2023 Lexus RZ review – range, charging and operating costs

Just like the Subaru Solterra and Toyota bZ4X on which the Lexus RZ is based, the 450e comes with a 71.4 kWh (usable) battery, which is also where some of the car’s problems start. Lexus claims a range of up to 271 miles on a full charge — a decent number, but hardly class-leading compared to other all-wheel-drive-equipped EVs of this size.

That includes things like the 298-mile Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the 314-mile Kia EV6, not to mention the cheaper Tesla Model Y Long Range. Not only is the Tesla the fastest, as we mentioned in the previous section, but it also has an official range of 331 miles.

Overall scope is important, but so is efficiency. On this front, the RZ could learn some lessons from Hyundai, Kia, and Tesla. In mixed driving on different types of roads on a balmy 15-degree day, the RZ we tested achieved disappointing results of 2.3 miles per kilowatt-hour.

You’ll struggle to get more than 164 miles between charges at this rating – which is well below the official range. It seems to be the highway miles that hurt her the most; At 70 mph, even 2.0 mph was only achievable.

With 150 kilowatt charging, Lexus says it will take about 30 minutes to reach 80 percent empty capacity – a record that more or less matches the BMW iX3. However, in a range of fast chargers, we’ve rarely seen anywhere near that number, and at over 80 percent, charging drops far more than we see in other competitors — including Tesla.

Insurance groups

There is not much difference in insurance combinations since each RZ has the same power output. It starts at 44 for the entry-level premium, rising to 45 for the range-topping Takumi.

That’s better than the 48 Group rating for the long-term Tesla Model Y, though the extra performance for this car isn’t surprising.

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Consumption

RZ resale values, according to our data, appear to be on par with competitors like the Long Range Model Y, with the top-performing model being the entry-level Premium Pack at 58 percent over a typical ownership period of three years and 36,000 miles.

That’s good by class standards, but if you want a similarly priced electric car with better residual values ​​and can live without all-wheel drive, look at the Volkswagen I.D. Big buzz, because it looks like it will retain 67 percent of its original value.

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