The 2023 Lexus RZ Is Lexus's First Fully Electric Model
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 มิ.ย. 2024
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This is the Lexus RZ, Lexus's first fully electric model. Today I'm reviewing this Lexus RZ, and I'll show you all the many quirks and features. I'm also going to get behind the wheel of the Lexus RZ and show you what it's like to drive.
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CHAPTERS:
00:00 CARS & BIDS!!!
00:13 THIS...
00:46 Overview
01:56 Power and Range
04:36 Styling
05:16 Yoke Steering Wheel
06:36 Interior Quirks & Features
07:07 Magic Sunroof
07:47 Full Alcantara Seats
08:18 Magic Center Console Lid
08:40 Gear Selector
09:10 Infotainment
11:16 Gauge Cluster & HUD
12:28 Rear Seating
14:05 Cargo Area
15:05 Exterior Quirks & Features
17:05 Driving Experience
21:13 Final Thoughts
21:46 DougScore
#dougdemuro #cars #lexus #lexusrz - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
Sub 200 mile range in a 2023 electric midsize SUV is flat out unacceptable. They should’ve waited to debut this until they could find a way to get at least 250 miles out of it.
Even worse is the actual range is typically about 80% of what manufacturers claim.
@@rebellucy6200 Sometimes it's less than that lol. Chinese and some Indian startup manufacturers are already getting more than double the range of this out of their electric cars, while we're capped at 300 for some reason.
As cool as it looks, it really is a disappointment. I'm definitely taking a Genesis GV60 or Electrified GV70 over this.
If you regularly drive around 200 miles in a day then you are doing something wrong.
@@user-sd3ik9rt6dThat is NOT the issue, and you know it. Stop gaslighting.
The RZ is Lexus’ first EV for the North American market. In Europe there is a Lexus EV launched before the RZ called the UX300e.
We got that in Australia too. UX300e is probably a ROW car.
My wife owns a UX250h and it's tiny. Perfect as her commuter and for us not having kids, but Lexus barely sells any in the US. Something like 17,000 units. It's far too small for the average American family.
It's a brilliant car, tho. I absolutely love it.
That’s so true, I was thinking that. I reviewed it for my channel last year
@@bob808UX300e is a little underpowered compared to RZ.
@@gamby16aUX250h despite had less power it also less weight.
Those wheel wells look like they ordered Toyota Tundra tires but only Sienna tires were in-stock 🧐
Hey Tay 👋
it looks bigger than it is due to the black trim, but yea not a great look
They way the rear one is stamped makes it look like it's missing a piece too
I've now seen Tay Zonday on the Overwatch League channel, Primitive Technology, Doug de Muro, Daniel Thrasher and even Cathode Ray Dude of all places. Why do I have the same subscriptions as you? 🤣🤣
Yes, but they have the extra stamping around them unlike the fronts. It's disjointed.
doug talked a lot about the trio of price/range/power but i feel like honestly it's probably just the range holding this car back. if the interior is nice enough and "premium" feeling enough you can justify the 60k price tag, and 0-60 in the mid 5 second range is more than fast enough for 99% of people who would want to buy a lexus crossover. if they could just boost the range by 100 miles or so i think this car would go from kind of a joke to totally viable.
No it’s the performance too
My Toyota does 0-60 in the mid 5s has 300hp and a lot more range and it’s not a hybrid
Did you see the awful packaging or straight out of 2013 gauge cluster?
This thing has literally nothing this has over any competitors.
Yeah, I think for majority of the buyers for these crossovers, 5 seconds is completely fine. Considering the NX and RX are Lexus's best selling models, and those are both slower to 60 than this EV. The big let down is the range.
I might be biased but here, there are still plenty of people buying the bz4X simply because in Vancouver, driving distances are quite short and people like the Toyota/Lexus brand simply for their reputation (whether still true or not) of being reliable and easy to operate. Consistency is more important to these shoppers than driving excitement.
@@Lantec1000 evs offer the same consistency and more range and better performance and better design tech materials etc
@@naveenthemachine yeah, don't get me wrong, this product is very meh compared to the competition. Doug touched on it too, I think there's a subset of Toyota/Lexus shoppers that just don't cross shop. They literally get their camry, drive it until they want a new one, and they go back and get another camry, probably without even test driving it. It's like no-brainer default for them. But as Doug said, EVs are just starting to get mass market appeal, and to many, EVs are still "early adopter" cars so those buyers tend to look at other cars to cross-shop which is where Toyota is running into issues. They can't just phone it in now because EV drivers are looking more into the details and competition. There's just so few models compared to ICE cars.
How did they make the wheel wells look so stupid lol
Not sure , but hang on to ur gas guzzler 🎉
Makes it look like a lifted CUV on stock wheels.
@@julianr6283cringe comment lmao
From a distance it looks like they overestimated how big the wheels would be.
@@ImARealHumanPerson js woke up who gives af tho 🤪
Thank you for the honest Doug interview. I was so looking forward to this car last year. I love Lexus, having owned a LS430 and owning a 200,000 mile SC400. But when I saw what the BZ4X offered, I opted for a Ford Mach-e. This video reinforced my good decision. One year and 19,000 miles later, I'm still very happy. I'll still enjoy my SC400 on the weekends.
EVs are mined by slaves
Mach e is nice. I like this too.
Mach E is pretty sweet at it's price point.
Still have my 04' LS430 with the bigger 18' Five spoke rims, 170,000 miles on it. Hard to give up the LS for me since I've driven LS for 15+ years, including the LS400. Very reliable in general. Although I do drive the Toyota BZ4x (company car) for work, and it is quite comfortable, quiet, and simple to drive. I do see Lexus RZ's around when I charge the BZ4x at work too, I've always thought the RZ looked ok. Maybe a hybrid/ electric car as a daily in the future.
How do you like your Mach e?? I catch myself checking every single one I see on the road.
Toyota needs to take EVs seriously instead of dipping their toe in, thinking that’ll be enough in a competitive market
America, the only place where they'd call this thing small
Wow. Thank you for this extremely unique comment.
@@kevinpenfold1116.. zipping on his big gulp
"this is a small luxury crossover" meanwhile its 4805mm in length. It's amazing you guys in USA call these vehicles SMALL 😂
Its small…
Technically MID-SIZED same exact length as the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee which was not considered small
Holy God that gauge cluster looks straight out of 2013. How are they selling this thing for a premium 10 years later.
They dun brought over the land cruiser crew to do their EVs. They missed that this segment ain't looking for it ain't broke, they're looking for it don't look broke.
There were actually better gauge clusters in 2013. The Chevy Volt was much nicer looking.
sheeeeit. dun gud it theyud.
Just realizing why Lexus never should have made the black fender flares GLOSS black.... When the video cuts to Doug standing next to the vehicle it looked like GIANT gaping Fender holes with teeny tiny roller skate wheels inside. 😳 The next sequence of competitors with MATTE fender flares were fine, and then it cut back to the black holes on the sides of the RZ and I couldn't stop staring at them. 🤣
Great! Now you got Me staring at them 👀. Looks like my old Matchbox toys 😂
Sames. They look terrible. And after they get some scuffs and scratches it'll be even worse
It's also interesting how Doug's review of the bZ4X is gone or deleted
noticed that instantly, too.
Ugh, who approved that design
This video was posted today. I don’t know when he actually filmed this video, but he said the Y starts at 65k. For the last few months, the Y starts at 47k up to performance model 55k.
Considering optimistic range estimates of some manufacturers, it would be interesting to see a real world highway range test to complete depletion of battery against all competition. Wonder how big of a range advantage other manufacturers actually have .
Well no more over optimism man.
This ia about the size of the RX350, which means it's not small. Also, while it's the first Lexus EV in North America, there's the UX300e that has been on sale in Europe for a few years.
if you look at this in person compared to the RX350, this is significantly smaller.
It makes sense that they would release an electric version of the UX in euroupe. The UX is their compact SUV crossover, so it would work well in euroupe with the smaller roads & such.
@@sueddo2634RZ is only 95mm shorter than current RX. not significant by any means
@@sueddo2634RX350 is noticeably smaller than this RZ.
@@banginbadger75well yes. It also not even sold in India either.
"How much alcantara in the interior do you want"
*Lexus: Yes*
I don't understand the black wheel arches. Let's put big rims on the car but then but black wheel arches on it so it looks like the tires don't fill the wheel well.
Doug said the Tesla Model Y starts at $55,000. What?
"*Price before incentives and savings is $47,740. excluding taxes and fees. Subject to change."
That's without the tax rebate.
Doug: “It doesn't look weird”
Me: 🙄
You have to decide what is important to you. If you are looking for a practical car, then there are better choices. If you are looking for the best ride to and from work then I think this is a good choice. If taking long trips is in your plans, this car isn't for you. I bought the Luxury model and I love it. I wanted an SUV so that limits the choices. The assisted driving is different, but once you realize what it is and what it isn't it will completely change how you drive. It basically takes over having to worry about speed and staying in your lane. Those concerns are a thing of the past. When I look at the car in the videos, it does look odd. It looks completely different in person. I like how it looks. If you are looking for luxury this is a good choice. If you are looking for practical look at other options. I am 100% happy with my purchase.
You can get a Variable Light Control roof on a Porsche Taycan. It will do full opaque or a mix of clear and opaque. It's very cool!
Except the taycan is incredibly expensive and sort of mediocre imo compared to a lucid air or a model S. Though a taycan refresh is due soon so I'm eager to see what they're cooking
You forgot to mention that dealer markups add another $50k to the price. Since Tesla is the only automaker that sells directly to consumers (e.g. no dealer markups), they’re the only EV that makes any sense. Let the dealers go out of business.
Dealer markups are correlated to demand. Dealers aren't gonna mark up every car they see. Only the ones in high demand. Mediocre stuff like this that won't attract a lot of buyers will be immune to markups or may even get marked down just to get em off the lot (though they'll try to screw you out of your money some other way).
And Tesla also isn't known to have stable car prices. They frequently adjust prices whether that be increasing them or decreasing them due to stuff like demand, interest and competitor positioning. Treat Tesla vehicles prices like stock. Their prices are frequently adjusted though they won't try to swindle you out of your money and there is no middle man meaning a superior system imo.
Great point. Even just not dealing with dealers is worth money, nevermind the chance of getting ripped off.
at $65k this isn't really competing with the Volvo XC40, especially with that abysmal range. I've loved every Lexus I've owned (three) but this is a huge miss in my book.
It is not a miss, the car has a small battery pack and given that....a good range. For me 200mls a day would be more than sufficient. The charging is oke to because Lexus doesn't want you the speed charge everytime, that's why they have a warranty of 15 years on the batteries, an industry first..... .
@@avdp9095 200 miles is ideal range. Crank up your AC, bomb around the highway at 80 miles and you'll likely be down to 140-120mls. In winter likely even less.
@@avdp9095 It doesn't have a small battery pack though, it's just inefficient. The battery on it is 71.5kwh, the battery on the base Model Y is 67.5kWh while getting almost 100 more miles of range.... And it's over 20 grand cheaper.
Much bigger than the Volvo and the Volvo doesn't have a competing vehicle. It will when the EX60 comes out. The XC40 is a bit bigger than the UX.
In other markets Lexus introduced their fully electric UX 300e years ago, but there is a normal full hybrid on that same platform. So I guess the RZ is their first electric without a gas version being also available.
With a 45kWh battery, this car might have never existed, it was soo poor in terms of range...
Agree. Full hybrid basically is better in some regards.
Doug is the type of guy to hate on people who call SUVs a truck.
What category is the range accounted for in the Doug Score? For electrics, I'd be curious to see range, charge time, etc. represented in the score if possible?
Should be reflected in practically...this Lexus should be a 7 not an 8, but Doug is Doug...he really doesn't care what anyone else thinks, and that's why we love him.
@@pex_the_unalivedrunk6785 given how bad its range is, it should've gotten a lower score in the value or practical categories
@@pex_the_unalivedrunk6785Demuro should've given this RZ Lexus a 43/100.
Lexus and disappointing in the same sentence? Yes, times they are a-changin'
That’s always been the case. Toyota and Lexus consistently disappoint in the real world
Interested to know the drag coefficient on it as that frontend must cause immense drag with it being so flat. That won’t be helping the highway range.
Also, Doug can you please talk about charging speeds for EV’s pls. It’s important when talking about road trips as range is only part of the story if it charges fast.
Doug don't gaf at this point... he's making a buck.
The drag coefficient of this RZ is surprisingly decent.
3:04 model Y starts at $36K, 39K for the long range
Also conveniently forgot to
Mention that the teslas qualify for the tax credit and the Toyotas do not…
how am I supposed to know this is a Doug video if Doug's not standing next to the car in the thumbnail? I miss the old days when Doug would stand next to cars in the thumbnails :(
Me too 😢
he is there now
@@megatronusorionpax4900 thank God, the good ol' days are back!
Gonna be interesting how this one will do here in Germany where Lexus always had a hard time selling their Cars. but they even heavily market the RZ here, something Lexus never does.
But since this is an EV and i noticed many Germans try out different Brands when it comes to EVs than the Brand they trust in for ICE Cars, it will be interesting to see them pop up here
Prost & Cheers from Berchtesgaden in the Bavarian Alps
Heavily market the RZ to get their CO2 fleet average down because of EU rules?
@@williamdrijver4141
Possible, but definitely also because Lexus Sales are abyssmal in Germany and they saw that German Consumers are open to buy a different Brand than they used to when it comes to EVs
Interesting, THANK U FOR THAT!!!;)
@@LionheartLivinthe Lexus RZ had around 310bhp.
@@williamdrijver4141agree.
Doug the type of guy to put the name of the car in the thumbnail, only to remove it later for no apparent reason.
Hey Doug! I love your reviews a lot. I’m interested in a VW id4. I’ve seen your review of it however it was the first edition . Can you do an updated review on the 2023 or 2024 VW id4?
Great video Doug, I can’t believe this is $65k whereas it’s £76k in the UK😮
When reviewing EVs, charging speed is an important factor that Doug seems to skip entirely. The Toyota bz4x set a new low record for charging speed in Kyle Connor's review (th-cam.com/video/Y9A73U-kAO0/w-d-xo.html). It would be nice to know if the Lexus version was any different. All through the video I kept saying "But how fast does it charge!?"
In Lexus/Toyota's defense (not that I'm a fan of any of Toyota's EVs) charging speed is only relevant on long road trips. If you're charging at home overnight on level 2, it's irrelevant. Otherwise it's a half assed attempt at an EV that only people who aren't interested or cross shopping this with any other brand would buy
@@thedumbconspirator4956Lexus RZ always doing what Lexus does.
Also Toyota products you can’t use dc combo fast charger more than 3 times a day
In all fairness the Toyota has had several updates to address some of the early complaints. It can now fast charge 3.8 times in a single day. it now shows battery percentage in the dash and it also improved range by approximately 20 miles and it also improved it's fast charging speeds.
Honestly, I don’t know how Lexus can put this on the market at that price with a straight face.
With that kind of range, it’s almost like they’re making fun of anyone who actually chooses to buy it.
The 1.9 was especially prone to rear end in a ditch. In France, I must have seen 40-60 with completely damaged rear end. The French, being French, didn't repair them when they were still repairable. The 1.6 was less tricky.
What about 2.0 TDI?
This will fail guaranteed. Wheel arches are horrendous, piss poor range which is priority #1 for swaying people into an EV, and i can already see Starbucks slurping Michelle rolling the mf when she jerks the yoke to shoot a gap
I cant be the only one that thought this car had massive wheel gap from the thumbnail 🤣
Me too😮
Lexus's first EV model is the Ux300e, also how is this a "small" crossover! 😂 I took a peek inside one day and thought it was huge. Guess I'm used to smaller cars.
Its only small for americans, its ridiculous how big everything is here
@@Carlishoit's not small for "Americans" it's small for North American roads. Drivers here drive tend to drive longer and further than in Europe. Where as Europeans will use trains for long journeys. So historically carrying stuff for a 30 hour cross country trip required more space. So North American auto makers made larger cars and still do.
@@Rome1017Lights 99% North Americans dont use half the space the have in their SUVs and trucks, they just get the biggest vehicle because they dont know any better
@@Carlisho If you live there I'm going to assume you're new to the US. You ever been to rural areas? Where 99% of the people that live there use the size of their vehicles?
I don't know about you, but where I live (not rural in any way), people live for the outdoors and use larger vehicles for camping, hunting, fishing and general outdoor activities regularly.
I was simply giving a lesson on why cars in North America have always been larger... Bigger country and roads instead of train tracks.
@@Rome1017Lights so how many people go on 30 h journeys? 5 a year maybe? Also what's the point of all 7 seater giant SUVs if almost everyone has 1-2 kids?
Doug, Doug, Doug! Do like this: "This is the new 2023..." - break for Car and Bids ad - intro jingle - then beginning of the review.
Great range...for a 15 minute city, if you're one of the lucky few able to find and afford one in our modern economy. That's our future. Welcome to the machine.
What did you dream? It's alright we told you what to dream!
You'll own nothing and be happy. Remember when California asked EV owners not to plug in because there wasn't enough electricity to go around? Wait until that asking isn't optional. If your car refuses to charge or the charger refuses to charge your car, you're not going anywhere except on your feet or the bus.
I can’t imagine someone being “lucky” to own one of these. More like an uninformed fanboy. I hate Tesla but would take one of those a million times over this. I can’t imagine a worse vehicle for the price.
DO NOT COMPLY
Paranoid schizophrenia is real and you may be suffering from it.
Reliability in the Soltera/bz4x/RZ sucks, theyve been known to be unreliable and have already had like 1 or 2 major recalls in the first 6 months
And yet people will blindly buy these inferior options because of brand allegiance to Toyota of all companies.
People just don't think too good sometimes man. They just don't.
@@BeefIngot I know right, GM may be my least favourite brand of cars, but Toyota/Subaru/Lexus owners are my least favourite car owners, they always think that Toyota is the most reliable and the best value even though they use cheap ass materials, have god awful technology, and charge more than a Ford Escape or Nissan Rogue which are way nicer cars and way better values, my neighbour pays $900 a month for her RAV4 and my other neighbor pays $450 a month for her Ariya
My 2007 Kia Optima has a sunroof that's even MORE magical. It opens and lets in fresh air.
I have no issues with the "subpar" 5.5 second 0-60 time, but big problem with its insipid range -- for the price, there's no excuse.
Also, was expecting the Lexus version to at least do away with those absolutely horrid black wheel arch tack-on claddings, but evidently not.
Expect reviews have gotten 0-60 in the high 4 second range so it’s like he didn’t drive the car.
12:33 We know Doug is quite tall, so anything more than 3 inches between Doug's knee and the front seat tells us that it is quite spacious
I drove it.
It’s decent for a Lexus product but it’s too small for some people’s needs.
You may do Better with Hyundai.
Doug, please do a video on your take of the UAW strike and what it means for the auto industry. I would appreciate it!
Those plastic bits on the wheel well make it look super goofy. Seems like it has a low rider wheel set.
I may be the only one but I'm not a huge fan of the new thumbnails, I think they're just too similar to the Cars&Bids thumbnails (which may be the point idk) and doesn't look as distinctive as the traditional, maybe there could be a combination of both with the name of the vehicle at the bottom of the screen so we can have both designs in one
These black fenders are almost invisible, which makes the overall look strange
$65k+ for a vehicle based on a platform whose wheels randomly come off.. Sounds like a winner, I'll take two /s
I truly don't understand why you'd add the cost and complexity of electronic doors while still keeping the old physical handle. Isn't getting rid of that the entire point of using those?
the upcoming Acura ZDX Type S costs the same, but has 500 horsepower and somehow has longer range despite riding on 22 inch (!) wheels.
Agreed. Acura will soon kill Lexus
Well as a first try from the brand, it's totally ok. It will get better range etc with the later iterations.
No it isn't ok. It's crap. Toyota management apparently hates electric cars, every attempt at doing anything electric out of them has been absolute garbage. They've still got the fantasy that hydrogen is anything but an idiotic sideshow.
Honestly, in an alternate world where this is the only electric car that exists, this is great. But in a world like this where Tesla model y, Mach e, kia EV6/ioniq 5 exists.
I'd get a Tesla model y easily over this
8:34 - push both buttons at once! 😀
Gr8 video as always! 🙂
12:45 I both like and don't like the minimalist door design at the same time
I absolutely love your videos and everytime there's a new video I make sure to watch it right away as soon as you post it.
As u should , all hail daddy Doug
Imagine reviewing an EV in 2023 and not mentioning the charging or charging networks you will have to use.
Imagine wanting an EV in 2023…..
Add on the facts that the charging is relatively very slow AND that it's limited to 2 sessions per day, and duty as a road-tripper is pretty much out the window.
Lexus technology
Always behind the times, but at least it works
If you want 2013 EV Range, in 2023, this is your ride.
That’s still the case for any Toyota or Lexus.
is this toyota's way to get into the ev market aside from the bz4x?
Doug is the type of guy, who sticks his tongue while he is accelerating
I can only imagine what he does when he’s muff diving. What a stud!
@@electrikoptik THIS... is the hole where babies come from
Having a lockable front trunk means you can store a backpack that can’t be stolen by breaking a window. To bad Lexus and bmw evs don’t have them
Does anyone else see the door hinge through the panel gap on the front driver door when Doug is doing the wrap up description toward the end or am I imagining that?
My thoughts exactly. When I saw the range I said they won’t sell this to anyone with knowledge of ev range.
Especially when you can get a full size long range Model X with 350mile range, 670hp, 3.8 0-60 for 5k more than the base price of this Lexus
@@YvaneifyWHOA
The rock chips on the front will look awful! That’s such a huge and shiny target
Imagine Doug on a controlled substance. Specifically an upper. This guy would be incomprehensible!
Compact cross over😮
Thing looks massive.
The Lexus RZ sacrificed the glovebox for styling, but I'm fine with that since I think the interior design is really cool
It has radiant heating. That's why it is missing a glovebox.
I own an RZ. There are a few misconceptions and downright inaccuracies in Doug's review (and many of the comments).
First is the performance; it is rated at 5.0 seconds 0-60, not 5.5, and most reviewers who actually TESTED it get a little quicker, more like 4.8 or 4.9 seconds. So it is actually on a par with the standard Tesla Model Y. Is it super fast, like in the 3's? Nope. But it is on a par with most of the competition, and Doug never actually stepped on it in his driving review.
The "Premium" (base model) has the fake leather ("NuLuxe") while the "Luxury" model has the fake suede ("UltraSuede") seating surfaces. So he's dead wrong in saying the whole thing is Alcantara because neither is, technically, and the two trims have different materials.
The yoke is not yet available and from what I've heard, won't be until next year. Steering with the yoke is progressive, but also variable, based on things like speed. it is also "Steer by Wire" rather than a mechanical linkage. It also doesn't require ever removing your hands from it because it doesn't go all the way around; it is roughly 150 degrees lock to lock.
Doug mentioned it being a "small crossover" or "compact crossover" but it is anything but small. It LOOKS smaller from the outside than it really is, being only roughly 3" shorter than a midsized RX, and actually, a longer wheelbase. I actually measured and the cargo DIMENSIONS are virtually identical to the RX, though shorter (height) because of the steeply sloped roofline which yields a lower cargo VOLUME. Yes, the Tesla Model Y has a larger cargo area volume, but it is also shaped a little narrower and longer, so in many cases, a little less practical, and cargo VOLUME is often misleading because few people really need or can even use the HEIGHT. Cargo AREA (not volume) is often more important, and I got the RZ because all of my tools and crap would fit in it (which they do NOT in an NX).
Yes, the range is terrible compared with, say, a Tesla. However, Lexus took a very different approach than Tesla. Every BMS limits charging and use to avoid charging to the REAL battery capacity and discharging to the real zero. Doing so can harm the battery permanently. So they always reserve a small percentage at both the top and bottom of the ranges.
Tesla has decided to use more of the actual battery capacity; if I remember correctly, around 96% of the actual capacity. Lexus, on the other hand, opted to be more conservative and use far less of the actual battery capacity - I believe 89%. What that means is that you get less of the battery's ACTUAL capacity to use, but what that ALSO means is that the battery will fare far better over time and you'll lose far less capacity. Lexus designed their batteries and BMS to retain 90% of their capacity after 10 years of normal use, whereas Tesla designed for 70% after 7 years. Which means that you'll lose less capacity over time, and while a Tesla's range will decrease fairly rapidly, the Lexus' range will reduce far less.
I've heard lots of people talk about how you shouldn't ever charge a Tesla past about 80%, yet the Lexus RZ can easily be charged to 100% using Level 1 or Level 2 charging (they don't recommend it with DC Fast Charging, though obviously, it is capable) without causing ANY long-term damage to the battery. So if I'm able to do 100%-20% that's 80% of my range, versus a Tesla doing only 80%-20% which is 60% of the range, which makes the USABLE range numbers closer.
Remember also that you're generally discharging while parked in pretty much any EV, and I've heard some friends with them talking about losing a fair amount. I lose nothing measurable, so I'm not really losing range just sitting.
There's also the lie about range; that's always ideal figures, and depends on a lot of factors, including whether you're using the climate control. So the question isn't just EPA ratings but REAL WORLD ratings driving the vehicle in real world conditions, like having the climate control on and the sound system going. I know there has been a LOT of talk in the media lately about Tesla lying about their range numbers and people getting a LOT less in the real world than Tesla has been advertising as their "EPA rating."
My range is, obviously, degraded when using the climate control and the radio blasting, but it isn't as much of a loss as one might think.
For someone doing long road trips regularly, the RZ is probably not the vehicle for them. But most people go shorter distances on a daily basis, commuting to and from work, and with a Level 2 charger at home, range is never a problem.
Note also that Lexus is offering a free 30-day (over 3 years) loaner program, where you can rent any available gas (or hybrid... depends what available at the particular dealership) vehicle for up to 30 individual days within the first three years. So if you ARE going on a long road trip for a week, you can rent a gas vehicle for that week for free (and then have 23 more days of free rentals to use in any combination).
Doug mentioned and joked about the little straps in the back; those are obviously not for pens, but allow you to pick up those two side pieces to get at what's underneath, which includes the Lexus first-aid kit. He also didn't lift the floor of the cargo area, which exposes a pretty large area below which can be used as storage. I, for example, have several things in there including my included Level 1 charging cable and a pretty large box of tools, with room to spare.
He didn't mention one of the stupidities which is that the RZ doesn't have a glovebox. Yeah, surprising, but it doesn't because it has electric radiant heaters under both the passenger and driver's side dash. They come on with the heater, and provide very quick, and supposedly very power efficient heating to the lap and legs of front seat occupants.
He didn't mention wireless (Qi) smartphone charging, which it has, nor did he mentioned wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, neither of which the Tesla has that the RZ does. You can use Google Maps or Waze or whatever you want from your phone for navigation, right on that big, beautiful 14" screen. You can send and receive texts wireless, make calls wireless, play music from your phone wireless, etc.
Speaking of playing music, the "Luxury" trim comes standard with the Mark Levinson sound system which is absolutely amazing. Most people can't hear the difference between it and the "standard" (dubbed as premium) system on the base Premium trim - which most people consider absolutely fantastic - but as a musician my whole life and former studio engineer, I certainly can. It isn't just loud and boomy, which are the criteria most people (especially the younger crowd) use to determine the "quality" of a sound system, but it is accurate and clear.
The other day, I had a friend of a friend get into my RZ after he had just bought a C40 Recharge, and he was very impressed by pretty much everything, including the quality of the interior, the features, etc.
The biggest thing is that it is a LEXUS, which means that it is built well, with great materials. I've read SO many complaints from people about their Teslas needing repair, whether under warranty or not, and things falling apart. Paint looking terrible after a short time, and even flaws from the factory. I've seen so many complaints about the interior looking like crap after only a few short years. The RZ is built properly, and I don't expect to ever have problems with it.
Does this offer any self-driving features beyond adaptive cruise control and lane monitoring?
Doug, Doug, Dougie! Day 68 of requesting you review my Ford Probe!
I'd love to see a probe review
Is it stock and clean? I haven't seen one in ages up here in the northeast.
@@volvo09 mostly stock, very clean for a non-museum piece. 76K miles.
@@natecade5168 awesome, keep it going and don't mod it up.
It really just needs mile range, boost it up between 250-300 mile range and this car becomes competitive and probably the best choice if you don't care about performance.
How would this be the best choice? the packaging is horrifically bad (like they just took a gas car and converted it), and the gauge cluster looks straight out of 2013.
@@BeefIngot Styling and Reliability, simple as that. Not saying it would be my choice though.
@@michelerangel6800 Except the vehicle this is based on has a horrible track record for reliability so the only reason to buy it for that is fanboyism and it looks ugly as hell while having terrible range and packaging.
@@BeefIngot So u think that this car with 250-300 mile range won’t be competitive or the best option for sum people in the segment? That was the point of my comment in the first place. Lexus (Toyota) its known for been a brand thats an step behind in tech , we all know that. I couldn’t care less if YOU find it attractive or not or if u buy it or not because i wont buy it neither, everyone likes different stuff buddy
@@michelerangel6800 Bro, how are you just going to skip half the comment to pretend like I didn't adress key points.
Currently this brand isn't actually reliable in the Ev space, they do bad packaging and have poor tech.
Why would anyone buy this over a competitor.
You still aren't listing reasons other than (misplaced) brand loyalty.
1:35 Minor correction here: the Solterra comes standard with AWD as well as the Lexus
Hello Doug 😊 !
I love that Lexus, obviously knowing that electric vehicles don’t need a traditional grill, decided to sorta invert the design where the grill would be. They kept the signature Lexus grill shape as a panel, and maybe not everyone will really care that much about it but I think that’s just clever design. If only they applied the same amount of creativity and brain power when designing the wheels lol.
The LFA and LEXUS RZ are some of the best.
Difficulty: It's fugly. It's actually an incredibly ugly car.
More boring electric golf carts 🥱😴
Can someone step up and get Doug DeMuro to do a review on a 7 L Corvette? Also he needs to do a review on the Chrysler 300 6.4….
I work for lexus and I hate the way they marketed this. This cars full charge is actually 260 but they underquote on purpose unlike other manufacturers
You can tell that Toyota and Lexus are not 100% in on the EV bandwagon, and I have significant respect for their approach to electrification. I firmly believe that EVs won't become the norm by the deadlines they're claiming to meet, especially in the US.
The infrastructure just isn't quite there yet as it always tends to fail for a lot of people. Unless you have a house, owning an EV is pretty difficult. Simply finding a fast charger or a regular charger can be a challenge in of itself and that's even if they work properly. The waiting times are also not ideal, but that's not surprising.
Also, let's not forget that the prices right now for most EVs are ridiculous regardless of inflation. Not to mention, a lot of people aren't buying EVs and are left sitting in lots from what I've seen and heard on Kirk Kreifel's channel. It all has to do with the prices. Because of this, you're now seeing that hybrid and PHEV sales are increasing. Lo and behold, these hybrid and PHEV sales mostly consist of Toyotas and Lexuses. In my mind, hybrids and PHEVs are the best of both worlds. As of right now, they're the most logical purchase over EVs in my opinion, and Toyota/Lexus are thriving in this segment from what I'm seeing.
I believe that EVs do serve a purpose in the world, but not in the way people think they would. EVs should really be commuter cars and commuter cars only for the foreseeable future. This isn't me trying to bash EVs, I'm simply stating what I currently believe to be the possible future of EVs in the next couple of years.
On top of that, the former head of Toyota was actively blocking EV development. These models are rush jobs to get something out the door once his influence stopped preventing a pure EV. I'm a Toyota man, and am not likely to buy anything else as a daily driver, but I'd be really leery of buying one these. They're clearly rushed and chances are not everything else will be properly thought through either.
I think EVs will become the norm quicker than a lot of us expect, but not as quick as current trends seem to suggest. I'm in one of those situations where I don't have a place to charge at home (apartment) or at work (small commercial park). It's a significant amount of time and distance for me to get to a charger that's not a trickle charger, and even then there's a good chance the fast charger might not work when I get there. There will also be situations for a very long time in remote areas where the infrastructure for charging doesn't exist at all, and would cost a fortune to get installed. That is a set of people who will need traditional vehicles for a significantly longer time than most.
EVs are the future of personal transport, whenever you like it or not. Infrastructure will follow (as it always did with rising demand of electricity) and so will chargers. Tesla has there beat everyone.
Now about their slow and "sure" approach to EVs; this is going to cost them big time in the future. Toyota, being as big as they are, just isn't taking EVs seriously enough and investing enough money to catch up to competitiors. They are sleeping behind the wheel and that will bite them in the ass. Because to have a good mass market EV, it isn't just about styling and materials, it's also about motor, inverter and most importantly; battery tech. If they don't get these 3 right, they might as well kiss their EV marketshare goodbye. And world will be buying ICE based Toyota for only so long.
@@jblyon2 100% agree.
@@hojnikb I totally understand. I was mainly referring to the current state of how EVs are doing and how they could potentially turn out within the next 2 to 5 years. I personally believe that these deadlines that have been proposed are possibly not going to be met. I'm not saying that improvements aren't in the works. I'm simply pointing out that they may not come as soon as people were hoping. Toyota/Lexus can very easily catch up I think when it comes to electrification. They just don't want to immediately hop in on the hottest trend quite yet.
PHEVs are the worst of both worlds. You get a shitty ICE and a shitty EV. Each has to haul the other one whenever it’s in use. Whole car is far more complicated as a result and I’m sure dealerships love it. More things that can break.
Lexus has a program that will allow RZ owners to leave their car at the dealership if they are planning a longer road trip and give them a traditional I.C.E Lexus as a loaner for up to 10 days at a time, multiple times per year. Definitely reduces the "range anxiety" complaint, all while keeping miles off your personal car.
How is it possible the heads at Toyota knew their vehicle was so absolutely terrible that they had to create a program for trading it in to drive it? Holy cajoles if true they quite literally knew how terrible their EV is they have to offer an alternative to owners.
@@ASM31237 🤷
Imagine having to have a second car just to go on a road trip greater than 250 miles
Amazing. Instead of developing a car with proper range they give another car if i need to have a trip. Way to go!
@@alphaomega9650 don't buy an all electric car if you plan on traveling far distances exclusively. Maybe buy a plug-in hybrid? That's like saying imagine needing a second car to tow a boat. Purchase something that makes sense for your lifestyle 😆
Has DeMuro ever roasted a car as much as this one in the first five minutes!?!? Havent felt this way since his older Cadillac Video
This is like Lexus’ version of the Mazda MX-30. Created just to meet CARB and regulations.
I use the front trunk on my model y all the time. Maybe 4 or 5 times a week- even though it's fragile and finicky to close
I feel like you touched on why the auto manufacturers are lying by ommisoon.
The more usable the trunk, the more people will use it.
Obviously if they half ass the trunk, no one will use it.
This car is a result of Toyota's lack of investment into the EV landscape, hence the disappointing range. They've been playing it safe by not going all in on EV's, and now they're paying for it. Even their president was ousted because of these mistakes. With that said, they seem to have learned their lesson, as I keep hearing them talk about innovations in solid state battery technology. Right now though, they're simply not a competitor in this market.
They have been talking about solid state batteries for better part of a decage and nothing to show for. They slep behind the wheel for too long and it's going to be hard to catch up now.
I'd wager toyota might team up with the big chinese players for them to share their platforms and batteries for future Toyota EVs.
Doug not mentioning the weird placement of the third brake-light in the back be like 👁️ 👄 👁️
With the Yoke there comes steering by wire also.
I assume there's some reason why Doug couldn't get his hands on the version with the yoke steering as that would have been much more interesting. The drive by wire completely changes the driving experience from what I've heard and is unlike driving any other vehicle. Hopefully there will be a separate video about that soon.
To me it should be about variable steer by wire with yoke rather than emphasizing the yoke. That's what Lexus calls it too, they don't really call it the yoke wheel. And yes, that is what distinguishes the car right now. I don't think it is available for customers yet as it is still being tweaked/refined.
@@benjaminsmith2287 oh OK I didn't know that. I have seen a review on another channel and the reviewer was really surprised by how different the driving experience was. I think that was in Europe though and maybe he was given access to a prototype.
Yeah. Since not only is it variable ratio steering, it's *variable* variable rate. fixed variable rate one can do by playing with steering linkage geometry. Where as the RZ steer by wire is completely different. It is true control drive by wire, meaning the steering is completely dynamic.
I think that is why Lexus probably cares none about nothing else on this model. This model can flop all it wants, as long as it works a real world technology demonstrator of the steer-by-wire. Most importantly *in general public consumption* . Meaning Lexus demonstrating being able to pass certification for general sales. There is some amount of prototype and test vehicles with steer by wire, some specialty vehicles in production use. However that is completely different game than "certified for public sales and usage on public roads with no special licensing on part of vehicle owner" steer by wire. Completely without physical back like so other prior system, where there is still a steering column, it's just clutched out on steer-by-wire. However any fault with steer by wire and the clutch closes. Well not with this Lexus system. There is no steering column to go back to. Whole another level of "no this can never fail" of redundancy and reliability checks.
In road use cars, really rare and as I understand this is first Lexus model. Which means... once they have certified the system on this model, well they have end to end certified system they can refer to on other models. "oh regulator, you already certified this steering system here for the RZ model, it's the same system. So this will pass inspection as grand fathered with just minor consistency checks? Right?"
They can vary the steering with speed, current level of wheel angle, steering angle. Infact they can run whatever algorhitms they want. To true steer by wire the wheel/yoke is just a desire indicator depending on programming. "oh it seems driver wants to turn left" and after that it is completely on the steering algorhitm. They can do stability control and so on completely independent of the wheel. Infact what the wheel feels is even just force feedback system.
That thing is closer to how modern jets fly, than any other car. It could be a wheel, a yoke, a joystick, a small nub of a pointer, a side to side rocker switch. The yoke has more in common with something like Logitech G Pro Racing Wheel, than any physically linked steering wheel.
They can make the response as light or heavy as they want in software. Heck offer different profiles potentially for people preferences (obviously within limits of sanity and safety). They could make it go full lock to lock with just couple degree flick if wheel if they wanted. Which is why it is so big deal. *It takes large amount of due diligence and certifying* . Lot of redundancy and checks and rechecks "under no circumstances does this control system do a crazy". While at the same time having complete freedom. The actuators do what ordered. The signal comes it will freaking vibrate the wheels left to right at inhumane frequency and so on.
Stability control? You panic and over steer? the control system can straight out over ride you without even having to slap the wheel out of the drivers hand with power steer. Pull as panicked turn as you want, just like with fly-by-wire planes, you can't over stress the controls, you can't flick out the rear, if they want you to not flick out the rear. Put in full wheel lock and you only get what the control system deems suitable given heck lot of things speed, road camber, outside temperature, inside temperature, air pressure, humidity, exact sensed wheel condition, slip sensors. It's stability control on steroids. You can't make it over steer, if it wants to prevent over steering. No amoung of physical forcing of the wheel will do it. Power steering one can try to over power with just the sheer physical linkage. This one... the car can let you just put in full lock being all happy and then just not actually steer that much in reality. With steer-by-wire unless in "direct control" mode, the steer input is a suggestion, not a command.
@@aritakalo8011 Excellent. Good to see a comment that gets into the meat of the steering. The yoke is just a cosmetic controller. So Lexus and Tesla implementations are completely different and have nothing to do with each other.
People in my tiny country (Israel) are all over this car. The range is not much of an issue when 200 miles covers around half of your territory 😅. As a Lexus it’s rather nice luxury car so it’s an interesting proposition
I consider to buy the 23' Lexus RX EV Doug.
How does the value score work? Can't figure it out
On its own, an 'OK' car. By comparison to the competition, mediocre at best, and downright outdated at inception before it left the factory floor. Toyota is THE most indebted car maker on the planet, and this lack lustre effort displays its contempt for the self evident transformation of the very industry it once was the master of. Toyota are very much in the top-ten most likely car businesses likely to go bust in the next very few years, and this car is evidence to that assertion.
I think front looks ugly 😢
No one’s talking about how Doug never even said “now I’m gonna drive it” just casually went into it. I couldn’t even tell he was driving the background noise was so quiet.
This would be a really nice daily commuter, especially if you were a 2+ car family and had a gas powered car that worked for long trips. But what do I know, I have a 2009 Honda CR-V that I don't plan on getting rid of anytime soon. I just like to watch car review videos while I'm eating dinner.
The range, cluster, front end hurt this car. So many other great options.
I really like where Lexus is going with the design 😊
@doug
for the steering wheel thing
you described exponential versus linear
Doug has made wearing 2 t-shirts cool
One of the biggest downsides is that there is no one pedal driving which is insane. It’s not unheard of for EV brakes to last up to 80k+ miles, but not w/ the RZ smh
I agree one pedal driving is a must, but don’t equate one pedal driving with regenerative braking. I think it’s safe to assume light to moderate brake pedal force will rely solely on regenerative braking, blending in friction brakes when necessary.
hold on now. I think people have this big misconception that regenerative braking only happens with one pedal, but that would be a terrible idea, especially because many folks (like me) hate one pedal driving.
Instead, most modern EVs just blend in regenerative braking with regular braking, so when you brake normally, it uses regenerative 100% until you reach really low speeds (where regen doesn't work) and then turn on the regular brakes, or they mix in both if you are braking really hard the whole time.
@@BeefIngot I’m clearly aware of the difference. Regen braking isn’t new and has been around since the first hybrids. One Pedal just relies solely on the motor working backwards to slow down the car, so you’re getting maximum regen + not wearing out your brakes. When you press on the brake pedal, you are manually starting the friction brakes and electric motor regen braking, which means a loss in efficiency recuperating energy and now the brakes are getting worn the same as an ICE car.
Changing brakes every 80K+ miles would outweigh any negative feelings over not liking one pedal driving for me at least. But w/ the RX, BZ4x, and Solterra you’re robbed of that benefit
@@thisistimmy You said you were aware then went on to state the exact same misconceptions I literally just covered.
Unless you are hard braking the effect of normal braking vs one pedal driving is the exact same.
@@BeefIngot Exactly. One pedal driving is stupid and annoying, and has absolutely NOTHING to do with regen braking.