Lexus RZ gets steer-by-wire and ‘manual’ transmission for 2025
Lexus will finally launch its steer-by-wire system on the RZ SUV this year as part of a series of updates to its first EV.
The all-electric RZ will also get a sportier new range-topper featuring a simulating manual transmission, as well as a bigger battery and faster charging.
The premium brand first announced plans for the steer-by-wire system when the RZ launched in 2023. However, refining the system so it was road-ready appears to have taken longer than expected and Lexus now says it will make its production debut on the updated RZ later this year.
The system removes any physical link between the steering wheel and the front axle, instead using an electronic system to transmit steering input from the wheel to the rack. The speed-sensitive system has a lock-to-lock range of just 200 degrees and adjusts the steering ratio according to the situation, which Lexus says gives a precise blend of agility and stability at higher speeds and easier manoeuvrability at lower speeds.
The system also uses a two-winged yoke in place of a normal steering wheel, which Lexus claims helps focus attention on the road ahead as well as freeing up knee room.
Steer-by-wire with the yoke will be optional on higher grades of the Lexus RZ and standard on the new performance-focused RZ550e F Sport.
This range-topping specification uses the most powerful of three motor options for the RZ, delivering 402bhp via a two-motor, all-wheel-drive setup labelled Direct4. No performance figures have been revealed, but we’d bet on a sub-five-second 0-62mph run. To back up the extra power, the dampers and springs have been specially tuned and a range of aero enhancements including new bumpers and a two-segment rear spoiler aim to improve air flow over the car.
The RZ550e F SPort will also introduce Interactive Manual Drive. The Lexus equivalent of Hyundai’s e-Shift, this replicates an eight-speed paddle-shift gearbox using the braking regen paddles. Using a combination of piped-in sound, torque management and an artificial ‘rev limiter’ it aims to create a more engaging driving experience.
Beneath the RZ550e F Sport, the rest of the RZ also benefits from new motors and batteries that improve power and range. The front-wheel-drive RZ300 gets a 20bhp boost to 221bhp and is rebadged RZ350e. Above that the RZ500 offers 376bhp from its two motors – a 67bhp increase over the old RZ450e.
All versions get a new 77kWh battery which adds up to 60 miles of range, extending it to more than 300 miles in the most efficient model. They also come with battery pre-conditioning to help cut charging times and water cooling to aid high-power performance.
The updated Lexus RZ will arrive in the UK in the first quarter of 2026, and will be one of three Lexus EVs launched before the end of the year.
Details of those other models are still under wraps but Lexus bosses have confirmed that one of them will be an all-new electric version of an existing core model.
