Lexus RZ 450e Luxury 2024 Review

Being a premium EV offering in the popular mid-size SUV segment, you can’t really expect the 2024 Lexus RZ 450e Luxury to be cheap – and at $121,675 plus on-road costs, it isn’t.

Sitting above the Luxury model grade is the RZ 450e Sports Luxury, which starts at $133,675 plus ORCs.

It’s important to note that the RZ is offered only at this stage with a dual-motor/all-wheel drive powertrain, so it’s positioned higher than many of its rivals that offer more affordable variants with a single e-motor.

Even so, it sits well above performance-oriented dual-motor models such as the bargain Tesla Model Y Performance (from $82,900) and Kia EV6 GT (from $99,590), leaving the Genesis GV70 EV a closer match at $126,475 plus ORCs.

The 2024 Lexus RZ 450e Luxury is certainly well equipped. Even this ‘entry’ variant gains deeply inviting eight-way power-adjustable heated front seats cloaked in ‘NuLuxe’ leather-look trim, suave touch points (inside and out) for the door releases, an electro-chromatic rear-view mirror, thick shagpile-esque carpet and headlight washers.

Oddly, the powered rear tailgate lacks a wiper, while niceties such as a head-up display, sunroof, heated steering wheel and cooled front seats are only offered in the Sport Luxury model.

Lexus continues special ownership privileges via the Encore membership program that comes with purchase of a new or Lexus-certified used car.

Signing up affords access to service-loan cars, special accommodation/entertainment deals, valet parking, golf events and performance drive days at The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia.

The Lexus RZ 450e is covered by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, while the battery pack is covered for 10 years. Roadside assist is part of the Encore program, too.

Capped-price servicing is fixed at $395 per routine workshop visit at 15,000km/12-month intervals for five years or 75,000km.

The 2024 Lexus RZ 450e has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating, based on 2023 assessment protocols.

In traditional Lexus fashion, there’s a full suite of active and passive safety systems including 10 airbags and autonomous emergency braking (AEB) – both forward and reverse, high and low speeds respectively, with pedestrian and cyclist detection.

There’s also radar cruise control, lane departure warning with lane keep assist, lane tracking, blind spot monitoring, speed sign monitoring, driver attention detection and safe exit assist.

The RZ 450e is also able to automatically notify a Lexus emergency call centre in the event of an accident and determine which services may be needed.

If the 2024 Lexus RZ 450e Luxury is anything to go by, screen size matters.

An integrated 14-inch touch-screen dominates the cabin and is joined by other features such as inbuilt sat-nav, climate control, Lexus Connected Services and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, though only the former is wireless.

A wireless charging pad is provided and there are four USB-C points.

Gone is the antiquated touchpad (hallelujah) and the large central screen is accompanied by a multi-view digital driver’s display.

Various tasks can be completed via voice recognition by saying “Hey Lexus”, with the system also able to detect both the driver and front seat passenger.

The 2024 Lexus RZ 450e utilises two electric motors, one on each axle, to create the all-wheel drive layout.

Combined total system output is 230kW, with the front e-motor producing 150kW and the rear 80kW. In terms of torque, Lexus quotes 266Nm and 169Nm front/rear respectively.

The figures aren’t class-leading, but Lexus says the RZ 450e can accelerate from 0-100km/h in a very respectable 5.3 seconds.

The e-motors draw energy from a 64kWh (net) lithium-ion battery pack that stretches unobtrusively underfloor within the dedicated Toyota/Lexus EV platform.

The 2024 Lexus RZ 450e Luxury has a driving range of just 395km, based on the WLTP cycle, which is lower than many rivals.

In the real world, that figure also doesn’t stack up.

In our week with the RZ 450e Luxury, we struggled to get anywhere near the claim. So much so that we thought the trip computer’s calculated range (after a full charge) of just 275km might have been overly pessimistic – not so.

This is surely something Lexus will need to work on in the future. At least RZ 450e buyers are gifted with a complimentary 7kW JET Charge home wallbox.

Plugged into a domestic 240-volt wall socket, the RZ 450e Luxury can take more than 11 hours to reach full charge, compared to just 30 minutes on a DC fast-charger.

The 2024 Lexus RZ 450e Luxury presents as an upmarket SUV and it drives like one.

A meaningful squeeze of the accelerator pedal brings a Tesla-like response, with no fuss, no wheelspin and no histrionics other than a solid shove in the back.

The power surge quickly fades as the speed gathers, which is no surprise given the 2095kg kerb weight and relatively subtle outputs. However, there’s always a reassuring amount of torque to play with.

The RZ 450e Luxury has a few different personas and can be set in any of the five drive modes – Normal, Sport, Eco, Range and Custom – to tailor your experience. For example, you can change the weight of the reasonably quick steering or sharpen the throttle response.

True to form, the RZ is capable and composed dynamically. The suspension hardware comprises MacPherson struts up front and double wishbones at the rear for a well-judged and unruffled ride quality.

The RZ 450e Luxury comes with conservative (by modern standards) 18-inch wheels wearing 235/60R18 tyres, while the extra space taken up by the lithium-ion battery pack means you get a can of goo and not a space-saver spare wheel.

Let’s just say, the name doesn’t lie. The 2024 Lexus RZ 450e Luxury is decidedly opulent. The attention to detail is borderline exquisite.

Lexus is known for not holding back on interior plushness and the RZ remains true to form. The quality of the materials, the cabin architecture and the overall sense of refinement is palpable.

With generous dimensions, the RZ 450e Luxury offers capacious room for occupants front and rear with ample headroom and shoulder-room, too.

There’s also great all-round visibility, effective sound deadening and well-shaped seats.

The 10-speaker audio is not as high-end as the Sports Luxury’s 13-speaker Mark Levinson system, but it still produces a rich sound.

Overall, cabin storage is a bit of a mixed bag. It includes door bins, a lidded cubby between the front seats as well as a smaller one below the centre console to help compensate for the lack of a glove box.

Luggage space, which stretches from 522 litres to a maximum 1451 litres with the rear seats folded, is generous without being exceptional. A powered tailgate is standard.

The 2024 Lexus RZ 450e Luxury is a welcome addition to the full-electric mid-size SUV party. It’s a bit of a charmer.

However, the price of admission is lofty and the RZ 450e’s real-world range means you’ll be heading home earlier than others.

From our experience you shouldn’t expect to achieve the 395km figure, let alone the 470km Lexus also touts, based on the more lenient NEDC testing cycle.

This is a shame because there’s convincing technology at play here that’s mixed in cohesively with the level of comfort and refinement we expect from Lexus.

The RZ is just ultimately hamstrung by a surprisingly limited range.

2024 Lexus RZ 450e Luxury at a glance:
Price: $121,675 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: Two permanent magnet synchronous electric motors
Output: 230kW (front 150kW/266Nm, rear 80kW/168.5Nm)
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear
Battery: 64kWh lithium-ion
Claimed range: 395km (WLTP)
Energy consumption: 18.71kWh/100km (WLTP)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2023)