Lexus RZ 550e

FIRST DRIVE Tech updates improve the electric crossover, but its new steer-by-wire system's ‘yoke’ will divide opinion

- Matt Rodinson

FRESH off the back of its most successful year ever in the UK, Lexus has given the electric RZ electric crossover a light technical overhaul. The RZ is only the second full-EV from the firm, and it has proved popular since its 2023 launch, with 3,300 examples finding homes here.

But while early impressions of the RZ were largely positive, there were some problems, such as the Japanese model's relatively short range and its comparatively slow charging times. So this round of remedial work focuses mostly on stuff that you can’t see — this isn’t a facelift in the conventional automotive sense, and the car’s swoopy design sneaks through largely untouched.

Ditto the high-quality interior, which is beautifully put together and operates in an intuitive fashion, thanks to Lexus having (finally) got to grips with an infotainment system that doesn't utterly infuriate the driver from the get-go.

The principal talking point here, therefore, is that the RZ’s battery capacity has increased to 77kWh (it was previously 71.4kWh), while changes to its cell composition and the adoption of a higher peak AC charging speed of 22kW have reduced the amount of time owners should have to wait when the vehicle is plugged in.