2026 Lexus RZ First Drive Review: Stay on Target

Lexus doesn’t often miss, but the original RZ arguably came closest this decade.

Don’t get it twisted: the RZ outperformed Lexus’ initial sales forecast in 2023: shifting 5,386 examples against an expected 4,900. Heck, with US sales totalling 9,697 last year, the RZ beat out the likes of the Acura ZDX, Audi Q4 e-tron, the Mercedes-Benz EQS and EQB, and even… the Mazda Miata. 

Nonetheless, abysmal range and so-so power figures have kept the RZ behind the pack critically. Lexus has wrought numerous upgrades on its all-electric model for 2026, including more power, more range, better charging, and even a new F Sport model. The brand once again invited AutoGuide to Europe—this time Portugal, this time in the middle of summer—to get a first taste of the revised RZ in many of its forms.

Lexus has dropped into the RZ a higher-capacity battery pack for starters. Two actually: the RZ 350e and 450e use an oddly specific 74.69-kilowatt-hour pack, while the RZ 550e F Sport hauls around a pack with a 76.96-kWh capacity. Why so close? Lexus says it was a matter of suppliers. The batteries take up the same (or nearly the same) amount of space as before too; after all, Lexus told us back in 2022 that the platform would need to be stretched otherwise.

Ah yes, the F Sport. Lexus is extending its sporty sub-brand to the electric side, with a dual-motor setup that offers up 408 horsepower. Along with the added oomph, the top RZ sports unique styling and suspension tuning. The biggest news here is M Mode, which does the whole simulated noise-and-transmission thing we first saw—and loved, personally—in the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. 

Lexus hasn’t done much here, at least compared to the transformations seen on the RZ’s platform mates the Toyota bZ and Subaru Solterra. In fact, the regular trims are all but identical to yesteryear, save for some wheel designs. That’s fine: the RZ is still appropriately handsome in that Lexus way, with plenty of RX DNA. It retains the little winglets above the rear window, too.

The RZ 550e F Sport doesn’t stray far from the formula, either. A simplified lower front bumper is one tell; the gloss black wheel arches another. A two-level rear spoiler sits on the liftgate, and some very cool, aero-inspired 20-inch alloy wheels round out the look.

The European launch event gave us a chance to sample the two ends of the North American lineup. Olde World buyers don’t get the 450e; instead, Lexus will gift them a 500e with 375 horsepower, or 67 hp more than we will get. Otherwise, the setup is largely the same, just a bit quicker. The engineering team has made efforts to avoid the jumpy nature of some EVs, with a smooth power delivery feeling appropriately Lexus. The front-driver isn’t quite so rapid but still perfectly satisfactory along the narrow roads around Faro.

Switching into the F Sport, responses are just a hair more eager, with a more sustained shove in the lower back. M Mode is a fun distraction: drivers can bang against the “rev limiter” as much as they want before clicking the right-side button to simulate the next gear. The accompanying (defeatable) sound effect isn’t an ICE imitator nor a spaceship, but something somewhere in between—and a little tinny. I wish there was more deceleration on “downshifts,” but the advantage of a system like this is there’s nothing stopping Lexus from tweaking it.

Unsurprisingly, the F Sport has the lowest range, though at 228 miles (367 kilometers) on the 20-inch alloys, that’s still better than any of the 2023 launch models.

Ranges are up across the board, in fact. The front-drive RZ 350e will stretch to 302 miles (486 km), while the 450e AWD will score 261 miles (420 km). North American models will also come standard with the NACS port, along with an 11-kW onboard AC charger. Charging from 10 to 80 percent will take roughly 30 minutes when using DC fast charging.

The RZ has been a tidy handler since launch, and the ‘26 model doesn’t mess with that. Okay, most of southern Portugal’s roads are exceptionally smooth. Nonetheless, the RZ has a light, easy feel to its regular wheel, with consistent weighting in both front- and all-wheel drive models. The 350e is calm and confident though unexceptional, its smaller rubber and wheels providing more forgiveness. Weighing the least at about 4,500 pounds (2,041 kilograms), it turns in sharply.

All-wheel drive models can regularly modify the ratio of power between front and rear axles, up to and including skipping the front motor altogether when necessary. The result is a very smooth and consistent sense of progress even through the odd mid-corner bump.

The F Sport that I sample has another bit of tech we (still) won’t see on our side of the Atlantic: the steering yoke with electronic steer-by-wire. With just 200 degrees from lock to lock, not to mention its diminutive dimensions, the yoke takes some time to get used to. I’ll have a full breakdown on it in a dedicated article. The F Sport tips into corners with added urgency, keeps a level stance throughout the curve, and powers out with little intervention from the electronic nannies.

Peppering our drive route are tiny towns, with uneven surfaces and cobblestone streets. Every trim sails over irregularities with grace—yes, even the F Sport. The range-topper does have a bit more harshness due to its unique suspension settings, but Lexus has wisely stayed on the side of comfort for its first performance-oriented EV. All models feature ample sound deadening to keep the interior properly hush-hush, and dual-motor models also gain additional measures to mute the noise from the rear motor. The RZ is at its best as a laidback cruiser—and now it has the range to really make the most of that.

Front-seat comfort is excellent, the Ultrasuede-trimmed seats of the RZ 550e proving supportive and capable of very effective ventilation. (Ambient temperatures hit 45 degrees Celsius during the trip.) I’ve said it before, but one of the other advantages to the yoke is a greater sense of space up front, as there’s a clearer view out ahead.

A 3:30 AM departure gives me a chance to experience the ride in the back of the RZ. Don’t let the rakish design fool you: folks under six-foot should be able to sit comfortably back there, with ample leg- and headroom.

Like the exterior, not much has changed inside the RZ. It’s all put together with a sense of lasting, and all the touchpoints are high quality. The low dashboard design, including the touchscreen placement, keeps visibility high. My one major criticism would be the small door pockets, though at least there’s a cubby below the center console for larger items.

New this year is laser etching along the Ultrasuede door liners, which does a good job of breaking up all that same texture. Lexus’ cool cast-light effect on the door panels might be my favorite use of ambient lighting too; it’s subtler and cuts down on reflections.

Lexus’ current touchscreen is an easy one to use, though it lacks some of the more granular features found elsewhere in the premium space. The handful of permanent menu buttons makes it pretty clear drivers should rely on the wireless Apple or Android pairing. The native stuff is all quick and responsive, mind you. Navigating menus via the touch-sensitive pads on the steering wheel takes some getting used to—especially as polarized sunglasses kill head-up display visibility.

Stand-out tech features include the excellent Mark Levinson sound system, radiant heater, and the returning electrochromatic roof. The latter sees a greater difference between opaque and translucent settings, yet still switches over in an instant. It’s an excellent party trick.

At the time of writing, Lexus had yet to reveal pricing for the updated 2026 RZ range. Currently, the front-drive RZ 300e ranges from $44,095 to $54,025 including destination but before options. Graduating to the RZ 450e adds $4,700. We expect the ‘26 model to shift upwards by around $1,000 to $1,500 based on the added features. As all RZs are built in Japan, that number could shift higher with any new tariffs…

We suspect the RZ 550e F Sport to start closer to $70,000 in America, putting it right alongside the Genesis GV60.

The RZ has been a tough car to recommend to anybody outside of the Lexus loyalist, mostly down to its poor on-paper stats. The 2026 model fixes the range while maintaining the oh-so smooth character that Lexus originally built its reputation on with the original LS way back in the ‘90s. It’s still not enough to call it a clear class leader, but the updates place it right in the middle of the pack, making Lexus’ all-electric model worthy of luxury shoppers’ shortlists.

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