Starts at $54,000
FAST FACTS
MotorDonkey's proprietary vehicle data identifies every significant version of each model so that you can compare and decide. Ordered by price from low to high, here are the versions of the 2024 Lexus RZ that you need to be aware of, along with our expert analysis and recommendations.
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The front-wheel-drive, single-motor RZ 300e has a solid amount of driving range, but the problem is that when you look at other EVs with starting prices in the mid-$50s, pretty much all of them offer either more power or more range — or both.
It's amazing how much a set of bigger wheels can hurt EV efficiency. In the case of the single-motor RZ 300e, going from 18s to 20s costs you 42 miles of range — that's a penalty of 16 percent — and you have to pay Lexus more money for this outcome.
The dual-motor RZ 450e delivers strong acceleration, but its range just isn't good enough by today's standards, especially for the price. At least the standard 18-inch wheels make the most of the 450e's range potential; it gets even worse with the 20s.
It's common knowledge that the RZ isn't exactly Lexus/Toyota's best foot forward — the company has dragged its feet on EV development, and it shows here. But still, a range estimate of less than 200 miles for a $60k EV in 2024 is stunning, especially given that this isn't a wild high-performance variant that would suck down extra battery juice. It's just a run-of-the-mill luxury EV with 308 horsepower, so the limited range simply cannot be rationalized.
Publisher and Donkey-in-Chief
Josh has been reviewing cars professionally since joining Edmunds.com fresh out of grad school in 2008, personally driving most new cars on the market every year since. He also served as the project manager for Edmunds' expert vehicle rankings from their inception in 2018, building the product out from the back end to the front end. Josh is a card-carrying member of the Motor Press Guild and a lifelong car nut who has tested, compared and critiqued a ridiculous number of cars in his career.
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