Driven: 2026 Lexus RZ Asks for a Mulligan

Car and Driver

a day ago

In its pre-refresh form, the Lexus RZ was a good Lexus but a mediocre EV. Its hushed, compliant ride kept it true to the brand. But its range estimates were low, and our real-world highway-range results were even lower. The RZ's charging speed left much to be desired—but, then again, its battery capacity was also on the low side. It's hard to get a good burst out of the gate when you immediately trip over your own shoelaces.
But that's in the rearview now. For 2026, Lexus has rolled out a mid-cycle refresh that aims to mollify its critics. Good progress has been made, but there are still a few pain points to be found.
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What's Cookin', Okay-Lookin'?
The RZ retains two trims and picks up another, but the changes for 2026 are spread evenly across all corners of the EV like butter over bread. The base RZ350e (née RZ300e) produces 221 horsepower from a single motor on the front axle, while the now-middle-child RZ450e holds steady at 308 ponies coming from a pair of e-motors conferring AWD.
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Both variants also pick up a new battery, with the bulk of models receiving a unit with 68 kWh of estimated usable capacity. As such, range estimates swell a bit; the RZ350e earns a 300-mile range (up from 266), while the RZ450e lands at 260 (up from a paltry 220). The boost in range comes from more than just increased cell count; Lexus also claims it reduced e-motor losses and tweaked the control systems.
And then there's the new kid. The RZ550e F Sport is the first RZ to wear Lexus's halfway-there performance badge, and it has the specs to back up that mild assertion. Its dual-motor powertrain is good for 402 horsepower, and its battery is slightly larger than the other RZs' at 69 kWh. However, because it's both the most powerful and the heaviest RZ, it has the lowest estimated range at just 225 miles.
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The RZ550e also yoinks a trick bit of tech that we first experienced in our award-winning darling, the Hyundai Ioniq 5N. Lexus calls it M Mode, but no matter what you call it, it's tech that simulates the physics of hustling through eight gears in a direct-drive EV.
There are some other changes scattered about the RZ lineup as well. The onboard AC charger is now a beefier 11-kW unit. The charging port has been swapped over to NACS and moved to the passenger side. There's a new color—Wind, otherwise known as light gray—and the electrochromic roof boasts improvements to its shading. Minor aesthetic tweaks round it out. Easy stuff.
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Driving the RZ
We spent our time split between the 350e and the 550e, since the 450e is virtually unchanged except for its larger battery. The 350e's additional power is immediately appreciated, and acceleration is now what we'd consider suitable. The 350e clearly prefers to be driven smoothly, but when we do chuck it around a bit, we don't find that the larger (and thus heavier) battery impinges on our ability to have a good time.
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The 550e F Sport finally feels like the hustler that Lexus wanted atop this lineup—402 horsepower may not be a lot of zoot in a world rife with four-figure power outputs, but in this instance, it provides more than enough straight-line hustle to be interesting. The ride is slightly stiffer due to unique damper tuning, but it remains compliant overall and keeps comfort as a priority. It's fun in the corners too.
M Mode is a fun addition. It displays a fake tachometer (devoid of numbers, naturally) and offers a range where it's ideal to upshift or downshift using the wheel-mounted paddles. It will stay in its selected gear; if you don't upshift at the right time, your forehead will meet the tiller. Shifting comes with a surprising kick that strengthens in Sport mode. Perhaps the silliest part of it all is when you engage the sound synthesizer; it merely replays the sound file with each gear change, so it sounds like you're driving a race car with straight-cut gears. Intentional? Probably not. Kitschy and fun? You betcha.
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As in its predecessor, the 2026 RZ nails Lexus's raison d'être. The cabin is quiet, with only a bit of road noise seeping its way in. Regardless of trim and wheel choice, the ride remains supple. Interior fit and finish is delightful, with cushy seats and soft, smooth synthetic leather that's a delight to touch. The tech might feel a little overwhelming at first, but it's easy to master, and we appreciate the quick-access menu that lets us tweak the most frequently adjusted settings (e.g., safety systems, vehicle modes) with haste.
When it comes to the smaller stuff, there's still some room for improvement. Despite the batteries gaining capacity—and NACS charging compatibility—DC fast-charging is still limited to a paltry 150 kilowatts. The electrochromic roof does switch between transparent and translucent with greater speed, but what we really want is a proper shade; in Portugal's 110-degree heat, the roof is constantly hot to the touch. There is no true one-pedal driving, but there are multiple regen strengths on offer, and its beefiest setting gets you pretty close.
Toyota's ubiquitous driver-assistance nannies are all present and accounted for, too, and they remain as annoyingly overbearing as ever. We had to turn off traffic-sign recognition completely, because it beeps incessantly if you dare exceed the speed limit by a single mile per hour. The attention monitor yelled at us for such daring maneuvers as checking blind spots and looking both ways before crossing the road. Lexus may as well include a pair of horse blinders for you to put on.
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Previewing Steer-by-Wire: Yokin' Around
We were also given a sneak preview of something Lexus has been teasing since the RZ first debuted: steer-by-wire. This system does away with a physical steering column, replacing it with a purely digital connection while also replacing the traditional steering wheel with a yoke. You can't mix and match; if you opt for the steer-by-wire, you must get the yoke, which has a drastically reduced lock-to-lock range that coincides with the by-wire system's unique tuning.
The yoke doesn't match the quality of the regular wheel, and the controls are a little different. The yoke's flat bottom is made of a plasticky material that feels cheaper than anything else in the car. The turn-signal lever is vexing; it's mounted to the yoke and not the column behind, so it rotates with the wheel, which made signaling a proper pain in the butt when trying to leave a roundabout.
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As for the actual act of steering, that's . . . fine, provided you don't mind rewiring your brain on the fly. Steering sensitivity is based on speed, which means repeated inputs will produce different outputs at different times. It only catches us off guard at parking-lot speeds, where the car is inclined toward darty, immediate motions that, if handled improperly, could send the RZ into a curb or two. It will eventually become muscle memory, sure, but if you happen to own multiple cars, you'll be constantly relearning how to drive.
In this specific instance, we think Lexus is overengineering its way out of a problem that it never needed to involve itself with in the first place. Steer-by-wire won't be coming to the U.S. in 2026, instead likely arriving a model year or two later. But we think it's best overlooked, unless you want to be on the cutting edge of tiller tech. If you really want to be a pilot, a lightly used Cessna 152 should cost about as much as a 550e, and the Cessna's range is nearly double.
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The 2026 Lexus RZ is an exercise in taking small steps forward. This EV contains everything on which Lexus prides itself—comfort, convenience, and cushion. The improvements to output and battery capacity will undoubtedly make this SUV more competitive within an already-competitive segment, but there is some room for improvement still.
The refreshed RZ goes on sale later this year. Pricing, torque, and all the other important figures you don't see here will be released closer to that time.
Specifications
Specifications
2026 Lexus RZ
Vehicle Type: front- or front- and rear-motor, front- or all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE (C/D EST)
Base: RZ350e, $46,000; RZ450e AWD, $50,000; RZ550e F Sport AWD, $62,000
POWERTRAIN
Front Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC
Rear Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC
Combined Power: 221–402 hp
Battery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 68–69 kWh (C/D est)
Onboard Charger: 11.0 kW
Peak DC Fast-Charge Rate: 150 kW
Transmissions, F/R: direct drive
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 112.2 in
Length: 189.2 in
Width: 74.6 in
Height: 64.4 in
Passenger Volume, F/R: 55/47 ft3
Cargo Volume, Behind F/R: 48/35 ft3
Curb Weight (C/D est): 4500–5000 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 3.9–7.0 sec
1/4-Mile: 11.0–14.0 sec
Top Speed: 103 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 90–128/100–139/85–115 MPGe
Range: 225–300 mi
Reviewed by
Andrew Krok
Managing Editor, Reviews
Cars are Andrew Krok's jam, along with boysenberry. After graduating with a degree in English from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2009, Andrew cut his teeth writing freelance magazine features, and now he has a decade of full-time review experience under his belt. A Chicagoan by birth, he has been a Detroit resident since 2015. Maybe one day he'll do something about that half-finished engineering degree.
This content is imported from Third party. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.