The 2026 Lexus RZ 550e F SPORT AWD has a range problem and a personality that makes me want to forgive it. With 402 horsepower, an entertaining pretend gearbox, and a cabin that had me listening to classical music all week, this electric Lexus can be calm one moment and hilariously quick the next. Our own Larry Printz recently reviewed one on his home turf in Florida. Now it’s my turn here in East Texas, where I found five things I like and five things I dislike about this $61,834 luxury EV.
Dislike No. 1: The range just ain’t cutting it
Let’s start with the most obvious problem. This is an all-electric, performance-oriented SUV, and that performance comes with compromised range.
As equipped, the RZ 550e has an EPA-estimated range of 229 miles from its 76.96-kWh battery. That just ain’t cutting it here in 2026, especially in East Texas, where getting anywhere can involve a considerable amount of driving.
Then there’s the road-trip math. You’ll generally want to stop a fast-charging session around 80%, since charging beyond that typically takes longer. Using the EPA rating as a rough guide, 80% represents about 183 miles of range before accounting for highway speeds, weather or the charge you want remaining when you reach the next station.
If you’re traveling between 10% and 80%, that’s roughly 160 miles of the rated range between charging stops.
The math just ain’t mathing. Fortunately, that leads directly into my first like.
Like No. 1: Finally, the right charging plug
Behind the charging door on the passenger side is a welcome update: a North American Charging Standard port.
NACS. The Tesla plug. Whatever you want to call it, this connection makes compatible charging locations easier to work into your travels, including access to compatible Tesla Superchargers. Lexus also supplies CCS1 and J1772 adapters, giving you options beyond the native plug.
Nobody likes to charge. But knowing you have more places to do it definitely takes some of the range anxiety out of the equation.
The supplied specifications put a DC fast-charge session from 10% to 80% at about 30 minutes under suitable conditions. An 11-kW onboard AC charger handles charging at home, with an estimated eight-hour charge time on 240 volts.
None of that magically gives this RZ more range. It does make its 229-mile range less of an issue when you have more places to recharge.
Dislike No. 2: Those wheel covers look cheap
The 20-inch alloy wheels on a premium Lexus should look the part.
Instead, they’re wearing matte black plastic aero covers that make them look cheap. I understand the purpose, but visually, they really aren’t all that great.
Worse, those covers obscure the blue Lexus-branded brake calipers hiding behind them. Our tester’s blue calipers are a $500 option.
Pay extra for the pretty brake calipers, then hide them behind plastic. That’s a choice.
Like No. 2: It’s fast, and the fake gearbox is fun
Oh my gosh.
That was my reaction the first time I properly leaned into the accelerator. Dual electric motors, 402 horsepower and DIRECT4 all-wheel drive make this thing seriously quick. In my own testing, this particular RZ went from zero to 60 MPH in about four seconds.
That is my result in this vehicle, rather than a manufacturer claim. And I’m very impressed with it.
But the acceleration is only part of the entertainment. Press the M Mode button and those flappy paddles become selectors for a virtual eight-speed gearbox. There isn’t a conventional eight-speed transmission hiding underneath, but Lexus has engineered the system to give you something to do besides plant your foot and hang on.
You can downshift and upshift to your heart’s desire. Artificial engine sounds pumped through the speakers help tell you when it’s time to shift. Hold a virtual gear too long and you reach a simulated redline, where the acceleration falls off. It won’t just upshift and save you from yourself.
It also won’t let you downshift excessively. There are rules to this pretend gearbox, and a surprising amount of effort went into making them feel convincing.
Larry didn’t particularly love it. His argument was essentially: Why not just buy something with an actual gearbox and an internal combustion engine?
I get that. But while EVs deliver wonderfully quick acceleration, they can also become a little clinical. A little soulless.
M Mode gives some soul back to something without an internal combustion engine. I actually appreciate that.
Dislike No. 3: The gauge screen is laughably small
I know. I’m picking nits here.
Still, the gauge screen behind the steering wheel looks relatively primitive and laughably small by 2026 standards. In a vehicle with this much technology, it feels like an area that could use more attention.
The saving grace is the head-up display. It’s robust enough that I found myself looking there more often than at the instrument screen.
So, does the little display ruin the driving experience? No. I barely looked at it most of the time.
But when I did, it wasn’t the best.
Like No. 3: Quiet when you want it, quick when you need it
The RZ is a very nice vehicle to be behind the wheel of.
It’s serene. It’s calm. There’s no loud racket and no collection of rattles accompanying you down the road. The RZ feels so well put together that you can settle in and enjoy being there.
Then, whenever you want that additional power, it’s waiting under your right foot.
The steering is rather quick, and the F SPORT-tuned chassis handles twisty roads just fine. Lexus specifically adjusts the springs and dampers for this model, and that tuning helps give the RZ some personality when the road becomes interesting.
Is it anything like the Volkswagen Golf R I recently tested?
Well, no. Not exactly.
But it’s still rather fun. And when you’re done having fun, it goes right back to being a quiet Lexus.
Dislike No. 4: Dude, where’s my glove box?
Above the passenger’s knees is a padded, cloth-covered section of dashboard.
What isn’t there is a glove box.
Lexus does provide additional storage underneath the center console, in a pass-through area. The problem is getting to it easily when I’m sitting on one side and there’s potentially a passenger sitting on the other.
Yes, the storage exists. No, it doesn’t replace the convenience of opening a compartment directly in front of the passenger.
Not having a full glove box takes away a little from the enjoyment of living with this RZ. Sometimes the ordinary things are ordinary because they work.
Like No. 4: This is the looker of the family
The RZ belongs to an electric-vehicle family with Toyota and Subaru relatives, and to my eye, the Lexus is the best-looking one of the bunch.
That does not make it the best-looking Lexus I’ve ever seen. That distinction still belongs to the LC 500, in both coupe and convertible forms. May she rest in peace.
But the RZ is still a very good-looking EV. There are athletic lines throughout, the spindle-grille treatment is toned down, and the rear haunches give it a wonderfully wide stance.
I really like how far apart those rear fenders appear. They give the entire vehicle an athletic look, while the F SPORT spoiler and chrome Lexus wordmark finish things off nicely.
It all works.
The style discussion doesn’t end outside, either. This is a classy interior, with F SPORT Ultrasuede trim and heated and ventilated power front seats.
Our tester wears Wind Chill Pearl exterior paint, though this isn’t my favorite overall spec. A few years ago, we tested an RZ with an ice-blue exterior and an ice-blue, velvet-like interior that I absolutely loved. It was comfortable, and it looked good while being comfortable.
This one still looks good. I just know how much I liked that blue one.
Dislike No. 5: Remote start should not be this difficult
Some of these complaints feel like nitpicking. This one became a legitimate problem with temperatures still reaching triple digits in East Texas at the end of September.
I want to cool the cabin before I get in. That should be simple.
There is no dedicated remote-start button on the key fob. Instead, you press the lock button once, press it again, then press and hold it a third time.
And hold it.
And hold it.
Eventually, if you’ve done everything correctly, the lights flash and the vehicle responds. If you haven’t, you get to try again.
During my attempt, the first sequence didn’t take. The second one did. But I had to be close enough to see the lights or hear the vehicle’s response to know whether it had registered.
By that point, I’m practically at the vehicle anyway. I might as well get in and start it for real.
The Lexus app offers another way to activate the climate system remotely, but we don’t get to test that connected-service experience as reviewers. My complaint is specifically with the key fob, which is what I had available.
At least give us a dedicated button, Lexus.
Like No. 5: The vibes are strong
My fifth like ties everything else together. It’s the entire package. It’s the vibes you get when you’re in this RZ.
It’s chill when you want it to be. I’ve been listening to classical music all week.
Then you jab the accelerator and you’re off.
There are also features that add to the cool factor, like the Dynamic Sky panoramic glass roof. Push a button and you can see the clouds above you. Push it again and the glass frosts over, giving you some relief from the sun without pulling a conventional shade across the roof.
I’m very impressed with that roof.
Our tester also includes the $2,600 Luxury Package, which adds Mark Levinson premium audio, a digital rearview mirror, Digital Key, Traffic Jam Assist and Advanced Park with Remote Park. The 14-inch touchscreen provides wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and there’s a wireless phone charger.
It all contributes to an effortlessly cool vehicle.
Final Thoughts
Some people will say the flappy paddles are a bit much. You don’t have to use them.
Some will say the screens are a bit much. They also provide the connectivity and futuristic feel you expect from this kind of vehicle.
All the way around, the vibes are very strong here.
With a $57,000 base price and an as-tested total of $61,834, including options and the $1,295 delivery fee, the 2026 Lexus RZ 550e F SPORT AWD feels like a bit of a bargain for the performance and luxury you get. Yes, the range is a real limitation, and there are quirks that make it less than perfect to live with. But I’ve enjoyed my time with it, and I’m going to be sad when Lexus takes this one back. The math may not be mathing, but this Lexus has made a pretty convincing emotional argument.
