New Lexus RZ 450e 2023 review<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nZack and his baby sister, Hope, are transfixed by the big 14-inch touchscreen display that welcomes us to the RZ when
\nit\u2019s powered on, with a swirl of lines that become the Lexus logo before disappearing again. And we all love showing off the sunroof, which goes from an opaque white to transparent and back again at the touch of a button; you just can\u2019t help doing it a few times. It\u2019s the kind of glass you see fitted to million-pound houses on Channel 4\u2019s Grand Designs.<\/p>\n
The whole interior has a luxurious feel. At first glance, the air-con control dials stand out. They have a beautifully subtle illuminated colour fade (cool to warm) inside black, textured knobs, making adjustment simple. They match the textured chrome drive selector, and at night the insides of the doors light up with a subtle display that appears to mimic the pattern.<\/p>\n
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I\u2019m a massive music fan, so the absolutely fantastic Mark Levinson premium surround sound audio system is getting plenty of use. There is also a button on the dash for the 360-degree camera, which gives a view of where the RZ is parked in relation to kerbs, trees, cars and people before setting off. It kicks in for an overhead and semi-transparent view of the car when parking. It\u2019s all very clever.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not just the inside that impresses. The RZ has genuine head-turning looks, attracting glances so frequently that I
\nam becoming accustomed to people\u2019s reactions. Pedestrians usually double-take. First they look at the car, then they look at the nose for a badge to confirm the manufacturer. Finally they look at me, wondering who drives a car like this!<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve had waves, thumbs up and, I kid you not, someone has even danced for me. So I\u2019d say job done to the Lexus design team. The bold Sonic Copper body colour and black wheelarch mouldings help, as does the sharp, shark nose front with yet more textured and black body panels.<\/p>\n
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It\u2019s not all great, though. I mentioned the substantially cheaper Citroen C5 X, and in a few key places it ticks boxes that the Lexus doesn\u2019t. For example, the RZ doesn\u2019t appear to lock itself when you walk away. I have to press the fob and sometimes it locks silently, but other times it gives off several loud beeps, which I\u2019m sure my neighbours love.<\/p>\n
There are also no quick-release buttons to drop the rear seats from the 522-litre boot. And the RZ\u2019s big sat-nav display shows roads as very narrow, spindly lines; there\u2019s no indication of real-time traffic hotspots on the map, either. As someone who has to negotiate the congested streets of the capital on a daily basis, that\u2019s a real frustration.<\/p>\n
The other elephant in the room is range. The RZ was delivered with a modest 186 miles left until empty, but I was a bit shocked and disappointed to see the charge indicator at 85 per cent. The best I\u2019ve managed to get into it is 230 miles on a full overnight charge from my home wallbox. The official claim is 252 miles, but let\u2019s be honest, it\u2019s summer and it\u2019s warm, so I doubt it will get much better. As with all EVs, if I use the air-con that range instantly drops, in this case to below 200 miles from a full battery.<\/p>\n
One other issue is the infuriating amount of noise the RZ makes via an array of safety alerts. I\u2019ve had this to a lesser degree on other cars. It\u2019s almost like I\u2019m asking for trouble by switching the systems off. I have a suspicion that some might have to go. Watch this space!<\/p>\n
\n\n\nModel:<\/td>\n | Lexus RZ 450e Takumi<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
\nOn fleet since:<\/td>\n | July 2023<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
\nPrice new:<\/td>\n | \u00a374,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
\nPowertrain:<\/td>\n | 71.4kWh battery, 2x e-motors, 309bhp<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
\nOptions:<\/td>\n | Sonic Copper metallic paint (\u00a3250)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
\nInsurance*:<\/td>\n | Group: 45 Quote: \u00a3969<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
\nMIleage:<\/td>\n | 512 miles<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
\nRange:<\/td>\n | 230 miles (as tested)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
\nEfficiency:<\/td>\n | 3.2 miles\/kWh (as tested)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
\nCharge time:<\/td>\n | 10-80% 30 mins (150kW)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
\nAny problems?<\/td>\n | None so far<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n *Insurance quote from AA (0800 107 0680) for a 42-year-old in Banbury, Oxon, with three points.<\/p>\n Source: Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"First report: we\u2019re ready for lift-off as we take delivery of a luxury electric SUV with, quite literally, all the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":237404,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n Lexus RZ 450e: long-term test review - AutoMotoBuzz.com<\/title>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n |