The 2023 Lexus RZ 450e earns a point each for its pleasing acceleration and planted handling, for a crossover.Â
All-wheel drive comes standard courtesy of a 150-kw front motor and 80-kw rear motor and a 71.4-kwh battery pack supplied with Panasonic cells, though the usable capacity is 64 kw. Five drive modes vary driving dynamics such as throttle response and torque distribution between the axles, but in most cases the system defaults to a 60/40 front-axle driving bias. Coming into turns, the bias shifts more to the front to manage understeer, and out of turns, the bias shifts to the rear axle for better traction and acceleration.
There is some body lean in turns, but the RZ feels more planted in corners than either the NX or RX, in part because it sits a bit lower and the roughly 4,600-pound weight is spread more evenly between the axles. A rigid upper structure developed…
