Price from £60,000 Lexus lines up its rival to the Audi Q4 e-tron and Tesla Model Y
LATE 2022
THERE ARE LOTS of things about the Lexus RZ that make it interesting, not least the fact that it’s the Japanese premium brand’s first bespoke electric car. However, what’s really got people talking is its optional yoke, which replaces the traditional steering wheel and looks like the sort of thing Buzz Lightyear would use to control his spaceship.
This distinctive feature might not take you to infinity and beyond, but it does bring steer-by-wire technology, meaning there’s no mechanical connection with the front wheels. Instead, they use electrical signals to tell them to turn.The upshot is much less steering effort; it takes less than one rotation of the yoke for the wheels to move from lock to lock, and that should aid manoeuvrability at low speeds. Meanwhile, on the motorway, the steering is able to react more slowly for enhanced stability.
We’ve experienced the set-up in a late prototype, and, while we initially found ourselves turning in to slower bends more sharply than we needed to, we soon learned to temper our inputs.
Two electric motors power the RZ, producing a combined output of 536bhp and a 0-62mph time of 5.6sec.That makes it slower than the Tesla Model Y but quicker than any Audi Q4 e-tron. And although the official range is yet to be revealed, the RZ’s 71.4kWh battery should allow it to cover at least 250 miles between charges.
Other features include a 14.0in touchscreen infotainment system and a head-up display that puts the most important information directly in your line of sight on the windscreen.
Meanwhile, safety kit includes a camera that monitors the driver for signs of tiredness
