2026 – The Year Of The All-new Lexus RZ

Petrol is now over $3 a litre. That’s only happened a handful of times in living memory, and each time it does, the same conversation starts up again: how do we stop being so dependent on the stuff? Three bucks is expensive in anyone’s book, and with pump prices this unpredictable, the case for electrification has never been more straightforward. You don’t need a degree in accounting to see the appeal of a vehicle that simply sidesteps all of that.

So… now would be a very, very good time to have a close look at Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) again.

Luckily for me, I got a chance to drive the new Lexus RZ 550e F SPORT variant for a few days which, given the current cost of filling up a tank, quickly became much more than idle curiosity. As this is a top-of-the-range fully electric vehicle ideal for both business and personal use.

I’ve driven the Lexus RZ 450e variant before, which was my introduction to fully electric models. The new RZ line up is very similar, but with a host of upgraded features including more power, increased driving range, faster charging, and steer-by-wire. It also sits on Lexus’ dedicated e-TNGA battery-electric platform, with a low-mounted lithium-ion battery designed to improve rigidity, balance and overall handling.

If you haven’t tried steer-by-wire before, let me say it may catch you unawares as it doesn’t follow any of the old laws of physics you’re used to. There’s no steering column anymore, so you only have to turn it 200 degrees to go from lock to lock.

I grew up driving a Chrysler Valiant, which was like steering a container ship. If you wanted to turn, you needed to start spinning the wheel five nautical miles short of the corner. With the new RZ, you don’t need to turn until you’re right on the corner – at low speeds. Then the slightest rotation of the steering wheel has you around that gnarly bend. For obvious reasons, steer-by-wire is not so super-sensitive when driving at pace. Lexus says the system varies its steering ratio depending on speed, improving agility at low speed and stability at higher speed, while also reducing unwanted vibration through the wheel.

Working with the steer-by-wire technology is a DIRECT4 all-wheel drive system that distributes torque arbitrarily between the front and back eAxles to smooth out your turns. I’ve got to say, it works a treat; cornering is almost the same as driving straight and I couldn’t detect any vibrations at all. Lexus says torque distribution can shift dramatically front to rear depending on acceleration, cornering and conditions, which goes some way to explaining how natural the car feels despite all the underlying computation.

Because of that, the RZ 550e has a yoke steering wheel – or as I prefer to call it: the fighter pilot wheel – as you don’t need a full wheel if all you’re ever doing is turning it a handful of degrees at a time. This also made me drive more safely because, as a card-carrying Westie, I tend to drive one-handed – even just using a single pinky if I’m in serious (Tom) cruise mode. With this yoke wheel – and the steer-by-wire – I found myself keeping both hands on the wheel the whole time. The cut-away top also allows you to check the instrument panel more easily too. Lexus says the yoke setup is part of its tazuna-inspired driver layout, designed to minimise eye and hand movement.

The RZ 450e was pretty grunty when I last drove it, but I definitely noticed all the extra power and acceleration the RZ 550e offered when opening it up on the motorway. This largely comes from the RZ 550e’s new 77 kWh lithium-ion battery – a big step up from the 450e’s 71.4 kWH version. This, together with the greater engine efficiency from the eAxle DIRECT4 system, translates into 300kW of power – a massive increase over the previous 230kW. You can see it in the 0-100km/h time of 4.4 seconds as opposed to 5.3 seconds – and feel it behind the wheel too.

The larger battery size also brings benefits to driving range; up to 60 kilometres’ worth actually, extending the limit from around 400 kilometres to about 460 kilometres (WLTP). Charging time has been improved too with a 22kW onboard charger instead of a 7.2kW one, which has cut charging times almost in half. Furthermore, a new battery pre-conditioning system, which adjusts the battery temperature before charging begins, helps in cold weather, by up to 30 minutes. The battery also sits low in the floor, which helps the RZ’s low centre of gravity and contributes to the stability you feel on the move.

Inside, the RZ 550e is so quiet. More than once, I had to double-take whether the car was even going, and even on the road, it’s so whisper quiet, it’s like you’re not driving at all. Except for when I was blasting Magdalena Bay out of no less than 13 Mark Levinson speakers on the way out to catch my horse running in Race 4 at Pukekohe, that is. Lexus has also tuned the audio to the car’s acoustics and packaged the subwoofer in a way that preserves luggage space, which feels very on-brand.

The all-new RZ also comes with a sunroof, which has a dimming function – just a button – which cuts out the glare if it gets too bright. I only used it once, which says all you need to know about this year’s summer. Lexus’ panoramic roof also uses a Low-E coating to suppress radiant heat and help keep the cabin feeling airy without the need for a traditional roller shade.

The boot was surprisingly roomy too. If you travel a bit for business, there’s plenty of space for at least two international-sized suitcases or maybe even four domestic-sized ones – without even splitting the rear seat. Lexus says the rear cargo area can accommodate three golf bags, plus there’s extra underfloor storage for smaller items.

I drove the RZ 550e F SPORT around Auckland for several days – trying to find a park near Pasifika; heading all the way out to the races at Pukekohe; visiting mates on the Shore – and it only used 25 percent of its charge. I topped it up at my local Z station, and it cost only about $11. Pretty reasonable, eh?

So, whatever happens at the pump next week or next year, the Lexus RZ 500e keeps you well clear of it. It’s not just the car of the future, it’s the car of today.