2023 Lexus RZ 450e

LAUREN MCCAY: I want to give it a little-- CLINT SIMONE: Do it. Uh-oh. Hold on. LAUREN MCCAY: Woo! CLINT SIMONE: Woo-hoo! Heart is racing. LAUREN MCCAY: Well, we were having an afternoon lull. We're not anymore. [MUSIC PLAYING] CLINT SIMONE: Today, we're playing another round of can it beat the Tesla Model Y. LAUREN MCCAY: Say that again, Clint, because as y'all know, we have put just about every EV up to the test of this Tessie right here. CLINT SIMONE: Today we add another one to the list. This is the 2023 Lexus RZ. And we're going to see how it stacks up. LAUREN MCCAY: We're going to talk about driving experience, range, charging, and so much more, but also give some tidbits of our favorite things, kind of like that song, you know? Da, da, da, da-- CLINT SIMONE: Oh. LAUREN MCCAY: --da, da da, da, da, da. CLINT SIMONE: Is that a Sound of Music reference? Really? You know I hate that movie. LAUREN MCCAY: Come on. Listen, you obviously mentioned it, so you have some sort of affinity for it, right? CLINT SIMONE: You'll never know. But before we get into all of that, be sure to like and subscribe. [TING] And if you're looking to sell your used car, head over to edmunds.com/sellmycar for an instant cash offer. [MUSIC PLAYING] So I have to be honest. I've been super curious about the RZ since they first told us about it but not really for the traditional reasons that I'm excited about a new EV. LAUREN MCCAY: Well, I want you to enlighten us, Clint. But before you do, I have to say for me, personally, knowing that this is a Lexus and it's their first stab at an EV, I'm personally intrigued. CLINT SIMONE: I think that's actually a lot of the curiosity I have. As a new electric product, this really has its work cut out for it. As a luxury car, on the other hand, it's kind of great. LAUREN MCCAY: So then with all that said, two questions come to mind, right? One, this car is what, it's $64,000-- CLINT SIMONE: About, yeah, as-tested LAUREN MCCAY: --or so. CLINT SIMONE: --or so. LAUREN MCCAY: How does it actually measure up and live up to that price? Is it worth it? And with it up against something like the best-selling electric SUV, the model Y-- CLINT SIMONE: Yeah. LAUREN MCCAY: --how does it measure up there? Those are my two curiosities. CLINT SIMONE: Those are two very valid questions. Before we get into that, can we talk about the obvious thing right here, the way the RZ looks. LAUREN MCCAY: Look, Clint, I know this is, like, your jam. This is what-- CLINT SIMONE: I've been really excited about this part. LAUREN MCCAY: Go for it. Go for it. CLINT SIMONE: So OK, let's start with the paint. This is the wildest way you can spec this car. There's plenty of different single tone options. But this is bi-tone. That's light blue over dark. Or you can make it look a lot more calm if you get silver or gray. We can't talk about a Lexus and not talk about the spindle grille. But guess what? This is an EV, so it doesn't have a spindle grille anymore. It has the spindle body. They integrate it right into the bodywork. Again, because it's black, it sticks out and looks just so much more strange to me. But you know, it might be somebody's cup of tea. LAUREN MCCAY: Maybe. But, Clint, the weird thing for me on the exterior is the charging door. They could have definitely integrated it better like the model Y has it kind of tucked into the tail light, so it doesn't stick out as much. CLINT SIMONE: This is a lot of lines going on here that kind of takes away from these otherwise really pretty body lines. Can I show you at the risk of making a terrible Sound of Music pun my favorite thing? [RECORD SKIPPING] LAUREN MCCAY: He said it. Y'all heard him, his favorite thing. CLINT SIMONE: Ask me about these. LAUREN MCCAY: OK, Clint-- CLINT SIMONE: [CHUCKLING] LAUREN MCCAY: --tell me about those. CLINT SIMONE: These are called cat ears. I don't think you're going to find that as official language on the Lexus website. But an engineer that worked on this car told me that unofficially they call them cat ears. And instead of doing a full-length wing on the back of the car, they put these here, and it forces air down the middle of the car and gives you better downforce. It doesn't matter because you get a car with cat ears. [MEOW] That's a lot of thoughts in a row. I think I need another coffee. LAUREN MCCAY: Well, instead of coffee, how about we give this thing a drive? And I've got the keys in my pocket, so let's do this. CLINT SIMONE: Let's go. [MUSIC PLAYING] So the RZ is only available in a few trim levels, and this one is the luxury top of the line. Almost every option you can have on this car, this one has. And you, Lauren, are one of the first people in the world to experience it. What do you think? LAUREN MCCAY: You know, that's a lot of pressure. CLINT SIMONE: [LAUGHING] LAUREN MCCAY: You know, I'm not going to lie. But it's an honor at the same time. And it feels good. And first, what I have to talk about is the look and feel of this. CLINT SIMONE: Definitely. LAUREN MCCAY: I mean, like, round of applause, Lexus. But it's also what I would expect from a Lexus, right? It's the intention of the stitching, the way I feel comforted-- CLINT SIMONE: Yeah, the seats. LAUREN MCCAY: --in the seats. Like, it feels like I want to take a nap. I'm not going to take a nap at the wheel, right? Usually, when I'm driving cars, the steering wheel is usually dry on my hands. This one feels so soft. Like, I feel like I can drive short term or long term, and I'm going to be all right. CLINT SIMONE: Definitely. This interior's a lot like the RX and the NX, which is to say, really good. The cool thing is because this is the RZ, their first EV, they took a few chances with some new stuff. When you activate the heated seats, this car also has heated panels, like a little space heater in your apartment. But it's right underneath your legs. You get one on the driver's side. I have one on the passenger side. And it's just an extra source of heating in addition to the vents, keeps things nice and cozy quicker. In addition to that, what do you think of this? You hit this little button. LAUREN MCCAY: Nice. CLINT SIMONE: And you can change the panorama roof from opaque to block out some of the sunlight, or you can experience your bright sunny day. LAUREN MCCAY: And I like that compared to the Tesla because you get in on a hot summer day in California-- CLINT SIMONE: Yeah. LAUREN MCCAY: --you get into your Tesla, and you sit down in your seat, and oh, my god. CLINT SIMONE: There's no shade for this. I kind of wish there was. But at least we have this button to block out some sunlight. We need to experience it in the summertime-- LAUREN MCCAY: Yes. CLINT SIMONE: --to see how well it really does, I guess. LAUREN MCCAY: And the heat is great because it's also been cold in California. CLINT SIMONE: Exactly. LAUREN MCCAY: So we need that good heat. But you know what I want to do? I want to get this on the road. CLINT SIMONE: I was going to guess you were going to say drive. LAUREN MCCAY: Yes. CLINT SIMONE: Let's go drive. LAUREN MCCAY: Yes, let's start driving this. Clint, do you hear that? CLINT SIMONE: Is this another Sound of Music thing? I swear-- LAUREN MCCAY: It's one of my favorite things, so kind of. It's quiet. CLINT SIMONE: Yes, you're right. It's so quiet in here. LAUREN MCCAY: I mean, we talk a lot, right? So we're making noise. But-- CLINT SIMONE: In a car where you don't have an engine to kind of iron out some of those other sounds, to have it be this quiet and calm is actually well done. LAUREN MCCAY: Yeah, luxury is what just keeps banging me over the head. It's a luxury experience. CLINT SIMONE: Sometimes luxury means quiet. LAUREN MCCAY: Does it? CLINT SIMONE: Yeah. LAUREN MCCAY: Not my kind of luxury. CLINT SIMONE: [CHUCKLING] LAUREN MCCAY: I'm flashy luxury. CLINT SIMONE: [CHUCKLING] Flashy luxury. LAUREN MCCAY: All right, Clint, so right off the bat here, I am really enjoying the ride quality of this RZ. CLINT SIMONE: It's so good. LAUREN MCCAY: It is really impressive. Just the simple fact of I'm going over bumps and humps, and all the things-- CLINT SIMONE: Everything that LA can throw at you. LAUREN MCCAY: Yeah, and LA throws a lot. CLINT SIMONE: [CHUCKLING] LAUREN MCCAY: And really, it's taking it like a champ. And I have not had that same experience in the model Y. As far as steering goes, it's perfectly appropriate for a luxury SUV. There's a nice balance of ease and weight. The handling is a bit softer than most EVs, especially the model Y, which is definitely sportier, even the long range. This really mutes the nuances on the road. What I am noticing that's not my favorite is the acceleration. It just, it lags a little bit for me. And personally, I prefer that instantaneous response to the throttle that the Model Y has. CLINT SIMONE: Right. LAUREN MCCAY: Surprisingly, though, on a 0 to 60, they both have the same numbers. CLINT SIMONE: You're totally right. The last Tesla Model Y Long Range that we tested, 4.8 seconds to 60. The Lexus RZ, we just ran this today, 4.8 seconds to 60. So the Lexus is a little bit more relaxed in its acceleration. On paper, it does the same. LAUREN MCCAY: I want to give it a little-- CLINT SIMONE: Do it. Uh-oh. Hold on. LAUREN MCCAY: Woo! CLINT SIMONE: Woo-hoo! LAUREN MCCAY: OK, that's always fun, right? CLINT SIMONE: Heart is racing. LAUREN MCCAY: Well, we were having an afternoon lull. We're not anymore. I've said a few of my favorite things. But Clint, you have something you don't like. CLINT SIMONE: Let me be the bearer of bad news with my least favorite things. I'm a person who likes one-pedal driving in an EV. I like being able to take your foot off of the accelerator and have it slow down on its own. The Model Y does that almost perfectly. It wrote the book on one-pedal driving. This car doesn't give you the option. It won't go all the way to 0 just by using the one pedal. That for me is a big miss. I think you should give customers a choice. LAUREN MCCAY: So another figure on paper that we cannot not talk about, right-- CLINT SIMONE: I know where you're going with this one, yeah. LAUREN MCCAY: --range. CLINT SIMONE: It's a big one with the RZ. So this is not a good number that jumps off the page. The EPA rates this car at 196 miles of range. We did our own Edmunds real world testing loop, and it did 204 miles, so a little bit better than what the EPA says. But when you look at that figure and this segment of vehicles, that is pretty much darn near the bottom. It's disappointing. The RZ's battery is only slightly smaller than the Tesla's. But more importantly, it can't charge as quickly. It maxes out at 150 kilowatts compared to the Tesla's 250. That's disappointingly slow for a brand-new EV. LAUREN MCCAY: With that point, it really feels like Lexus is really trying to target their traditional audience instead of the, you know, EV audience, right? CLINT SIMONE: And by that you mean-- [CLEARING THROAT]-- people who like to golf. [LAUGHING] LAUREN MCCAY: [LAUGHING] Yes, the golfers of the world. Nothing wrong with a little golf. [MUSIC PLAYING] All right, Clint, this is your time to take the reins. You've got the driver's seat. And just so you all know, we have been driving the Model Y Performance trim for a while. This is now the new 2023 Long Range. And some things are going to be different in here. CLINT SIMONE: Yeah, most of our experience has been in that Model Y Performance. But this car's a better apples to apples comparison with the RZ. And that is why we're sitting in it. LAUREN MCCAY: Just to pick it up where we left off, the interior, man, it's disappointing, coming out of the Lexus where I actually felt like I was in luxury. And I love a good luxury. CLINT SIMONE: You love some luxury. LAUREN MCCAY: I love to treat myself. And I don't feel-- this is just very basic to me. CLINT SIMONE: This feels-- getting right into it-- it feels like a dentist's office. I feel like I'm going to lean back, and you're going to take out my cavities. Like, everything is just a boring color and sort of it's just very plain at this point. LAUREN MCCAY: I don't know about the dentist's office. That usually scares me. I don't like to go to the dentist. But I agree with you. As far as styling goes, you would think Tesla would kind of give it a little bit more of an upgrade. CLINT SIMONE: Make some changes, yeah. LAUREN MCCAY: Not so much. CLINT SIMONE: Same old Model Y-- we're used to this interior at this point. LAUREN MCCAY: Well, let's get going here. Let's go, a deer-- CLINT SIMONE: No, no, no, no, no, no. LAUREN MCCAY: --a female deer. CLINT SIMONE: I thought we were done. I thought we were done. We're still going? LAUREN MCCAY: We're never done. [MUSIC PLAYING] Clint, all right, how are you feeling? CLINT SIMONE: This is the most comfortable Model Y I've ever driven. I really mean that, too. It's a big difference. LAUREN MCCAY: That's actually a really huge statement to say. And likely why you're feeling that comfort, the Long Range has softer suspension. CLINT SIMONE: Yeah. LAUREN MCCAY: So that's likely why you're feeling that comfort. CLINT SIMONE: Because we've driven our Model Y Performance so much, I don't want to talk about that car too much. But it's rolling on 20s. And that thing is stiff. It makes you feel it. This is a much better situation. But-- but-- but it's not as comfortable as the RZ. LAUREN MCCAY: Mm. CLINT SIMONE: It's just not. It's good. But it's not there. LAUREN MCCAY: But my friend, is it quick? CLINT SIMONE: I knew you were going to ask. LAUREN MCCAY: I want you to hit on that throttle. CLINT SIMONE: You always want it. LAUREN MCCAY: Oh! CLINT SIMONE: Here we go. Here we go. Woo! LAUREN MCCAY: Woo! CLINT SIMONE: The thing is, this is a Tesla with two motors. It's going to be quick no matter what. Even though this is a Long Range, it has plenty for what you need in an everyday scenario. And it's fun too. LAUREN MCCAY: You know, it really brings me to the point of not only is the driving experience fun in the Model Y, but also, it's got the range, about 100 miles or so more than the RZ. To me, that's a super huge factor because battery anxiety and range anxiety is real-- CLINT SIMONE: Yeah. LAUREN MCCAY: --just like regular anxiety. I'm not going to lie. And this helps take care of that because you can go the distance. The last long range Tesla we tested on our loop did 317 miles, which was close to the EPA's estimate. And this one is actually on smaller wheels, so it could go even further. CLINT SIMONE: It's a real difference between these two cars, the RZ and the Model Y, that not everybody's going to be able to overlook. LAUREN MCCAY: Another thing, Clint, that reduces anxiety is charging. CLINT SIMONE: Definitely. LAUREN MCCAY: And so one of the reasons to buy a Tesla is because of its supercharging network, right? CLINT SIMONE: It's the best there is right now, no doubt about it. LAUREN MCCAY: And yes, they're going to be opening up that network soon. But right now, it's limited. Really, it is about the reliability and consistency. CLINT SIMONE: Accessibility. LAUREN MCCAY: And accessibility-- reliability, accessibility, and consistency of charging-- all of those things combined. I'd say unless you have reliable charging at your home, the Model Y is just the way to go. CLINT SIMONE: You got it. But there's one category where the Lexus actually has quite a bit that's new with it. Let's talk tech. [MUSIC PLAYING] Here is what's up in the tech department with the RZ. Lexus interface-- it's a new touchscreen infotainment. It's much better than Lexus' of old-- 14-inch screen right here with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. We have a really cool digital gauge cluster in front of the steering wheel. This car's-- I guess its first cousin, the Toyota bZ4X-- has a gauge cluster you can't see at all. This is so much better. This one also has a head-up display. LAUREN MCCAY: Clint, you had me an Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. CLINT SIMONE: That's your thing for sure. LAUREN MCCAY: This is why when I said I'm picky, this is particularly why. I love the ease and convenience of just, boop, popping in, plugging in my phone, and going. CLINT SIMONE: Yep. LAUREN MCCAY: And it's also something that the Model Y does not have, which drives me insane. I really hate that it doesn't have it. So Apple CarPlay, love it. Also what I love, I love buttons. CLINT SIMONE: Buttons and knobs and everything. LAUREN MCCAY: This RZ has actual physical buttons you can touch. You can turn up your heat. You can control your volume. And that is something that the Model Y truly lacks. CLINT SIMONE: Totally. LAUREN MCCAY: It's very distracting when you're driving when everything is in that central screen. CLINT SIMONE: Middle of the car-- you're not looking forward most of the time, yeah. LAUREN MCCAY: Exactly. This at least gives you an option to just normally turn your heat up or down, which I like. CLINT SIMONE: Yep. LAUREN MCCAY: Now-- CLINT SIMONE: Uh-oh. LAUREN MCCAY: --what I'm not crazy about, this vehicle beeps so much. It's literally talking all the time. You reverse, it's beep, beep. I'm like, what is this, a semi? [BEEP] Now, of course, safety is a huge deal in a family SUV, so the expected safety features are here. But what's unique is this can actually stop itself if it thinks you've become unresponsive. Weirdly, you can't get Teammate, Lexus' hands-free Driving Assist. Tesla systems are more advanced. It's just a lot when you're trying to drive. CLINT SIMONE: It's very easy to get this car to talk with you. And you don't really want to have a conversation with it all the time. LAUREN MCCAY: No, read the room, RZ. Read the room. CLINT SIMONE: We want it quiet in here. LAUREN MCCAY: We want it quiet. Clint, this is a family vehicle. And the space in the back reflects that pretty well, similar to other models like the RX. CLINT SIMONE: The back seat, pretty good. The side of this car is lower, so people taller than me, taller than you, there are many of them in the world, might bonk their head on the way in. But once you're actually sat down, a good amount of headroom and a good amount of leg room. I like it back there. LAUREN MCCAY: Actually, Clint, I have tall people energy. CLINT SIMONE: OK, right. LAUREN MCCAY: So, yeah. CLINT SIMONE: So you won't bonk your head, but I will. LAUREN MCCAY: Energy-wise, I will. But physically, no, I will not. So that covers the space for your people. But what about space for your things? I got a lot of things. CLINT SIMONE: Space for your stuff. You're covered pretty well in the cargo space back there with the RZ. But it does not have a front, so no additional space to put things. That's something we like with EVs. LAUREN MCCAY: Which is significantly different from the Model Y. CLINT SIMONE: You're right. LAUREN MCCAY: You've got the frunk and the cargo space in the back. That's 76 cubic feet of space for all the things that you can put. CLINT SIMONE: Yeah Tesla's kind of got that game unlocked, to be honest. That thing is like a U-Haul if you stuff it enough. LAUREN MCCAY: It is. And one of the things I really love that we miss out here in the RZ is the center console. I can put my purse, which for me is super convenient to just put it in the center console and have it there. Now I don't really have space for that. I'm going to put it on you, really. CLINT SIMONE: Oh, thank you. I'd like to carry it. LAUREN MCCAY: Yeah, thank you. You're my purse carrier. [CHUCKLING] [MUSIC PLAYING] All right, Clint, look, it's been a long week with this RZ. What's the takeaway message? What have we learned? CLINT SIMONE: This is pretty much where we're at. The Lexus RZ is perfect for one particular person. That's somebody who's probably already familiar with the Lexus brand, and they just want a nice luxury car. This learning curve is almost nonexistent. If familiar with any other Lexus, it's going to be easy to get into. One other important thing to add, you probably want to have charging at your home because you're going to be using it. LAUREN MCCAY: That is such a good point. And I think it's safe to say for everyone else, we'd say go for the Model Y. It's cheaper, has longer range, and a better charging network, which makes it a better EV for more people. CLINT SIMONE: You're right. Pretty much done here. For more information on the 2023 Lexus RZ, head over to Edmunds dot-- LAUREN MCCAY: Wait, wait, wait! CLINT SIMONE: --what? LAUREN MCCAY: (SINGING) Raindrops on roses-- CLINT SIMONE: Oh, god. LAUREN MCCAY: --and whiskers on-- [MEOW] CLINT SIMONE: It meows? LAUREN MCCAY: (SINGING) --kittens. CLINT SIMONE: It meows? LAUREN MCCAY: It does. It does. CLINT SIMONE: I'm going to walk away now. LAUREN MCCAY: I just-- no. CLINT SIMONE: I'm going to walk away. [MEOW] LAUREN MCCAY: Well, just-- CLINT SIMONE: Oh, my god. LAUREN MCCAY: --one more line. CLINT SIMONE: It's still talking. I'm done here. [MUSIC PLAYING] LAUREN MCCAY: (SINGING) Whiskers on kittens. [MUSIC PLAYING] VOICE: M-M-Meow. [PURRING] [MUSIC PLAYING]