2023 Lexus RZ450e Review: Take Two
Ben Chia
14/06/2023
Design and Interior
That said, the RZ does feature some design hallmarks that marks it out as a Lexus. The general silhouette bears strong similarities to the recently-launched RX crossover SUV, with its slim headlights and its own interpretation of the brand’s spindle ‘grille’ design. In this case, the ‘grille’ is really just a mass of sheetmetal (mimicking that of numerous other EVs), but the pinched edges clearly makes out the spindle shape and gives the car a face that’s easily recognisable as a Lexus.
The rest of the car attempts to inject a degree of sportiness with its semi-sloped roofline towards the rear, but Lexus has also been fairly smart to design it in such a way that it doesn’t affect interior headroom too much. The slope only begins beyond the rear seats and towards the boot line, and it leads down to a rear end design that can be described as rather futuristic, with its long and thin brake light segment that stretches across the entire width of the boot, and topped off by a neat little spoiler on the edge of the hatch.
The interior is slightly less dramatic though, and it broadly looks familiar to other recent members of the Lexus SUV family like the RX and NX. The large 14-inch touchscreen dominates the dashboard, and the controls are mostly straightforward and fall to hand easily. The steering wheel button controls can be a touch confusing though as it toggles the information on the head-up display, something that is not immediately evident on first use, and the RZ also features that odd electric door latch thing first seen on the NX that feels counter-intuitive to operate.
The rest of the interior is mostly typical Lexus, being reasonably comfortable and overall quite a nice place to sit in. The rear though excels in particular, offering an extremely generous amount of leg and head room. A combination of the car’s 2,850mm wheelbase and flat floor as a result of the EV packaging means there’s room to stretch your legs, but also the aforementioned roofline design gives occupants the illusion of space, accentuated by the large double sunroof above their heads.
About the Author
Ben Chia
CarBuyer's print editor went out to explore the Great Big World, including a stint working in China (despite his limited Mandarin). Now he's back, ready to foist upon you his takes on everything good and wonderful about the automotive world. Follow Ben on Instagram @carbuyer.ben
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