Lexus RZ 450e current and upgrade

Lexus has long built a reputation on quality, refinement and bulletproof reliability. So, when it introduced its first ground-up electric vehicle, the RZ SUV, it was a serious statement of intent from this premium arm of the Toyota empire.

The current model blends a striking design, impressive performance and desirability, but its range is by no means class-leading.

However, for 2026, this has been addressed with a series of upgrades, not least a larger battery that considerably extends the range – a key area for EV buyers – putting range anxiety firmly in the rearview mirror.

Striking exterior

From its striking looks to its cutting-edge technology, the RZ is a luxury high-performance model with a comprehensive list of equipment. It is currently available in three versions – Premium Pack, Premium Plus Pack and Takumi.

It has a presence that is hard to ignore. Sitting between the NX and larger RX, it echoes some of their design features, including an elegant, sleek sculpted profile, the familiar but more striking spindle design on the front grille, trapezoidal headlamps, and a heat-shielding panoramic roof.

In addition, it features a powered boot lid, rear privacy glass, 20-inch alloy wheels, a split roof spoiler and the now signature Lexus LED light bar across the width of the car.

Light, airy, hi-tech cabin

The interior is light and airy with plush upholstery, thick carpets, and a high-end soft-touch finish to the dash and doors. Controls are intuitive and logically placed.

The central 14-inch touchscreen controls navigation and infotainment via a Mark Levinson Premium Surround Sound system. Smartphone connectivity and remote services are accessed via the latest Lexus Link Pro multimedia system with “always connected” services.

This allows remote locking and unlocking of the car and can activate the air conditioning system to warm or cool the cabin prior to starting a journey. A customisable multi-information display relays real-time info to the driver, complemented by a head-up display.

Legroom is good, although the almost coupé-like shape restricts headroom a little in the rear. The seats are firm and comfortable and the cabin, as is typical for Lexus, feels a comfortable place to be.

Performance and handling

It is the first Lexus to include new e-Axles and Direct4 all-wheel electronic drive torque control to improve handling and responsiveness, while a 74kW lithium-ion battery unit is fully integrated into the chassis beneath the cabin floor to deliver extra stability. These will all see upgrades for the 2026 model.

Power is delivered from the battery to twin motors, one on each axle, for a combined 310bhp, delivered via a seamless single-speed transmission.

For tricky conditions, the AWD system constantly distributes drive between the front and rear axles using data collected through a series of sensors.

It is very rapid, as are most electric vehicles, hitting the benchmark 60mph in a smidge over five seconds. Handling is responsive and the adaptive suspension provides independent damping control at each wheel, giving a more comfortable ride on uneven surfaces.

It is a fun drive, particularly on twisting country lanes where the grip is good, and it is equally at home in and around town, potholes included.

Practicality and safety

In practical terms, the battery placement doesn’t compromise the stowage area. With all seats in place, the boot provides 522 litres of space. This increases to an impressive maximum (to the ceiling) of 1,451 litres when the rear seats are folded down.

For safety, there is a full range of airbags, a 360-degree camera, parking sensors, and systems such as a pre-collision system, dynamic radar cruise control, lane departure alert, lane tracing assist and lane change assist.

The 2026 Evolution

While the current car’s tested range of approximately 220 miles is workable, the 2026 update promises to close that gap decisively. It is a brilliant motorway cruiser and with the ever-increasing number of charging stations, range anxiety is becoming less of a problem on longer journeys.

The 2026 Lexus RZ is not a revolution but a thoughtful evolution. The upcoming range-boosting battery will put it on a more level playing field with its competitors.

Factfile

Lexus RZ 450e – Premium Plus Pack (current model)
Price: £61,095
Mechanical: 309bhp/230kW electric motor driving all wheels via E-CVT automatic transmission
0-60 mph: 5.3 secs
Top speed: 99mph
Range (WLTP): 252 miles
2026 Update: Higher-capacity battery estimated 280 plus range
Insurance group: 44E
C02 emissions: 0g/km
Bik rating: 3%
Warranty: 3yrs/60,000 miles

Lexus LBX

By Bill McCarthy

Lexus has set out to introduce a compact premium SUV with stylish looks aimed at the younger European market that delivers brilliant economy and an engaging drive, and they appear to have cracked it with the LBX.

The new compact SUV along with others in the Lexus stable have buried the old ‘pipe and slippers image’ of being driven mostly by older drivers – given the models produced over the last few years have cutting edge design and high-end technology.

The new model comes in seven versions with a starting price of £29,995.

Compact with a muscular profile, the familiar Lexus ‘spindle’ grille sitting below a slim grille has been modified; the firm says it’s part of Lexus’s “Resolute Look” design heritage.

There is a new headlight design that integrates daytime running lights and turn indicators

The new face of the vehicle is to improve the drag coefficient, directing the flow of air from the front bumper down the sides of the vehicle.

The interior is, as you would expect from Lexus, high quality with leather style seats and a premium feel throughout.

It features plush soft touch finish with logical controls well positioned for optimum use.

Also new is a three-spoke multi-function steering wheel, upholstered side knee pads, a padded centre arm rest and a lower storage box with 12V accessory socket and C-type USB port.

Central is a 12.3-inch colour touchscreen which controls major functions through Lexus Link multimedia which includes navigation, smartphone integration and a high-end Mark Levinson sound system on this model.

An optional digital key is compatible with both Apple and Android devices, and up to five individuals per car to use an app on their smartphone to unlock and start the vehicle.

A premium vehicle, it is packed with kit, including, on the entry model, automatic LED headlights, dual-zone climate control, all-round parking sensors and a rear-view camera and 17-inch alloys, while this upper mid-range model adds leather style upholstery, tinted rear windows, a wireless phone-charging pad, ambient interior lighting, a head-up display, and powered tailgate.

It clearly has a mainstream European look, a deliberate choice, and is powered by an efficient self-charging hybrid combination of three cylinder petrol engine and electric motor with a total system output of 134 bhp.

Hybrid engines, whatever the future holds, are more and more efficient matching and exceeding in many cases the most economical of diesel engines, and the LBX is no different.

This combination delivers brisk performance hitting 60mph in just over nine seconds, while the WLTP combined figures shows fuel economy of up to a stunning 62.8 mpg and CO2 emissions from 102 g/km

On the road it offers fun as well as economy. It feels stable on corners while the suspension is firm enough for excellent handling, but not so firm as to make the ride uncomfortable.

It may be the smallest Lexus, but stowage space is decent with 402 litres, with space to carry two 75-litre suitcases beneath the rear boot cover.

Like all Lexus models it is packed with safety equipment including the latest Lexus Safety System+ active system which includes hazard detection capabilities and new braking, steering and drive force control functions to help avoid collisions

Facftile

Lexus LBX Premium Plus Design
Price: £35,595
Mechanical: 134bhp, 1,490cc, three-cyl petrol engine and 67kWelectric motor driving front wheels via automatic gearbox
Max speed: 106mph
0-60mph: 9.2 seconds
Combined mpg: 62.8
Insurance group: tbc
CO2 emissions: 102g/km
BiK rating: 27%

On the road

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