Living with a… Lexus RZ300e (Month 3)

Lexus and parent company Toyota are big believers in hybrid technology, but neither can ignore the move to full electrification and this RZ is the brand’s first decent effort after the somewhat half-baked UX300e. It shares much under the skin with the Toyota bZ4X but with a more Lexus-worthy sense of luxury and tech. Also available in twin-motor RZ450 form and with the option of distinctive yoke-controlled steering the one we’re trying is the slightly more basic, single-motor RZ300e, the Premium Plus trim and some fancy paint bringing a bit of Lexus bling. It remains a somewhat quirky choice – time to try living with one to see if it’s a convincing player or an also-ran.
Skip to: Month 1 – (Not) going the distance Month 2 – Cramping my style Month 3 – Comfort over convenience

Erin says: “Nice car, very disappointing range”

How much has it cost you?

Well, it’s cheap to top up at home overnight on my EV-friendly off-peak home energy tariff at about £3 for a five-hour charge, but I don’t like the fact I’m having to do it pretty much every night for the fact it won’t go much further than 190 miles on a full charge.

Where have you been?

See above, but with the battery graphic hovering stubbornly at under 200 miles on a full charge long journeys feel arduous if you think you’ve got to factor in public charging, so I took a different car on my trip to Yorkshire from Kent this month, because I’m lucky enough to have a choice of cars in on test. I did, however, take the Lexus on a round-trip of just over 100 miles to see my stepmother in Essex recently. The car’s computer is at least reliable – there was no dive in range once I hit the M25, where you normally see the battery percentage drop alarmingly in many EVs.

What have you been carrying?

The boot is helpfully wide and deep, so the insane number of bags both boys have to cart off to school on a Monday morning – massive sports bags, boot bags, hockey-stick bags, rucksacks, guitars and footballs – are just swallowed up. There’s a nice deep central storage space between the two front seats, and the door bottle holders are a sensible size.

Delights?

I love the shape of the RZ. It manages to be both sleek and chunky at the same time, with its combination of a raised body and wide rear but sleek roofline. Also, a small but important feature – the steering wheel is covered in a very smooth, tactile leather. This matters, because it’s the main touchpoint in the car.

Frustrations?

I don’t love the combination of a black bonnet with the rose-gold bodywork. Don’t like it on Rolls-Royces or Maybachs, either. So, I guess it’s not Lexus’s fault. Mainly though sub-200 miles range is insane. The average range of a new electric car advertised on Autotrader now is 278 miles. Many of those a lot cheaper than this one.

This month in a nutshell

Nice car, very disappointing range. Let’s hope that when we swap this current version of the Lexus RZ300e for the refreshed version the new battery has a better real-world range. Back to top

Erin says: “The maximum range of about 180 miles is seriously cramping my style”

How much has it cost you?

Very little. For two reasons. First, I’ve got a home charger and a very low night rate for electricity (7p per kWh), so charging from midnight to 5am on my Andersen charger (great charging experience but the app log-in is shocking – it throws me out and makes me update my log-in password every time) comes in at £2.82 per charge. Second, the overall range is so shockingly low that I’ve chosen not to use it for longer journeys this month, because I have the luxury of other test cars, but I would not be happy if this was my only choice.

Where have you been?

Not far, for the above reasons. School, the station for the commute into work and the supermarket.

What have you been carrying?

Endless numbers of teenagers. Thankfully, they love the Lexus because it’s supremely comfortable, both in terms of leg space in the front and rear, but also it feels spacious, which means it feels luxurious. It’s wide, and deep and cossetting. The kids think it feels premium, which confers its own sort of school drop-off prestige.

Delights?

The sound system is a true delight. Lexus is one of the few brands where it’s worth paying the extra grand or whatever it is to upgrade to the Mark Levinson audio. Kayne West sounds just as good as Mozart.

Frustrations?

The driver’s digital display is absolutely shameful. The graphics are slightly blurry (that’s not just me – both sons commented on it) and the information is small and cramped. Literally everyone else does it better.

This month in a nutshell

The maximum range of about 180 miles is seriously cramping my style – AKA my ability to drive anywhere in it other than locally. The result is simply that I haven’t used it very much this month because, luckily, I have other cars to test.

Erin says: “This Lexus reminds you why so many people still buy a Japanese premium badge that has seen better days in terms of tech. Because they are so damn comfy.”

How much has it cost you?

Nearly yet another Dart charge penalty for forgetting to pay the Dartford Tunnel crossing both ways; I’m becoming an expert in it. With test cars, there’s no point in adding the numberplate to your account, so it’s on me to remember. Luckily, so far it always seems to be a different car, and you get one pity pass per vehicle. I also forgot to plug it in overnight and had to charge during peak daytime hours, which means instead of costing 7p per unit of electricity, it cost me 26p per unit. An annoying mistake, but it’s still miles cheaper than public charging at an ultra-rapid charger.

Where have you been?

Essex and back to see my father’s side of the family, hence the Dart charge, but also because it’s one of the few “long-distance” motorway trips that my boys and I can do in the Lexus without range anxiety. They love the car because of the comfort and sound system, but we can’t go much further than Chelmsford and back.

What have you been carrying?

I’ve been stupidly lugging round the heavy charging cable that the car came with in the boot, but it really is heavy and is probably costing me a couple of miles of range, so I’ve finally taken it out. We don’t need it because I refuse point blank to use public chargers unless pre-planned and absolutely vital.

Delights?

This Lexus reminds you why so many people still buy a Japanese premium badge that has seen better days in terms of tech. Because they are so damn comfy. Roomy, silent, cushioned from noise and judders, they still manage to provide an engaging driving experience. It’s very clever engineering and just a joy to be piloting.

Frustrations?

The rotary knob to select drive, neutral and reverse is counter intuitive to me, so I keep twisting it the wrong way, into reverse instead of drive. Given our driveway is incredibly tight, this is not great.

This month in a nutshell

Really lovely car to drive and passenger in: so quiet and smooth. Just a shame you can’t put that to the test on a really long journey, thanks to that low range.