New front-wheel-drive Lexus RZ boosts range, cuts cost

Lexus has updated the RZ for 2024 with efficency updates and the introduction of a new entry-level 300e, bringing a longer range at a lower price.

Introduced to sit alongside the updated 450e, the 300e will be offered with front-wheel drive only, and gets a 72.8kWh battery that is 1.4kWh larger than its more expensive stablemate. It is driven through a 201bhp electric motor borrowed from the twin-motor 450e.

Its range is rated at 266 miles, which is 26 miles more than the equivalent BMW iX3 but 23 miles less than the Tesla Model Y. The firm has not yet revealed performance figures for the new electric powertrain.

The 300e replaces the 450e's motorised rear axle for a subframe that is said to "suppress vibrations and noise, contributing to a smooth and quiet ride."

Lexus could not confirm whether the new car will make it to the UK – however, in the US the base 450e has launched at a $4700 (£3700) premium over the entry-level 300e. 

The 450e, meanwhile, sticks with the firm's Direct4 four-wheel drive system, with a 201bhp electric motor on the front axle and a 107bhp one at the rear. The system can send up to 100% of its power to either the front or rear if the situation calls for it.

The larger car uses the same 71.4kWh battery as before, is able to travel 220 miles on a charge, develops 303bhp and dispatches 0-62mph in 5.0sec.