2025 Lexus RZ 300e Luxury

From its sharp looks to its solid performance and tech-filled cabin, the RZ has a lot going for it.

It’s not all roses and red wine, however, as the Lexus RZ has one big challenge – electric range. As all the brand’s move toward and electrified future, it is becoming more apparent that range anxiety is a real issue, and any EV that can’t achieve at least 250 miles on a single charge may not be worth checking out. Fortunately, the Lexus RZ has some redeeming qualities to make up for its deficiency.

Exterior

Take one look at the Lexus RZ and you will surely be impressed with its slick aesthetic. Lexus took its signature spindle front grille and gave it an EV twist. The RZ’s front end is smooth and aerodynamic, which isn’t just for show, it’s for efficiency, too. The RZ bold lines and curves turn heads as well.

It also has plenty of exterior goods, like 20-inch wheels, bright LED headlights, and a panoramic glass roof that illuminates the cabin with the push of a button. It doesn’t open up, though, instead it goes from opaque to translucent instantly. The LED taillight stretches across the tailgate giving it a sharp and modern edge. Overall, the RZ’s design screams sophistication with an eco-friendly flare.

Interior

Sit inside the Lexus RZ and you’ll be greeted by a cabin that’s filled with comfort and style. My tester for the week had a Macadamia and Thunderstorm Ultrasuede interior, which is a fancy way of saying that it’s blue and white. Either way, it’s an attractive and unique interior that’s filled with comfortable and supportive seats in both rows. The layout feels minimalist and high-end, and it’s filled with all the tech that you need.

There is plenty of room in the rear seat, even in the middle spot since there is no hump in the floor. The headroom is good and I even had a few inches over my five-foot, eight-inch frame. Cargo space is a different story, though, as the RZ has 34.9 cubic feet of space with the rear seatback up and 55.5 cubic feet with them down, so it’s a little smaller than you might expect for an SUV.

Powertrain and Driving Impressions

The RZ 300e is powered by a single-motor setup that drives the front wheels and is good for 201 horsepower. If you want more power, the RZ 450e is what you need as it’s powered by a dual-motor setup that’s good for 308 horsepower among all four of its wheels. Power aside, the RZ provides a smooth and powerful ride with its sharp steering and responsive brakes. A yoke steering wheel will be offered soon, but my tester came with the standard round one that’s leather-wrapped.

The car’s acceleration is also very smooth and quick enough to dart in out of traffic easily. The visibility is also good from the driver’s seat and its driver-assist features help a lot. Now, for the aforementioned range, the base RZ 300e is rated at 266 miles on a full charge when it’s equipped with the 18 wheels and 224 with the 20-inchers. However, my tester’s range was limited to 196 miles when it was fully charged, likely due to me using the radio and climate controls when driving.

On the plus side, that low rating is the car’s true mileage, but on the negative side, it’s not much to work with. I live in an apartment and can’t charge at home, so I had to use a public fast charger on the third day I had it to prevent range anxiety. Fortunately, the car charged quickly with a 58-kW charge rate and only took around 35 minutes to go from 48 percent to 87. That made the car’s range go from 93 miles to 174 miles, which quelled my fears. That said, I would recommend only buying this car if you can charge it home every night.

Technology

The Lexus RZ is filled with all the technology you need including a Mark Levinson premium audio system, a 14-inch touchscreen infotainment system that’s complete with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a digital rearview mirror. The car also has a park assist feature that helps you back the car in and parallel park with ease. It’s also equipped with Wi-Fi, heated front and rear seats, a 10-inch head-up display, and a household adaptor in the rear seat, so you can use your blow drier while sitting in the back seat.

Safety

The Lexus RZ is filled with everything you need to keep you safe, thanks to the brand’s safety system 3.0. That’s a suite of driver-assist features, which includes adaptive cruise control, lane-tracing assist, road-sign assist, and blind-spot monitoring with a rear cross-traffic alert. While driving, these safety systems work well and keep the car in the lines without any ping-ponging.

Summary

Ultimately, considering the 2025 Lexus RZ 300e has a starting price of $59,730, I would say that it’s worth the price in terms of its look, features, and driving dynamics, but it’s not that worth it when it comes to range. Especially when rivals like the Genesis GV70 Electrified and Polestar 3 cost around the same amount and have better range. Otherwise, I will say that the Lexus RZ is a sharp EV that is a step in the right direction for the luxury brand, they just need to work on the range.