The Lexus RZ has been updated in Japan, and the range there now includes a less powerful front-wheel drive setup shared with the Toyota bZ4X.
The RZ300e has a single motor making 150kW and 266Nm. It drives the front wheels, and is hooked up to a 71.4kWh battery pack.
If those numbers sound familiar to you, that’s because it’s the same setup as used in the front-wheel drive versions of the Toyota bZ4X and the practically identical Subaru Solterra.
Updated RZ450e
Lexus hasn’t provided WLTP range or performance figures for the RZ300e, but the base bZ4X has 516km of WLTP range, and a 0-100km/h time of 7.5 seconds.
Thanks to its smaller battery pack and the loss of the motor on the rear axle, the RZ300e is around 100kg lighter than the RZ450e.
For reference, the RZ450e has a more powerful dual-motor all-wheel drive system rated at 230kW, but paired to the same 71.4kWh battery pack and a WLTP range of around 450km. This drivetrain isn’t shared, at least for now, with its Toyota and Subaru relatives.
The entire RZ range in Japan is now equipped with an improved battery heating system that can improve charging speeds in cold conditions by 30 per cent. This follows a similar update that’s been applied to Japanese market Toyota bZ4X models since October.
From what we can see there are no visual changes to the exterior or interior of the RZ. The RZ300e can be fitted with 18- or 20-inch alloy wheels.
In Japan, the new RZ300e is priced from ¥8.2 million ($83,700), while the RZ450e starts at ¥8.8 million ($89,800).
We don’t know if Lexus is planning to bring the RZ300e Down Under. If it does make the trip to Australia, it would undercut the $121,675 RZ450e, but by how much we can only speculate.
The Toyota bZ4X is due to arrive in Australian showrooms in the first quarter of 2024, and pricing has yet to be announced.
Subaru’s almost identical Solterra is on sale locally, but is only available with the 160kW/337Nm all-wheel drive system. The Solterra starts from $77,990 before on-road costs.
MORE: Everything Lexus RZ
