Lexus. They are the masters of the hybrid; the quiet champions of the suburban cul-de-sac. But then, the world went electric. And Lexus, in their typical, methodical fashion, waited.
They watched as others rushed to build an EV. But they continued to wait until they could build an EV that felt like a Lexus. This is their result, the RZ. And for 2026, it got better than when it first came out.
Performance
Motors – The 2026 Lexus RZ receives a bigger battery but this 450e trim keeps the same amount of power as before; 308 hp (230 kW). That is a good amount. It gets this RZ up to speed in about 5 seconds to 100 km/h which is plenty fast for a Lexus. The big difference is with the new trim that is available.
You can get the RZ in this 450e AWD trim or the FWD 350e. But the new 550e AWD F-Sport is the one to get if you want your Lexus to have a bit more fizz. This one produces 402 hp (300 kW) and drops the 0-100 km/h sprint down to the mid 4 seconds.
To further enhance that feeling of driving excitement, Lexus has given this RZ an M-Mode. It’s a virtual transmission that replicates virtual gear changes much like the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N. It’s completely pointless but these sort of technologies make an EV feel less like an appliance and more like a machine that you can connect to.
Battery, Range, & Charging – The bigger battery is up to 77 kWh now. In this 450e, it bumps up the range to 418 km (260 Miles). In the faster 550e, you have to pay a price for the extra power with only 369 km (229 Miles) of driving range. It’s the FWD 350e that gets the most range with up to 480 km (298 Miles). I averaged 18.7 kWh/100km (3.32 Miles/kWh) of motor efficiency.
Whatsmore, the 2026 RZ features better battery thermal management and faster level 2 charging. It’s up now to the industry standard of 11 kW which Lexus says will charge up the battery from 10% to 100% in about 7 hours. At a DC fast charger, the RZ can only accept up to 150 kW but that’s still good enough for a 10% to 80% top up in about 30 minutes. Furthermore, the RZ can now access Tesla Superchargers because it uses the NACS plug.
Braking – Like its Toyota twin, the bZ, the RZ has a smooth and easy to modulate brake pedal. It doesn’t move on its own, unlike some other EVs, and it feels firm when applying a lot of force to it.
There are regenerative braking modes which can be adjusted through the paddles on the steering wheel. Like the Toyota bZ, the Lexus RZ does not have a one-pedal mode. The level 4 regen braking provides strong enough deceleration to slow the car down at a gradual pace but it will not completely stop the car.
Handling – With the battery topped up, the RZ is easy to drive. It’s stable through turns but it doesn’t feel sleep inducingly boring. The Direct4 AWD system can shuffle the power from a 60:40 front split to a 0:100 rear split in milliseconds. Coupled with the light but precise steering and the RZ is enjoyable on more entertaining mountain roads. It’s not sporty like the IONIQ 5 N for example, but then again, it’s not trying to be.
Comfort
Ride Comfort – The 450e uses something called Frequency Reactive Dampers which are not electric adaptive dampers but instead they are frequency-sensitive. That means that they firm up for better control during low-frequency actions such as cornering, but soften during high-frequency actions such as hitting road imperfections. This results in a smooth ride without the need for more expensive electronically adaptive dampers or air suspension.
Interior Space – As for space, the front seats provide plenty of it even for those that are as tall as me at 6’4”. In the back seats, it’s not too bad if you’re a little bit shorter than I am. Behind my tall driving position, my knees gently brush up against the back of the front seat as does my hair against the headliner. But as I said, if you’re shorter, your knees and hair probably won’t rub.
In the trunk, the RZ can accommodate 966 L (34.1 cu-ft) of cargo space behind the rear seats. Fold them down, and that number increases to 1,574 L (55.6 cu-ft). Unfortunately the RZ does not have a frunk like some other EVs but there is a little bit of small item storage space under the trunk floor.
Noise, Vibration, & Harshness – Being an electric car, it already has a quiet cabin. But the engineers took it a step further and added acoustic glass and extra sound insulation so that you don’t even hear the humm of the electric motor. It is very quiet.
Odds and Ends
Pricing – As for the cost, the RZ350e starts at $59,990 CAD ($47,295 USD) while this 450e starts at $66,990 CAD ($50,795 USD). The Luxury & Executive packages are another $6,000 and $16,000 extras. As for the RZ 550e, that one starts at $77,990 CAD ($58,295 USD).
Gadgets – On the tech side, it has the usual stuff that you’d expect from a Lexus. There are radiant heaters for the driver and passenger knees which are like having a warm blanket wrapping your legs. There’s also heated & ventilated front seats and heated rear seats, there’s a panoramic moonroof that doesn’t open but it has a cool electric dimming feature, there’s a dual-zone automatic climate control, a wireless phone charging pad, a head-up display, a digital rearview mirror, a power liftgate in the back, and an automated parking feature that can detect the lines on the ground and park between them.
The infotainment system is displayed on a 14-inch touchscreen and is the same system that is found throughout all other current Lexus and Toyota vehicles. It supports wireless Apple CarPlay & wireless Android Auto but some functions, such as the built-in navigation system, are a paid subscription. Using this system is fairly intuitive and it responds quickly enough to a touch of your fingertips.
Interior Design – On the inside, the 2026 Lexus RZ doesn’t see many changes from the previous model year. It still gets physical temperature knobs but most other functions are integrated into the big touchscreen. The leather on the steering wheel is super soft, one of the softest in the business. And I love the look of the blue-ish ultrasuede upholstery.
Exterior Design – Much like the interior, the exterior doesn’t see any changes for the 2026 model year. It has a sharp, futuristic look to it.Most of the changes for this model happened underneath the pretty body.
Safety – On the safety side, it comes with the Lexus safety system 3.0 which includes almost all available safety & driver aids that can be equipped on the RZ. The only add ons with the Luxury or Executive packages include Traffic Jam Assist, Lane Change Assist, and Front Cross Traffic Alert.
Warranty – The 2026 Lexus RZ450h has a 4 year / 80,000 km new vehicle, 6 year / 110,000 km powertrain, and a 10 year / 240,000 km electric battery warranty. For more information on Canadian Lexus warranty, click here. For information on American warranty, click here.
Conclusion – So, is this the best EV? No. There are faster and longer driving EVs out there. But the Lexus RZ is built with the precision of a Swiss watch and the comfort of a Fairmont hotel. If you want something that will scream at the horizon and live on the edge of a charging map, there are other options out there for you.
But if you want a car that treats the road like a nuisance to be smoothed out and you don’t mind stopping a bit more often for a cup of coffee, then the Lexus RZ is a great way to go silent.
Thank you to Lexus Canada for providing the 2026 RZ450e. www.Lexus.ca
2026 Lexus RZ450e Gallery
