Lexus RZ long-term test: report 5
How does Lexus's four-wheel-drive electric SUV cut it as a commuter car and a countryside companion alike? We're finding out...
The car Lexus RZ 450e+ Takumi Run by Chris Haining, sub-editor
Why it’s here To find out whether Lexus's premium electric car combatant offers the right blend of efficiency, luxury and performance to succeed in a crowded market
Needs to Cope with a long motorway commute as well seeming at home in the countryside, and be easy to live with day to day
Mileage 8326 List price £69,095 Target Price £66,025 Price as tested £69,095 Official range 251 miles Test range 170-190 miles
17 April 2024 – Group therapy
Many people I have met will be glad that there's only one of me. The world would be a dismal place if it was populated entirely by my clones, but if it was, four of us would be able to sit in my Lexus RZ in reasonable comfort.
That's no mean feat; each of us is 6'5" tall, and most of that is in our legs. In most cars, we have to slide the driving seat all the way back to find a comfy posture behind the wheel, and that invariably means sub-Ryanair levels of rear leg room for the me in the back. Not so in the RZ; there's nothing much to spare, but we could sit back there all day without air-rage kicking in.
Nor will we complain about head room, even with a panoramic roof being standard across the range. What's more, the two outer seats are heated, so bums remain toasty in cold weather even when the main heating system is off – a policy the driver is apt to impose in an effort to make the most of this electric SUV's range.
The boot's decent, too. I recently had cause to take the old rear seats from my 1998 Audi A4 to the tip (spilt battery acid does elderly leather no favours), and after folding the RZ's rear seatbacks down, they slid right in. Plus, with the boot floor just the right height to load without stooping down awkwardly, I didn't need to ask myself for assistance.
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