Lexus knows how to surprise and delight its customers. As evidence, I present the 2026 RZ 450e Luxury. A blue suede interior (okay, Thunderstorm Ultrasuede), radiant leg warmers, a glass roof that flips from transparent to opaque with the press of a button, cabin illumination that flickers across the door panels like a shimmering sea, and enough power to fling all my stuff off the center console. The cabin is whisper quiet and did I mention it runs on batteries?
The Lexus RZ 450e isn’t perfect. One could end up on the funny farm were one to leave every available sensor in the ON position at all times. There’s a LOT of sensors. And the regenerative braking system will lurch you into your shoulder harness at full tilt should you come off the gas too fast. But after a week behind the wheel of Lexus’ refreshed compact EV, I came away impressed.
RZ: Bigger Than The NX, Smaller Than The RX
Regarding that compact classification, I was initially confused given the RZ’s seeming relation to the long-running RX midsizer. It’s because I was wrong, there is no relation between the RZ (EV) and RX (ICE). Instead, the Lexus RZ is the luxury variant of Toyota’s bZ, which is a twin to the Subaru Solterra. The 100% electric-powered RZ is 6” longer than the Lexus NX and 3” shorter than the RX. It’s easy to see how all the Lexus SUVs can mentally run together as they all consist of two letters, mostly end in X, and share a clear familial design bond.
Fortunately, the RZ is easy to spot - the normally gaping spindle front grille has been blanked off as the need for huge gulps of air intake has been eliminated. As far as crossovers go, the RZ is a looker. The front snout protrudes with authority, the profile is sleek and the rear raked, complemented by two pointy spoilers poking off the roof. I like the full-width slimline rear light bar with blocky LEXUS lettering, but think the RZ would really look the stuff if the black wheel arches were color-keyed to the Ether paint job on the example I drove.
A Thunderstorm Of Dopeness
Regardless, it looks positively dope on the inside, trimmed in a Thunderstorm Ultrasuede upholstery that would leave Elvis envious. I did have the opportunity to pickup my middle school-aged kids after a sopping wet, muddy track practice in the RZ. But I decided against it, driving our well-worn Ford Transit Connect instead. I can’t be certain, but something about that blue suede getup looks like it doesn’t want to be soaked with muddy children. For any family buyers out there, maybe stick with a lower trimline RZ, like the 350e, that comes with faux leather instead of faux suede for easier cleanup.
But, for maximum fanciness, I must highly recommend the RZ 450e Luxury model. It shares top trim billing with the new-for-2026 550e F Sport and a starting sticker of $58,395. The base model starts at $47,395. All 2026 RZs - aside from the F Sport - come with a 74.69-kWh battery pack, an NACS charging port, and 150-kW fast-charging capability. The single-motor 350e makes 221 horsepower and is rated for 300 miles of driving range, while the AWD dual-motor 450e comes in at 308 hp and 260 miles of range. You can upgrade the power on this model to 375 horses at the dealer for an extra $1,750 or go the F Sport route for 402 hp and the lowest driving range of the bunch at 225 miles.
Excellent EV Torque Response
In standard 450e spec, the 2026 Lexus RZ is plenty fast. My highly scientific EV road test of “does it have enough juice”, is to plant my foot on the go pedal and observe what happens to the doodads sitting on the center console and the reactions of unsuspecting passengers. EVs are known for instant torque response, but are not all designed for speed. The Lexus RZ 450e very much is however. Key fob, wallet, and phone were flung about and my wife let fly an expletive.
Other driving notes include a stunningly smooth and quiet ride. As part of the “Lexus Driving Signature” approach to car building, the RZ has been updated with a more rigid front radiator support, a new chassis brace out back, added sound deadening material, better body adhesives, and - on the 450e and 550e - a new silencing pad beneath the back seat to suppress rear motor noise. The RZ 450e also gets acoustic laminated window glass, all of which lends a hand with delivering incredibly quiet motoring.
Skip The Service Brakes (Almost) Entirely
Sitting behind the wheel, I found the driver compartment a bit snug, but this is a compact crossover. What appear to be transmission shifter paddles behind the steering wheel are in fact controls for the regenerative braking system. Every time you fire up the RZ, this system defaults to the lightest level of regen. Pull for more as needed and the RZ slows down much like downshifting a manual transmission.
You can’t get full one-pedal driving, but coming off the highway or approaching a corner, you can dramatically slow down to the point of rarely requiring the service brakes. One gripe is how aggressive the RZ’s regen braking feels at full tilt. Feather your foot off the throttle with this setting or risk an uncomfortable lurching sensation as the regen system grabs hard.
The Case Of The Aggressive Driving Nannies
An area the Lexus RZ is not quiet would be the advanced driver aids. There are too many to list here, but as an example, I turned off the Intuitive Parking Support, Parking Support Brake, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, and Rear Camera Detection anytime I was heading home. Toggling these systems off is a breeze with the central touchscreen, which is nice as they are overly insistent and demanding when backing into my driveway with its many objects and obstacles to watch for - stone corner markers, a telephone pole, another car, and a whole bunch of bushes. The level of beeping and flashing with all four systems engaged is maddening enough to make parking a challenge.
Wonderfully Luxurious RZ Cabin
Lexus seems to know this, as it loads the RZ cabin with dazzling features to calm a crazed mind. The faux leather on the steering wheel is buttery soft, to the point that you’ll find yourself, um, caressing it. On a crisp New England morning, the radiant leg warmers feel like limb toasters when wearing shorts. With the electrochromic “Dynamic Sky” glass roof glazed over, a faint blue tint comes through. And who knew car door panels could be so fetching?
The laser-etched pattern on these Ultrasueded sections is a Lexus first. It’s neat. BUT, when the sun sets and the wordily named Thematic Illumination with Animated Door Trim Shadow Illumination comes out, it’s SUPER neat. A trio of tiny projectors hide at either end of the dashboard. With the doors closed, they play a shimmering display of diamond-patterned lights across the door panel. Lexus says it’s based on their “Time in Design” philosophy and that the “faintly changing shadow patterns evoke the passage of time, providing a comfortable cabin experience for the vehicle’s occupants.” Yes indeed.
Lexus’ Value-Packed EV
For about $60,000 as tested - the Ether paint ain’t free - this 2026 Lexus RZ 450e Luxury AWD is a tremendous value in the context of average new car prices these days. 260-ish miles of range ought to be enough for typical daily commutes and certainly for local driving. You can charge it from 10% to 80% in 30 minutes at a Tesla Supercharger, per Lexus, but really you’d want a Level 2 station at home to enable convenient overnight charges. In any case, this is a lot of EV for the money and one that does a fine job on the surprise and delight front.
About the author: Niel Stender is an automotive journalist. More of his work can be found at muckrack.com/niel-stender