2023 Lexus RZ Electric Crossover Teased; Looks Just Like Our Illustrations

Lexus has given us our second look at the new RZ electric SUV with the release of a handful of teaser images and a short video.

Why second look? Because Carscoops artist Josh Byrnes already showed how the production version of March’s LF-Z Electrified Concept would look in a series of accurate renders (okay, bar the chunky door handles) we published last week.

What hadn’t been confirmed then, but has been now, is the name. The production EV will be sold as the Lexus RZ, which makes sense given that Lexus already uses the RC badge for its BMW 4-Series-sized coupe and RX for its mid-sized SUV.

The RZ is the first Lexus to make use of the e-TNGA electric car platform already used by the Toyota bZ4X and its Subaru Solterra twins. And with its razor-edged nose and super-slim LED headlights, it bears more than a passing resemblance to that pair.

See: We Illustrate Lexus’ Electric SUV From LF-Z Concept To RZ Reality 

But closer inspection shows the Lexus is treated to its own unique design. The RZ features a sweeping line from the front wheel arch that rises upwards through the top portion of the front door skin, fading out as it crosses into the rear door, at which point a second crease below it takes over, stopping at the base of the C-pillar.

The quarter light in the rear door is bigger on the RZ, too, suggesting that the door is longer than the bZ4X’s, and that there might be more rear passenger space than in its blue-collar brothers. And while the RZ’s rear lamps also wrap around the quarter panels, they form one continuous slim strip that extends across the rear of the car, above which the Lexus name is spelled out.

Lexus hasn’t confirmed any mechanical detail for the new RZ but the LF-Z Electrified Concept sported a 536 hp electric powertrain that gave it a theoretical 0-62 mph time of 3 seconds. The production car is unlikely to be quiet so potent, but we’re hoping it will pack more muscle than the bZ4X and Solterra, which offer buyers the choice of 201-hp single motor, and 215-hp dual motor setups.

We expect the RZ to hit showrooms before the end of 2022 when it will face off against rivals like the Tesla Model Y, Audi Q4 e-tron, Genesis GV60 and Mercedes-Benz EQC.