$1,400 Upgrade Buys Early Lexus RZ Models An Extra 40 Horsepower
Just like a cell phone, computer, or TV, buying an electric vehicle comes with one potential drawback always on the horizon: The next model year might make yours feel outdated. Lexus is looking to soften that blow for early RZ owners with a new performance package that adds horsepower and brings some of the latest model’s driving tricks to older vehicles.
Not-so-creatively called the new “Performance Upgrade ‘Boost’ + Interactive Manual Drive” package is designed for pre-2026 Lexus RZ models. Adding what is effectively a computer upgrade, it adds 40 horsepower to the car's existing 335, bringing the total to a healthy 375 horses.
Not so bad for $1,400. Better yet, Lexus says the extra power comes without a range penalty, although owners shouldn't expect the upgrade to improve driving range. You can't have it all.
The more unusual addition is Interactive Manual Drive, a feature that attempts to make an electric vehicle feel a little more like a traditional performance car with simulated gears rather than just one CVT-esque powerband. Inspired by systems such as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N's "N e-Shift" simulated shifting, Interactive Manual Drive introduces virtual gear changes to the RZ. It also gets simulated engine sounds to go with it, plus new shift indicators. Availability is limited to RZ 500e models produced from 2023 onward.
The performance upgrade will first be available In Japan, and Lexus prices the package at ¥220,000 including consumption tax. That equates to approximately $1,400 at current conversion rates, although pricing and availability for other markets have not been confirmed.
The upgrade won't solve every complaint owners might have about the original RZ, particularly its limited range compared with other electric SUVs, many of which handily outdo the RZ by a long shot. Still, it's an interesting example of how automakers can extend the appeal of existing EVs through performance-focused upgrades rather than leaving early adopters behind, and it might give secondhand car sellers a way to bring used vehicles into a more modern era.
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Based in Connecticut, Ross hosts The Hooniverse Podcast. He has been in the off-road world since he was a kid riding in the back of his dad’s YJ Wrangler. He works in marketing by day and in his free time contributes to Hooniverse, AutoGuide, and ATV.com, and in the past has contributed to UTV Driver, ATV Rider, and Everyday Driver. Ross drives a 2018 Lexus GX460 that is an ongoing build project featured on multiple websites and the podcast.
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