Lexus RZ300e review: A brilliant EV, but can it go the distance?

There seems to be something of a new vibe ongoing at Lexus whereby the company browses through parent company Toyota’s catalogue and picks out things it might usefully adapt for its own purposes. This is not necessarily something that it did in times past.

Last year, we gave a five-star review to the company’s excellent small SUV, the LBX, but in doing so did note that the car was based on the also-impressive Yaris Cross from Toyota; nothing at all wrong in that, especially as Lexus waved its magic wand over the car and turned it something smart, luxurious and desirable.

Sure, it was smart and desirable just as the Yaris Cross, but the people at Lexus added a new sheen to the car, resulting in predictions that it would fast become the best-selling model in the marque’s history.

Lexus has gone back to that playbook with its new RZ300e model, a car which is the first full electric from the brand. There will be more, undoubtedly, but this is the first one and – surprise, surprise – it is very closely related to another Toyota product.

With their litany of hybrid models and the success they have brought to the Japanese behemoth, Toyota has been a little slow to the EV table, arriving here only last year with the BZ4X (which was a co-production with Subaru, who called their version the Solterra). Both cars are built on what is called the e-TNGA platform and it too is shared with the RZ300e, which we test this week.

In truth – and given Toyota’s recent form on the styling and design fronts – the bZ4X was something of a disappointment, having nothing of the pizzazz about it that we have seen with much of the company’s product, the Yaris Cross included.

While it might have been a little on the dull side to look at, the car was really good to drive, had a modest, if effective, range, was competitively priced and thoroughly specced.

Lexus has now arrived at the dining table and, having sprinkled some of the magic dust which is its speciality on the electric concept, has come up with two models – the RZ300e (with a front motor and front wheel drive only) and the 4WD RZ450e (which is also available with a unique steer-by-wire system in some markets). The former is our tester this week and expected to be the main seller.

One immediate thing noticeable about this car is its look: it is way more adventurous than its erstwhile stablemate and certainly has much more of a take-the-eye-out-of-your-head appeal than either the Toyota or the Subaru.

It is a big car and carries that off effortlessly with a confident stance and a sweeping presence that sort of suggests that terrible SUV Coupe idea but is actually just a cleverly disguised regular SUV which radiates personality and charisma.

Up front, the lack of need for a grille – a design element which so many manufacturers have responded to with the most unimaginably dull answers – is treated with imagination and flair. There is a sort of beaky end to the bonnet which protrudes out over grille/bumper area and which itself maintains a look of any other Lexus and their ‘basking shark’s mouth’ front end.

The sharply raked rear windscreen gives the idea of the SUV Coupe look, but the fact the roofline is not as curved as it would be in such a vehicle, gives the game away. But the aesthetic look of the rear end and the interesting shapes – including the twin winglets sprouting out over hatchback door – bring the design to a pleasing conclusion.

And the interior is very Lexus indeed, what with soft touch materials all over, the (heated) steering wheel that feels crafted rather than simply constructed and a healthy dose of execu-type kit (panoramic roof, powered (and heated) front seats, LED lights (with auto high-beam) and the giant 14” central touchscreen) add lustre.

Space for the rear passengers is excellent, which is somewhat unusual in an era when those in the back seat always seem to get a raw deal. The boot space, at 522 litres, is also very good.

Be warned, though, as the car has a driver monitor camera which, if you’re not paying enough attention to the road ahead or otherwise mick-acting around while driving, will sternly warn you about it and suggest that, maybe, you need a rest.

That’s all pretty much good then and certainly points the car at the executive/exclusive end of the market – a land not inhabited by too many critters. In this, the medium segment, only really the BMW iX, swims in the same waters and, on price alone, that makes the Lexus a competitive proposition.

On the road, the RZ300e is a model of sophistication. It is impossibly quiet (there’s little wind noise, even at speed) and the ride and handling are among the best in an admittedly small class.

Even though it is front-drive only and is quite the weighty thing, there appears to be few quirks – very little understeer, even under sharp acceleration – and its cornering prowess is very impressive.

Overall, the smoothness of the thing is the stand-out characteristic. Nothing our ever-degrading road system could throw at it seemed to cause the car any issues and all while the driver and passengers exist in calm serenity and comfort.

As we have so often seen with EVs, the range claimed by the manufacturer and the reality of driving their product. Lexus claim the car to be capable of some 475 km, but even on a full charge the RZ300e only ever told me it had just over 400km to offer.

My home is some 125 km from Cork and it is very rare to get a fully charged EV to make the trip without using well over 200 km of juice; this one did, though, indicating there were 210 km left in the tank after the outward journey. It did even better on the return leg, consuming just 160. Believe me, those figures are pretty damn good.

But, a word of warning, some of the in-car systems eat into the available power; merely having the fan on for demisting or cooling purposes can take over 30 km off the range on a longer trip.

This all means that this Lexus is far from being a long-ranger and for many high-mileage execs that could well kill much of the appeal.

In general terms, however, the performance is good, what with a 0-100 km/h time of 8.0 seconds and a top speed of 160 km/h. It will also re-charge from 0-80% in just thirty minutes.

This is a car then that fulfils almost all the criteria that the target market will demand, even it is based on cars which are much further down the automotive food chain. Lexus has indeed Lexus-ed it to a fine degree and it is a really nice thing to drive, provided you don’t want to go that terribly far.