard to believe you actually were a Lexus person because now you criticize Lexus cars when they’re better, like the LS vs G90, which the LS out specs it in everything. I’ll worry about myself. Sales, satisfaction, and reliability stats are in my favor versus other brand fanboys only have their opinions to fight with. The RZ450e is one of the cheaper options out of LUXURY brands. EV6 and Ioniq are budget brands so it’s no use to bring them up. I remember when Daewoo added luxury features to their cars, and they now don’t exist; so that shows the “luxury brand perception” that you always criticize Lexus doesn’t have. I also have to disclaim when you say “any other brand” luxury car drives better than Lexys, because this thing has one of the lowest levels of cabin noise in the industry. It’s also smooth to drive. The “higher level of performance” you get on competitors come at a higher cost. The RZ450e is a good car when you dispose of the stereotypes and pointless criticisms (for example; crapping on Lexus for not having as much range when it’s impractical to travel far with an EV to begin with). Anyway, mountain out of a molehill for you Lexus haters. I’d understand if you crapped on the BZ4X because that thing is too expensive for what it is; but you are complaining of literally the cheapest luxury EV crossover in the North American market for not meeting your personal expectations. As an EV, it’s perfectly fine.

[@naveenthemachine]

@@mrgurulittle7000 just about any reviewer would disagree LS is better than g90. Like seriously no reviewer would agree with that statement😂

[@mrgurulittle7000]

@@naveenthemachine But why, though. Literally, there’s nothing that the G90 does better than the LS, and in most cases, the LS is better. Mechanics all say LS is better, so it isn’t “all” reviewers who prefer that G90 junk anyway.

[@naveenthemachine]

@@mrgurulittle7000 Reliability is not why you buy a luxury car. If you want the ultimate luxury of reliability, you buy a Camry or Corolla. The g90 is what Lexus could have and should have done with the LS. If reliability matters so much every other brand would have gone out of business by now

[@blu_is500]

To be honest, I do not think ToyoLex cared too much about this car. I think it was phoned in to quiet down the EV community, because ToyoLex believes the future is still owned by ICE engines. (Which I agree.) Thanks for posting!

[@ToshiClark]

Alex, when you did your review was Lexus doing this Lexus Reserve program yet with RZ leases and purchases? 30 days complimentary reservations of any Lexus vehicle from any US Lexus dealer! That changes the road trip (and travel elsewhere in country) dynamic quite a bit…

[@omelborpon3159]

Wish that Alex talked about the wheel size and tire size. The vehicle has 235F/245R per Alex, but what are the wheel sizes? Lexus is still figuring that big wheels = big luxury at the expense of ride quality and range/efficiency. This car was designed for show rather than go, but that is what Lexus customers will pay for. And will continue to pay more for when they replace the tires.

[@mikefucito6030]

This is my favorite EV reviewer. I own an RZ 450e and I love it.

[@moozillamoo2109]

I don't work for Toyota. Lexus is having a deal right now leasing 450e for a bit over $500 a month. very good deal. 450e also comes with 360 degree camera, physical buttons, and actual door handles. You can't even buy these most important features in comepeitor's products.

[@tychay]

You were one of the only reviewers who noted the big diference between nominal and available battery is a huge contributor to the range difference. Also, I learned from you about the GV being less efficient which I should have guessed as well as the falling-out-of-sweet-spot considerations of "long range" editions. (I'm not an EV owner, but I did build and still own my own ebikes since 2015.) Fast DC charging + charging to 100% are both known to degrade battery life of Li cells period. More recent studies / real-world have said that these claims are exaggerated or "not that bad"/"not permanently." But nobody denies the effect which would explain why Lexus/Toyota would be against allowing superfast DC charging. Not sure why the AC charging is so slow on this platform. :(

[@Anhedonis]

I wish you were able to test the steering yoke.

[@msmith3537]

Great review as always. No doubt the Lexus will be reliable. But, there are a lot of cost cutting decisions that confuse me for this price point.

[@billyjean2905]

Tech is a generation behind Toyota should make more hev because their ev is almost useless

[@codycoquat5953]

As DC fast charging rates continue to increase, I'm curious about the impacts of repeated use on battery life. When MT had a Model 3 in their long-term fleet and repeatedly fast charged a few years back, they lost something like 15 percent of the advertised range during the year long test.

[@scott8919]

Battery capacity drops quickly in the first year or two and then plateaus for the next hundred thousand plus miles. I believe 10% is typical so 15% is a bit excessive.

[@monkeyrun]

Charging speed is not the fastest, but that's ok for most people. The software is not quite iPad era yet, but that's ok. The RZ is squarely in the ok category.

[@klsavenue2]

We just got a 300e Luxury and on top of the $16k rebate the dealer took off another 4k…good price from 63k down to 43k…we have a hybrid es for long trips and 10days/yr to drive a loaner so the extra miles on other brands is not needed. How often do most people drive more than 200miles in a day? We are new to ev market but the lexus was a much nicer drive than Tesla in my opinion

[@Arcynite]

Really wanted to like this as I was in the market for a new car (EV this time) to replace my RX. Unfortunately while both the interior & exterior styling were great the abysmal range, slow charging, strutless front hood, & ugly charge port door all added up to too much compromise for me. In the end, went with a 2024 Sport 3 Cadillac Lyriq AWD and been loving every minute of it the past 6 months. Price came out to be a wash too as I managed to get $13,500 off on the Lyriq bringing the price to roughly the same as a loaded RZ (it not qualifying for the EV tax rebate doesn't help either). This car (and it's toyota/subaru platformates) just feels rushed. May take a look at Lexus's next crop of EV's next time it's time to switch cars. Hopefully by then they'll have a better EV platform and/or batteries (solid state maybe?)

[@jayhiggins5239]

@alex, could the Ariya be better (compelling and better selling) as an Infinity if proper elevated.

[@bird271828]

With a 220 mile range in warm weather, what will the range be in frigid cold weather? Like -20 deg. F with the heater on?

[@prashantkompella5372]

~ 90 - 100 miles.

[@alanlau2375]

No, the hot weather also drinks the battery crazy.

[@AAutoBuyersGuide]

It's hard to say. I would honesty say that for now, if you live in an area that gets to -20F and you want over 100 miles of range, an EV may not be for you. If you get to an area that gets to 30F, that's not much of an issue for most EVs although you'll see a solid range loss. Most of America lives in an area that doesn't get that cold, but not every vehicle is right for everyone.

[@thelarry383]

About 160-180 miles indicated. we own one in chicago

[@rubensteinfamily1]

You didn’t point out that only the luxury trim has the ability to smoke the roof. The premium model has NO WAY to keep the sun off your head. I went with the Lyric instead

[@Top5Depot]

Why does everyone complain about the range? Do people really drive 200 miles a day? I mean you can just charge it home overnight and you'll be fine. I just don't understand all the complaints.

[@mjcmjc6428]

I wouldn't want to buy an EV from a manufacturer who is anti EV. Thanks for another awesome review.

[@Ann-yo5sb]

What does that even mean? "Anti-EV"?

[@zteburner5882]

14:04 Trash control?

[@d.l.tittle3071]

I bought a 2020 Chevrolet Bolt. It had crazy incentives from GM and Costco. I paid roughly $22k OTD. HOWEVER, the whole catch on fire thing put a sour taste in my mouth. I thought the price was a reasonabe hedge jumping to EV., but, GM bought the car back from me, as I was too worried about getting it swapped out or replacing the batteries. I'm back to ICE. Anyway, my point is, at these prices, it is a big leap for a lot of folks to jump to EV, especially when there are current ICE vehicles that are more premium on the market in these price ranges. And I agree that EV's tend to be a firm ride. Tesla IMO is a proven product. But, after paying a premium for insurance on a EV, I'm hesitant to jump back to EV until Uncle Sam forces me to.

[@michael.sierra]

I love my Bolt but I really don't think anyone is cross-shopping a Bolt and an RZ

[@MBergyman]

@@michael.sierra Love my Bolt too. Never worried about the fire risk, it was a good starter EV, but it is very bare bones and far from premium feeling. I'm looking to replace the Bolt in a couple years with something a bit nicer now that I've gotten through the EV learning curve. RZ 450, EV6 GT, Ioniq 5 AWD and i4 are all on my list, although, I'm leaning more toward the the i4 and Lexus if their used values fall enough. Kia and Hyundai are a hard sell when the same money (or nearly) will get you a good used BMW or Lexus with similar miles.

[@schawla325]

If si much mire or the battery is reserved unusable, does that mean it's OK to charge this to 100% more often?

[@peterfessier9780]

This was engineered to be mediocre. The battery is too small to give it competitive range. The level 2 charging speed of 6.6 kW is slow compared to the competition and the fast charging is only okay at 150 kW. 308 horsepower is just okay as well. A Lexus shouldn't be designed to be just okay even when compared to non luxury cars. The instrument cluster is very outdated. This car is a token gesture.

[@naveenthemachine]

Well Lexus is a truly mediocre brand compared to any other brand

[@mrgurulittle7000]

Why did KZbin delete the audio? Naveen gotta troll all over again.🤣

[@waaghals]

I'm sure this is a serviceable car, but if you are so worried about resource use, and only drive short distances, why are you buying a luxury car? Having such a big battery buffer is also counterproductive: In stead of having a 250 mile car that degrades to 200 miles after ten years, you just build a car that can never do more than 200 miles. This is just objectively worse. Also, the BZ4X is know to have pretty bad range in colder temperatures (though a fix on new models is apparently coming), so this would be further hampered if you do not live in a temperate climate.

[@AAutoBuyersGuide]

Luxury shoppers fall into many categories, just look at all the low low low mileage full sized luxury sedans on the used market.

[@waaghals]

@@AAutoBuyersGuide Thanks for the reply, been a fan of your content since the TTAC days. To the point: Those cars could almost certainly do a longer road trip in inclement weather if they needed to, and probably did a few times. Why would you spend luxury car money for a glorified city car, when you can spend the same money for something more versatile and then use THAT as glorified city car? My point is: This car does not really have a niche in the market, at least not one that makes any sense.

[@Thebuscommunityleader]

Amazing video Alex.

[@platinummad6315]

The exterior is meh, but I actually kind of like the interior. Nice simple design

[@tonyw2167]

Everyone knows Lexus/Toyota is a reluctant EV manufacturer, but in hindsight they maybe right by doubling down on making hybrids and PHEVs….

[@joec1774]

Lexus' freshman all electric crossover effort misses the mark, full stop.

[@uludak8468]

smaller batteries have to charge more frequently, accumulate more charging cycles, results in higher degradation. for a bigger buffer? seems to me a zero sums game or did i miss something? 6 kW AC is a deal braker

[@TalismanPHX]

Why is the Ariya NOT an Infiniti?

[@darmokt]

Nissan dealers already have charging infrastructure from the Leaf. Infiniti dealers would have to start building that out at a time when the brand doesn’t really merit any investment.

[@Kevin27182]

Honestly I think all electric cars are just okay cars. At the moment gas cars are way better cars overall

[@ryanpeterson3748]

I feel like some exec in toyota/lexus is intentionally putting out a meh EV to go “see i told you EVs arent the future!” For this pricepoint id rather get the kia ev9 which has better range, imo has a better warranty, still feels nice inside and seats more.

[@omgwtfbbq5098]

I could actually consider it if not for this huge glass roof and synthetic suede seat materials. Especially the synthetic suede - it's just unpleasant for me to touch in any form. Do a better job next time, Lexus.

[@cnfusd]

Toyotas CEO doesn't even think EVs are the future so the RZ already has to deal with that.

[@naveenthemachine]

But let’s be realistic here: The ceo is wrong. Just flat out wrong and it’s obvious with sales of Tesla lucid Rivian Hyundai Kia all climbing up. The model y has outsold the corolla as the world’s best selling car.

[@ALMX5DP]

@@naveenthemachine​​⁠”Buddy let me tell you sales doesn’t mean squat.” That quote is from you… yesterday…

[@naveenthemachine]

@@ALMX5DPI know. But that argument was to prove that sales don’t make a brand or car better than the other In this case Tesla has far outsold Toyota but at the same time they’re better. If a car outsells another and they’re superior in every category then it’s a good thing.

[@ALMX5DP]

@@naveenthemachine weird since you’d literally just said “it’s obvious with sales of..” to try and make your above point. Do you understand what you write half the time before you hit the submit button?

[@Trades46]

​@@ALMX5DPhe's just a serial Toyota/Lexus hater.

[@Ann-yo5sb]

If Tesla (its founder) wasn't so polarizing, there is really one reason to pick anything else over Tesla - "wanting something different". In every category, but build quality, Tesla is still beating the competition handily. Too bad Musk keeps biting the hand that fed him.

[@butch3715]

Lexus should be able to make a much nicer EV than this. Hopefully they eventually will.

[@naveenthemachine]

Won’t ever happen They don’t know how to compete

[@WalpoleEsther-d9g]

Ambrose Mountains

[@elde667]

Front end looks like a cattle-catcher front end of a locomotive. That, coupled with mediocre performance precludes consideration on my part. Thanks for the review.

[@thechett3699]

Why do people say "EV SUV"? Doesn't that mean you're saying "Electric vehicle sport utility vehicle"? We should just say ESUV or SUEV.

[@Qweasdzxc-q1i]

lol lexus panda😂😂

[@JiTengful]

Come on lexus that's a very ugly design car

[@davidtay3373]

Considering Toyota's preference on hybrid and hydrogen over EVs, I have a feeling that they were forced to come up with an EV, "just because."

[@Joeromano95]

Electric cars are still years off.

[@3dogs1monkey]

Lexus is so inferior in the EV market doesn’t matter how you sugar coated the car. ICE is totally different from EV, many EV companies are going under because they’re not easy to design and produced😎😎😎