Upmarket electric family SUV arrives with plenty to prove, especially to its keeper
A Lexus and a golf course car park go together like bread and butter. It’s a staple. So it’s good to see the RZ is still the perfect links companion. Bags fit easily in the 1.85m-wide-SUV’s 580-litre boot without the rear seats needing to be dropped. Three bags and a chunky trolley is our current record.Off to a festival for the weekend? The RZ has you covered. Its 522 litres of boot space coped with four lots of tents, bags, food and extras, all without needing to drop the rear seats.
Instead, I have become a regular visitor to the local public charger. It bills me at 44p per kWh, which isn’t terrible, but it’s a 10-minute walk away. As long-term solutions go, this really doesn’t scream convenience, and I bet similar circumstances have put off many a prospective EV owner. Having these chargers at an apartment complex – one of the first in the country to have them – is a big deal. “This makes it easier for people thinking of switching to EVs to do so,” continued Wells. “If you know there’s a charger available for you at home, that’s a game-changer.”
It’s all good news, then, and this set-up is something that the RZ and I would love to have at our place on the other side of town.The more I return from other cars to the RZ, the more its ride staggers me. For something that weighs two tonnes, it really glides.I’ve discovered a new beep: it sounds when I lock the car , but I have no idea why. Investigation to follow. Just over 1500 miles in and I’m beginning to form a bit of a bond with our Lexus RZ. This is a good car.
What is great, though, is how the RZ is to drive, which again adds to its ‘get you there relaxed’ mantra. It rides quietly and in supple fashion and has a pleasing heft to its steering that speaks of plenty of dynamic fine-tuning, which Lexus is known for. I get why they’re there, but instead of being a kind hand on the shoulder to give you a nudge that you’re, for example, getting just a little too close to that central line , it’s more like a driving instructor shouting at you for your ineptness. It feels like something out of the school of Sir Alex Ferguson. I’m much more Mikel Arteta.
So, with opinions like that, seeing the keys to such a vehicle land on my desk at Autocar Towers was a bit of a surprise – but maybe that was the point. The very plush Lexus RZ will be in my keep for the next few months, possibly in the hope that I’ll become an advocate for high-end cruising, or at least understand its place.What’s more, the brand’s new flagship is an EV, and Lexus’s first bespoke one at that – albeit a reskinned Toyota bZ4X. Sorry, being cynical.
I’m happy to report Lexus has hit the mark: this is a comfy car. And plush – especially in the Takumi trim of our model. As a result, every journey has been one of comfort – from being lightly manoeuvred into my driving position at the press of the start button to the in-seat fans keeping me sweat-free on scorching days.
Good news, then? Well, ish: there are some caveats. The beeping is one. The RZ has a host of safety features, from speed limit monitoring and lane assist to driver concentration technology.