Lexus has fixed the two things buyers complained about most on the RZ. For 2027, the electric SUV starts under $50,000, breaks the 300-mile barrier on its base model, and ships with a native NACS charging port. The company says the RZ will begin arriving at dealerships early next year, assembled at its Motomachi plant in Japan.
Prices and powertrains
The lineup now offers three powertrains, and the base car is the one that gets the range headline. All prices below include the $1,395 delivery fee:
- RZ 350e FWD — $47,495, 301 miles of manufacturer-estimated range
- RZ 350e Premium FWD — $49,970
- RZ 450e AWD — $50,995, 308 combined horsepower, 260 miles
- RZ 450e Premium AWD — $53,470
- RZ 450e Luxury AWD — $58,495
- RZ 550e F SPORT AWD — $58,770, 402 horsepower
The 350e drives the front wheels with a single 221-horsepower motor, and Lexus rates it at 301 miles with 18-inch wheels. The 450e adds a rear motor and Lexus’s DIRECT4 all-wheel-drive system for $3,500 more, but the extra traction costs range: it is rated at 260 miles on the same battery.
The F SPORT and its fake gearbox
The range-topping 550e F SPORT is the most interesting car in the lineup. Its 402 horsepower makes it the quickest RZ yet, with Lexus quoting 0 to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds. It is also the first model to get M Mode, an electronic system that mimics the feel of an eight-speed manual transmission.
A simulated manual in an electric SUV will divide opinion, and it deserves the scepticism it will get — the car is not going any faster because of it. But it speaks to a real problem for performance EVs: without engine noise and gear changes, speed feels detached. Whether M Mode solves that is a matter of taste, not physics.
Charging, which is the actual news
The 2027 RZ has a North American Charging System port — SAE J3400, the Tesla-style connector — on the passenger side of the vehicle. That gives owners direct access to thousands of DC fast charging stations without the adapter dongle that has been standard equipment on almost every other brand’s EVs for the past two years. Lexus also fits an 11 kW on-board AC charger, so Level 2 home charging is decently quick for a car this size.
Lexus lists battery capacity at 74.69 kWh for the 350e and 450e, and 76.96 kWh for the 550e F SPORT. The system uses a water-cooling circuit for both the drive unit and the pack, which is the kind of detail that matters more in year five of ownership than on a test drive.
How it compares to the Model Y
The obvious benchmark is the Tesla Model Y at $39,990 with up to 321 miles of range. On paper, the Lexus costs $7,500 more and goes 20 miles less.
That comparison misses what the RZ is selling. The interior is the differentiator — a 14-inch navigation screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus standard heated and ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel across the range. Lexus is not trying to win a spec-sheet fight with Tesla; it is selling the brand’s build quality and dealer network to buyers who were never going to consider a Model Y in the first place. The native NACS port removes the last practical objection to the RZ for anyone who already uses Superchargers.
Charging it at home
Because the RZ uses a NACS port, a home installation means either a NACS-native wall unit or the adapter that most other EV owners are now trying to get rid of. On an 11 kW home circuit, the 74.69 kWh pack in the 350e refills from empty in roughly seven hours — a straightforward overnight charge. On a standard 120-volt outlet it will be far slower, as with any EV this size, so budget for a 240-volt installation if you do not already have one.
The verdict
The 2027 RZ fixes its predecessor’s deal-breakers in one model year: the price, the range and the charging connector. It is still not the value play in the segment, and the all-wheel-drive version gives up 41 miles of range for traction many buyers in warm states will not need. But as a first serious attempt at a mainstream luxury electric SUV, the base 350e is finally a car you can recommend without a list of caveats.
Sources
2027 LEXUS RZ BRINGS BOLD ENERGY TO ALL-ELECTRIC LUXURY — Lexus USA Newsroom
The 2027 Lexus RZ starts at under $50,000 and offers over 300 miles of range — Electrek
Image: Lexus press kit. Source