Battery size: 77kWh
Miles per kWh: 4.5
E-Rating™: A
Max charge rate: 150 kW
Range: 287-347 miles
Consequently, there is a lot of tech talk in this review. If you just want all the normal review topics such as charging times and boot space, skim through to the middle.
Lexus RZ450e One Motion Grip
We’re starting with this as it is the most spectacular of the Lexus’ technology. The RZ doesn’t have a component which has been considered essential since the invention of the car – a steering column. There is no mechanical connection at all between the driver and the wheels. This is the first car to have that.
Lexus calls it One Motion Grip, or (appropriately) OMG for short. It’s available on higher spec models only, and takes a bit of getting used to.
The tech raises a lot of questions, so let’s deal first with how it works. On cars fitted with OMG, the traditional round steering wheel is replaced with a yoke, like you’d find in an aeroplane cockpit.
Tesla had a yoke on the new Model S and X, but that was just a conventional steering system with a funky steering wheel. This means it has drawbacks and owners have found it tricky to use.
In the RZ, the yoke is connected to sensors and a motor, which then tell another motor down by the wheels what to do via a wire.
The clever part is that the ratio of movement can change depending on the situation. If you are pulling out of a parking space, it takes just a quarter turn to get full lock. Turning from full lock left to all the way right is just 150 degrees, so there is never a need to cross over your arms or shuffle the steering wheel through your hands.
However, when you have gained speed it feels more like conventional steering with much bigger movements needed. It takes a few minutes to get used to this and requires a little calibration at first, but it soon feels natural.
One of the interesting parts of the technology is that there is still ‘feel’ through the steering. You can tell when there is a change of road surface, or you go over a cat’s eye.
It will also go light if you start to slip, just as with a conventional steering system. But all of that feedback is artificial. It is sensed by the monitors down at the wheels and then recreated by the module attached to the yoke – just like in a sophisticated computer racing game.
But one of the reasons Lexus has created this system is because it can filter what you feel. The ‘desirable’ feedback makes it to your fingertips. Anything considered unpleasant gets removed. This makes the RZ very refined without feeling remote.
For the first few journeys you might find yourself making little corrections because you’ve turned a little too much at a roundabout, and it did occasionally feel like it was getting momentarily confused in tight corners at speed, but it’s never dangerous.
The feedback level can be tuned too. In the RZ’s ‘Sport’ mode it has more feedback, but in future Lexus’ engineers say they can modify the steering to suit a sportscar or big luxury limo. The RZ is roughly half way between those two, with some feedback but not so much it feels like a race car.
The system will also sense if the car is being pulled off the intended line by something like a camber in the road and automatically correct it, so you won’t have to constantly pull on the yoke to keep an intended line.
Unlike Tesla’s yoke, the Lexus has a proper stalk to operate the indicators and wipers. It’s slightly odd because it rotates as you turn, so it sometimes isn’t where you expect it to be. But you do get used to it as your hands are always in the same place and not shuffling around.
The bigger question is around safety, and if the OMG system will cause you to test the RZ’s nine airbags. Lexus’ engineers point out that fighter and passenger planes have used fly-by-wire systems for years, and these work in the same way.So like an Airbus, there are back up systems so if one motor fails or the power is interrupted, another motor and a separate battery takes over.
This is partially why the OMG is more expensive to buy, (no prices have been announced yet, but expect an extra £30 on a monthly payment), about 10kg heavier and actually uses a bit more energy than a conventional steering system. This isn’t a compelling argument. But it’s nicer to drive, there’s no doubt. And gadget lovers will adore it enough to pay the extra few quid on the finance.
The bigger story will come when cars are designed to have something like OMG from the start. That will mean a lot less engineering for the swap from left or right hand drive, better packaging and crash test performance too. It will also integrate seamlessly with autonomous driving systems. The engineers reckon it will be on pretty much all new cars in a decade’s time for those reasons.
Lexus RZ battery, range and charging
The new updated version of the RZ has a bigger battery, with the capacity increasing from 71.4kWh to 77kWh. In the front wheel drive 350e with the smaller 18-inch wheels this is good enough for a 347 mile range, but in the top models with two motors and fatter tyres you can only expect 287. That is way behind newer competition like the BMW iX3, Volvo EX60 and Mercedes GLC which can achieve 500ish miles.
Besides the bigger battery, Lexus has revised the eAxles (motors) to help extend the car’s driving range and efficiency. There is also new software to make sure the RZ isn’t affected by some of the range issues which have blighted earlier models and the closely related Toyota bZ4X, opening up more of the ‘safety buffer’ in the battery.
When the battery is empty, you can charge at up to 150kW at a suitable DC rapid charger, which is very much on the low side these days. It means a top up from zero to 80% takes about half an hour. The new model does have 22kW AC capability though, which will be handy if you regularly charge at work or public points where you spend a longer time, such as shopping centres or the gym.
Lexus RZ practicality and boot space
First, let us put the RZ’s size in context, as it’s easy to get confused with the Lexus models as they look similar and have two-letter names. The RZ is 4.8 metres long – that’s longer than a Tesla Model Y. That means it sits between the mid-size NX and largest RX SUV models in the Lexus line up.
The one dimension which isn’t big is the height. At 1.6m it is the same as a Nissan Qashqai which means you might be a bit disappointed if you like the taller driving position of an SUV.
In the back there is a reasonable amount of space for three passengers, and the boot measures out at 522 litres with the seats up – that’s reasonable for the class. Under the floor is a sizeable, wipe clean stash for cables and mucky stuff like wellies. There’s no rear wiper though, which we know is one of readers’ pet hates.
Lexus RZ Interior, styling and technology
Inside, the dashboard and seats are obviously a bit more premium than the Toyota, which one of the team described as being ‘like something from a van’.There’s all the usual tech you’d expect and a nice balance of physical and touchscreen buttons. Even on the screen, the important ones are always there so you don’t have to go through menus to find the heating.
There are quite a few buttons which are on the yoke or steering wheel, but they are intuitive to use and you can set the functions to do what you want them to. There’s also a Mark Levinson Premium Surround Sound system on the top model which is designed especially for this car. Mark Levinson seems to know his stuff, because it sounds great.
Lexus RZ motors, performance and handling
The RZ got a power upgrade as part of the facelift, so the 350e now has 221hp, while the 500e and 550e have 376 and 402hp respectively from their twin motor set ups. Unlike in the last model, the four wheel drive models have a more balance power output too. The front/rear power distribution is controlled between 60:40 to 0:100, suppressing pitching and producing a more stable feel under acceleration. During cornering, the ratio varies between 80:20 and 0:100, according to vehicle speed and steering angle, to match the driving conditions.
In addition, the Lexus now has a stiffer bodyshell which improves the ride and handling by giving the suspension a more stable base to work from. We tried both the lower spec car with 18-inch wheels and standard steering, and the posher version with the OMG and 20s. As you’d expect, the car on 18s is more refined but the difference isn’t as marked because the clever steering filters out some of the harshness you’d usually feel through the wheels. Generally, this is a very relaxing car to drive. It can go fast, but it’s not something it encourages you to do. The RZ is just refined and smooth.
The brakes are strong too, and there is variable regen which can be altered using paddles behind the steering wheel. In max mode, it’s almost a ‘one-pedal’ car if you want it to be.
The only real issue is wind noise, which is undoubtably more pronounced as the rest of the car is so refined. We think is due to the oddly large door mirrors. The cameras used by some rivals are an acquired taste which we have yet to acquire, but since Lexus offers them on its other models its strange they’re not on the high-tech RZ, where they would improve refinement and reduce aerodynamic drag.
Lexus RZ running costs and pricing
The pricing is a bit of a blackfly in the Lexus’ chardonnay. The cheapest front wheel drive 350e costs £48,365 and the most expensive RZ 550e F SPORT Takumi BiTone is £71,095. We all seem to use Tesla as a benchmark, and currently £61,990 will buy you a Model Y Performance, which is faster and more spacious. It can’t get close to the RZ’s build quality though.
More of a concern is the Mercedes GLC, Volvo EX60 and BMW iX3. All are within reach of the Lexus buyer and seem better in most ways on paper. Strong residual values mean the finance is more competitive too.
In its defence, the Lexus has a 10-year 100,000 mile warranty, as long as you keep the dealer services up.
Verdict
On paper, the Lexus doesn’t seem to do much better than any other rival, except for all that clever tech which you can show off.
But there is something very calming and about driving it. It refined, beautifully made and nicely designed. The door shuts with a ‘thunk’ which is deeply satisfying and you know it will keep on working like that for years. The dealer will also have nice coffee and know your name when it’s time for a service. For you, that might be worth more than a three second 0-60 time or built-in whoopee cushion.
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