Lexus RZ review - Range, charging and running costs
It’s usable for those not doing mega mileage, but the Lexus RX doesn't have the efficiency or charging speed of rivals
Just like the Subaru Soltera and Toyota bZ4X upon which the Lexus RZ is based, the 450e comes with 71.4kWh (useable) battery, which is also where some of the car’s problems begin. Lexus claims up to 271 miles of range on a full charge – a decent figure, but hardly class-leading against other four-wheel-drive equipped EVs of this size.
That includes things like the 298-mile Hyundai Ioniq 5 and 314-mile Kia EV6, let alone the cheaper Tesla Model Y Long Range. Not only is the Tesla faster, as we mentioned in the previous section, but it also has an official range of 331 miles.
Overall range is important, but so too is efficiency. On that front, the RZ could really do with taking some lessons from Hyundai, Kia and Tesla. In mixed driving over various types of roads on a mild 15-degree day, the RZ we tested achieved a disappointing 2.3 miles per kilowatt hour.
You’ll struggle to get more than 164 miles between charges at that rating – significantly less than the official range. Motorway miles seemed to harm it the most; at 70mph, even 2.0mi/kWh was only just achievable.
With 150kW charging, Lexus says it should take around 30 minutes to reach 80 per cent capacity from empty – a fairly standard figure that matches BMW’s iX3. However, on a range of rapid chargers, we rarely saw anywhere near that figure, and above 80 per cent, the charge tailed off far more dramatically than we see in other rivals – including the Tesla.
Insurance groups
There isn’t much difference in insurance groups since every RZ has the same power output. It starts at group 44 for the entry-level premium, rising to 45 for the range-topping Takumi.
That’s better than the group 48 rating of a Long Range Tesla Model Y, although, with that car’s extra performance, this is hardly surprising.
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Depreciation
Resale values of the RZ, according to our data, look to be on a par with rivals such as the Long Range Model Y, with the best-performing model being the entry-level Premium Pack at 58 per cent over a typical ownership period of three years and 36,000 miles.
That’s good by class standards, but if you want an EV for a similar price with even better residual values and can live without the four-wheel drive, look at the Volkswagen ID. Buzz, because that looks set to retain 67 per cent of its original value.
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