Summary
- The 2023 Lexus RZ 450e impresses with its stylish design and luxurious interior, featuring signature Lexus elements and high-end features like electronic door buttons and a panoramic sunroof.
- However, the RZ 450e falls short in terms of its range, performance, and price compared to its electric crossover competitors from Tesla, Ford, and Genesis.
- With a limited range of around 220 miles, unimpressive acceleration times, and a steep starting price, the RZ 450e may struggle to attract buyers looking for longer range and better performance at a more affordable price point.
In a recent video, popular automotive YouTuber Doug DeMuro reviewed Lexus’ first all-electric vehicle — the 2023 Lexus RZ 450e.
It is the more luxurious version of the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra, complete with Lexus’s upmarket styling and plush interior. However, it has a few drawbacks.
DeMuro found Lexus’ first fully electric vehicle leaving a lot of room to be desired. Beyond the RZ 450e’s well-designed interior are the Japanese luxury vehicle’s underwhelming range figures, uncompetitive performance, and relatively steep starting price tags.
These two may drive buyers towards cheaper, longer-range, and better-performing electric crossover competitors from Tesla, Ford, and Genesis.
DeMuro Praised The 2023 Lexus RZ 450e’s Styling
Comparing the 2023 Lexus RZ 450e to the Subaru Solterra and Toyota bZ4X, DeMuro praised how Lexus improved upon the exterior looks of its cheaper siblings by applying their signature design language.
“Now, it isn’t the most beautiful vehicle in this segment, but that’s subjective — some might love it. But it certainly looks better than the bZ4X and the Solterra. And it definitely isn’t ugly, although it is kind of striking, which some might like,” said DeMuro.
For example, the RZ 450e gets Lexus’s iconic spindle grille and drops the controversial imposing dark-colored body panels on the 2023 Toyota bZ4X and 2023 Subaru Solterra, in favor of more subtle dark-colored accents around the exterior.
DeMuro also praised the car’s breathtaking interior which has the same look and feel as any other luxurious Lexus vehicles.
Some luxurious and cool features that DeMuro explored were the electronic buttons that open and close the doors, a unique panoramic sunroof that can turn opaque at the push of a button, full Alcantara seats that are usually on high-performance vehicles, roomy rear seats, a large 14-inch infotainment touchscreen, and a unique rotating gear selector.
Notably, Lexus is debuting its Tesla-style yoke steering wheel as an alternative option to a regular steering wheel in the 2023 Lexus RZ 450e. According to DeMuro, RZ 450e models that have the optional yoke steering also gain variable-ratio steering. This basically means that the more a driver turns the yoke, the faster the car will turn thereby removing the need for drivers to make multiple turns of the yoke to turn sharply. That also means Lexus fixed the common complaint of drivers using the Tesla yoke which needs multiple hand-over-hand turns of the yoke to turn sharply.
However, that’s pretty much where the upsides end, according to DeMuro.
The YouTuber had a few reservations about the fact that the digital driver’s gauge display is too simple and that the large infotainment screen doesn’t have the capability to do a multiscreen view like a map overlay. He also noted that it is impossible to control the sunroof from the rear seats as the only button that controls it is in front. It also lacks a front trunk like on many electric vehicles, but DeMuro says that according to surveys, only a few owners ever use frunks if they are available on their cars.
The YouTuber Criticized The RZ 450e’s Limited 220-Mile Range
Most of DeMuro’s other criticisms of the new Japanese luxury electric crossover revolved around its disappointing range figures.
The base 2023 Lexus RZ 450e Premium comes standard with 18-inch wheels that give it an EPA-estimated 107 mpge combined and an EPA-estimated range of around 220 miles.
Where things get a lot worse, however, is when the RZ 450e has the larger and better-looking 20-inch wheels that come optional on the Premium trim level and standard on the Luxury trim level. RZ 450es with the 20-inch wheels get an EPA-estimated 95 mpge combined and an unimpressive EPA-estimated range of 196 miles — not even cracking the 200-mile mark that most modern electric vehicles significantly exceed.
“In fact, all of the rivals of the Lexus RZ have longer range figures than this car,” commented DeMuro.
One of the vehicles DeMuro compared it to was the Tesla Model Y, which is one of the most popular all-electric crossovers on the market today.
The 2023 Tesla Model Y Long Range definitely surpasses the mileage and range of the 2023 Lexus RZ 450e. The Tesla crossover gets 15 mpge combined and 110 miles of range more than the Lexus RZ 450e with the more efficient 18-inch wheels.
He also compared it to the Ford Mustang Mach-E which has an EPA-estimated range of 312 miles, over 100 miles more than the Lexus. Other crossovers that DeMuro compared the Lexus to are the 2023 Genesis GV60 which has an EPA-estimated range of 250 miles, the Volvo XC40 which has an EPA-estimated range of 226 miles, and the Audi Q4 E-tron which has a range of 265 miles.
But the RZ 450e’s range isn’t the only drawback DeMuro highlighted.
DeMuro Experienced The 2023 Lexus RZ 450e’s Uncompetitive Performance
DeMuro also compared the Lexus RZ 450e’s decent performance, which its competitors unfortunately overshadow.
Going back to the 2023 Tesla Model Y, DeMuro says that the base Model Y has a 0 to 60 mph acceleration time of 4.8 seconds which is 0.2 seconds faster than the Lexus. The higher-end Tesla Model Y Performance has an even better 0 to 60 mph acceleration time of 3.5 seconds, 1.5 seconds faster than the RZ 450e.
The 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E also surpasses the Lexus RZ 450e’s performance, with a 0 to 60 mph time of 4.8 seconds. The GT trim level of the Mustang Mach-E does even better with a 0 to 60 mph time of 3.8 seconds.
As DeMuro took the Lexus crossover on the road for a test drive, he compared the 2023 Lexus RZ 450e to its bZ4X and Solterra siblings. “To me, this is like the best version of the bZ4X, Solterra, RZ situation. You got all-wheel drive as standard, you got decent power as standard, and it doesn’t look weird. So, from a Toyota standpoint, this is a great electric crossover,” said DeMuro.
He added, “But from the general market standpoint, it seems to me to not be so great. Specifically, I am surprised at that combination of range, price point, and performance. It’s just not fast enough, and it just doesn’t have good enough range to justify the price that they are charging,”.
DeMuro Questioned The RZ 450e’s Expensive Pricing
The YouTuber found the RZ 450e’s price is steep, especially considering that its competition has better performance figures and much longer ranges. For context, the base Premium trim level of the RZ 450e starts at $59,650 while the top-of-the-line Luxury trim level starts at $65,150.
But its competitors are a lot cheaper while packing a lot more range and better performance. For example, the 2023 Tesla Model Y Long Range is $10,000 cheaper than the base trim level 2023 RZ 450e. The YouTuber also compared it to a similar 2023 Genesis GV60 which is only around $360 cheaper but has marginally better range and similar mileage figures.
He also speculated why this is the case.
“Toyota would respond to this, I suspect, Lexus would respond to this by saying ‘yeah, but it’s a Lexus.’ And indeed there is some truth to that. The Model Y does have more range and better acceleration, but it’s not all that well-built. If we’re being totally honest, the interiors of Teslas are just not all that nice. They’re minimalist, which you can think that it’s kind of cool but like they’re not nice. They’re not luxurious,” said DeMuro.
DeMuro does say that the Lexus luxury crossover feels like it has better build quality and probably upholds Toyota’s and Lexus’s reputation for building reliable cars — which may justify the price premium the RZ 450e has over its competitors. Despite that, the YouTuber also speculated that reliability may not be what the market is looking for right now in electric vehicles, especially not with the disappointing range the SUV has.
“So that’s the 2023 Lexus RZ. It’s fine. Only fine. The technology is decent, the performance is decent, the range is disappointing, and it’s pretty pricey considering its faults. There are better electric rivals on the market but at least Lexus is finally here with an EV,” concluded DeMuro.
