First Drive: 2026 Lexus RZ with Steer-by-Wire - Is the yoke on us?
We drive the new Lexus RZ with a yoke and steer-by-wire
Over the years of reviewing cars, we’ve always held the view that the Japanese are perhaps the most conservative of the world’s automakers. They always tend to be reluctant to introduce aggressive designs, to come up with machines that are exciting to drive, and to bring forth new technologies that elicit a collective wow from behind the wheel.
Well, that notion has been proven wrong. Because here I am in a European country, driving a Japanese SUV that looks sharp, pointy, and is fun when the road get twisty. Here’s the thing though: the steering wheel isn’t a wheel, and it’s not mechanically-connected to the wheels either.
This is the new Lexus RZ BEV. And they’re not yoking around.
48 hours ago, I was looking out the window as our plane was on final approach after about 24 hours in transit over 3 flights from Manila to Singapore to Frankfurt and now Lisbon. Personally, I was just looking forward to a shower, but I found myself enjoying what the city had to offer, of which there was much.
From the near cloudless skies that promised consistent sunshine, cooler temperatures in the shade (surprisingly the heatwave avoided Lisbon), to the incredible food (especially the sardines and pasteis de nata) Portugal is amazing. This country, after all, was a key player in the age of discovery and exploration (and imperialization) of Europe over much of Asia. While Spain did colonize the Philippines, Magellan himself was Portuguese.
We’re not here for a history lesson but we're here on a trip of automotive discovery, and so we boarded a bus to head down to the Algarve region. We were here to drive the new Lexus RZ.
This won’t be my first time with the first BEV launched by Lexus (or Toyota) in the Philippines. Yes, there are other Toyota BEVs available elsewhere, but given that the Philippines doesn’t have a fully developed charging network to accommodate mass BEV adoption, Toyota is taking its time. For Lexus, however, that’s not as big of a problem as many Lexus owners living in the city (or even the provinces) can easily afford to have their own chargers set up at home in their garages. That makes the RZ a premium SUV option that can handle their daily drive to complement their ICE vehicles that will be used for longer drives.
But my take on the 2023 RZ that I drove was rather lukewarm. The typical Lexus hallmarks of the time were there: a design that was quite conservative in a car that was most definitely well built. The problem, however, is that EVs are supposed to be forward-looking vehicles, and Lexus certainly missed that part back then with the interior layout, the range, feel, and performance. Even the ride wasn’t typical of Lexus; you feel more of the bumps on the road than you would like.
The 2025 one has most definitely changed, even though this isn’t technically a new generation. We would call this a facelift and upgrade, but after the briefing at the hotel, what’s clear is that this was a bit more extensive than just a nip, tuck, and some new features. They did a redesign, made some revisions to the monocoque and suspension, upgrades to the battery system and motor, and installed a new simulated shift system as well as the future of automobiles: steer by wire.
No, this is not a new generation model, but we could just refer to it by using Toyota/Lexus-speak: Big Minor Change. It’s contradictory, yet somehow it makes sense. Let’s just see how it goes.
The starting point for the RZ is the 350e front wheel drive. I barely have any time to really absorb the details of the look on the outside, but there are plenty of changes like the new front end, the new headlights, and that neat fastback-ish rear with LEXUS neatly and symmetrically inlaid in the full width light bar. There’s no panoramic glass roof and wheels seem a bit small for the vehicle, but we expect this of an entry grade variant into the model range.
The changes on the inside are far more minor; we’re talking new trim pieces here and there, some changes in materials, and maybe a few more features that I can’t seem to pinpoint. But what really feels different is the ride. It’s far more pliant, far more controlled than before. Even over the cobblestone streets of Loule in southern Portugal or the plateau-like speedbumps, the RZ just felt great. That’s a huge difference over the rather bumpy, un-Lexus-like ride of the pre-facelift model.
What made that big improvement are the changes the engineers made to the front and rear suspension. The worked on the suspension geometry, made it lighter, made the body stiffer, and put in more sound insulation. While they didn’t give a reason why, we surmise it’s because their engineers -many of which came from Toyota’s ICE vehicle programs- probably needed more seat time over the years as well as feedback from customers and us in the press. The demands of BEVs are different when it comes to suspension, as BEVs tend to be much heavier than similar ICE counterparts. So they made change to the suspension and structure that normally would have been reserved for a new generation model rather than a facelift.
Now that they’ve factored all that in, we can feel the result: the RZ rides far better than before. But it also drives so much more confidently on the twisty roads up in the hills. Power is at 224 PS, and you really feel it. The RZ 350e feels punchy as an EV should when you ask it to deliver all of its torque from a standstill. But it’s the control it exhibits around the corners that is surprising. It really does feel more direct and ready to go. It seems all that work refining the ride and drive of the RZ up in their exclusive test and development center called Shimoyama has really paid off.
The other big change is another thing we can’t see unless we lift the car up and look. The NMC lithium ion battery pack is now bigger and able to store up to 77 kWh; a significant bump from the 71 kWh. They achieved that because they reworked the floor to give more space for more cells each with larger capacity. In the RZ 350e, the range with the new front eAxle and 18” wheels can reach up to 568 kilometers (WLTP). They also upgraded the onboard charger, as this can now maximize the capability of a 22 kW AC charger. For faster charging, use the DC.
The same battery unit is used in the highest grade variant of the RZ. The problem, however, is that the range is a bit less: 450 kilometers (WLTP). Sounds odd, right? The reason is because the top variant is the F Sport with larger wheels and all-wheel drive. And also, it makes 408 PS.
You really feel the difference when you step on the throttle. The RZ F Sport rockets forward. I mean, this is a BEV crossover that can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.4 seconds; quite a feat considering it’s heavy because of all the features, the sound deadening, and premium materials, the 14 inch screen (common for all RZ models) as well as the many speakers from longtime Lexus supplier Mark Levinson. Even the panoramic glass roof with its new bluish electro dimming tech makes it much heavier than sheet metal.
All that matters not, because of the torque and the tuning Lexus did at their facilities. Judging by way the AWD system keeps us planted around the bends, their work did wonders. The heavy F Sport was easy to carve corners with, and adjusting the regen to help with braking is also easy. You can just flow with the rhythm of Portugal's mountain roads at speed, then slow right down for the towns. Remember: when driving abroad, most European 5-0's won't care if you go fast on the empty backroads, but on the street of towns where the kids of the cops play, they will be very serious about the 30 km/h limit.
The F Sport also got some enhancements on the outside, the most apparent being the two tone look with the partially black hood that looks like part of the spindle grille. Honestly I would not have extended the spindle theme onto the hood, but it is a nice touch. But what I appreciate more are the aero enhancements like the vents on the lower bumper to help cooling, as well as the spoiler in the back even though it somewhat reminds me of the one Honda put on the City several years back. What is really messing with me, however, is the steering.
The steering wheel on the RZ F Sport isn’t a wheel, but rather a yoke like you would find on a classic airliner. And it’s not connected to a rack-and-pinion assembly; it’s connected to the wheels via a steer-by-wire system. That makes this the second application of SbW outside of the Tesla Cybertruck, but the application in the Lexus has to be the most polished because they’ve been working on it for a decade.
I’m not going to lie: the RZ’s SbW takes a little bit of getting used to. The shape doesn’t feel right to someone who is used to round or D-shaped steering wheels. The yoke becomes especially unnatural when making a 3-point turn because you don’t have to adjust your grip; you just turn the wheel without hand over hand maneuvers. When making a 90-degree turn, you won’t need to steer as much. It varies the amount it lets the wheels turn depending on speed and input. On the highway, it’s extremely steady. While it has force feedback like a sim race rig, Lexus lets it filter out a lot of the small bumps to keep the car steady; that means much less corrections on bumpy highways or those cobblestone streets all around Europe.
It's really hard to describe how that steering feels; it’s one of those things that you need to feel and experience for yourself. There is another, and it’s what Lexus calls the Interactive Manual Drive. Basically it simulates semi-auto paddleshifting and you access it by pressing a button on the console and pulling small paddles using your left and right index fingers. The reason I say index fingers is the unusual placement and size of the paddles. My co-driver actually ended up spraying the windshield with fluid because of the unusual ergonomics of it, but once you get the hang of the system it feels rather neat.
The shifting -while artificial- gives you the feeling you’re in a performance SUV. The system was even programmed to send a jolt to simulate shift shock at high RPM. Its rather cool, and even comes with an awesome soundtrack that Lexus says was a blend of internal combustion and a natural EV sound. This is perhaps the second time I’ve driven a BEV with something like this (the other was the Ioniq 5 N), and it makes the experience more engaging and more fun.
As I parked back at the hotel overlooking the valley and golf course in the Algarve, I glance back at the new RZ and can’t help but think that Lexus really took all the feedback we all had about the RZ when they first launched it a few years ago. They made it ride better, look better, feel better, go quicker, and drive farther on a full battery. To achieve it, they had to do more than any other manufacturer normally would when it came to a mid-cycle refresh, but they were willing to do it.
Lexus seems to recognize that going electric is a continuous learning experience. Just because you’re an automaker at the top of your game doesn’t mean you’ll get BEV perfect from the start. They like to use Experience Amazing now, but the new RZ is really a testament to the process known as Pursuit of Perfection.
Lexus Philippines will start rolling out the model in our part of the world later this year. From what I understand, the variants won't be exactly the same as the ones we drove in the Algarve, but similar... and possibly even better. And if you're curious: yes, steer-by-wire with the yoke will be available.
Some may wonder why Lexus is going above and beyond with the RZ with SbW, and the reason is it’s a necessary stepping stone into full autonomous technology; something that all automakers are planning for the future. We’ve already got electronic throttle control, brake-by-wire, electronic parking brakes, ADAS, 5G connected cars and more. In preparing for that future, steer-by-wire really is the final frontier to overcome.
Yes, I like Star Trek. The problem, however, is that the learning curve will be steep to us who have been driving for decades. It won't be for everyone, but for those that want something that feels unique and has real benefits to it, try it. As for me and those like me, I'll take another line from Star Trek: If there is to be a brave new world, our generation is going to have the hardest time living in it.
