- The 2027 Lexus TZ has customary all-wheel drive.
- Clients can select from two lithium-ion battery choices: 76.96 kWh and 95.82 kWh.
- It is a six-seater electrical SUV with ventilated seats for the primary two rows.
Toyota has been criticized for its gradual EV rollout, however the firm has been making amends over the previous couple of years. The most recent entry wears a Lexus badge and carries a contemporary title: TZ. Primarily an upscale model of the electrical Highlander, it is the primary three-row electrical SUV from Toyota’s luxurious model. Nevertheless, it’s greater than only a rebadged mannequin, as lots of the physique panels are distinctive.
At 200.8 inches lengthy, the six-seat Lexus TZ is roughly the identical dimension because the gas-powered LX however rides on a for much longer wheelbase. Revisions to the TNGA platform allowed engineers to push the wheels farther outward, releasing up 120.1 inches between the axles. That’s almost 8 inches greater than the conventionally powered SUV. Though it shares its wheelbase and width (78.3 inches) with the Highlander, the TZ is 2 inches longer general and sits 0.2 inches decrease, at 67.1 inches tall.
Whereas Toyota plans to promote the electrical Highlander with front-wheel drive in the US, Lexus will supply the TZ completely with a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive setup. Consumers can select between 76.96-kWh and 95.82-kWh batteries, with as much as 300 miles of vary. As is at all times the case with EVs, wheel selection will straight impression effectivity. The TZ will probably be accessible with both 20- or 22-inch alloy wheels wrapped in low-rolling-resistance tires.
Picture by: Lexus
Key Specs: 300 Miles, 402 Horsepower
Though it’s a boxy SUV, the brand new TZ achieves a comparatively low drag coefficient of 0.27, due to flush door handles and redesigned aspect mirrors optimized for aerodynamic effectivity. Lexus even fitted underbody fins to assist maximize vary, though it’s value noting the 300-mile determine stays an estimate somewhat than an EPA-certified score.
Though Lexus USA has but to reveal energy figures, the worldwide division lists 402 horsepower for the range-topping model. That represents a 64-hp improve over the dual-motor Highlander, however Lexus says the determine is preliminary and the ultimate quantity might range by market. Despite the fact that the global-spec TZ weighs 5,798 kilos (2,630 kilograms), it nonetheless wants simply 5.4 seconds to dash from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h).
The 2027 Lexus TZ Has A Posh Inside
Very similar to the outside isn’t merely a Highlander sporting a Lexus badge, the cabin has additionally obtained substantial adjustments. Some photographs present an enormous touchscreen extending to the passenger aspect of the dashboard, although it’s too early to say whether or not it will likely be accessible in all markets. What we do know is that the TZ is the primary Lexus to supply air flow and energy ottomans for the primary two rows, whereas third-row passengers seem to profit from beneficiant legroom due to the prolonged wheelbase.
Different highlights embody the world’s longest sliding panoramic roof (with an electrical sunshade), one-touch folding for the second and third rows, and a 21-speaker Mark Levinson audio system. Lexus even makes use of cast bamboo trim to raise the cabin past what the Highlander gives. In North America, the TZ comes geared up with a NACS charging port, permitting a 10-to-80-percent cost in about 35 minutes at as much as 150 kW.
Touted because the quietest SUV within the firm’s lineup, the TZ can nonetheless scream prefer it has a naturally aspirated V10 beneath the hood. Throughout the mannequin’s official presentation, we heard the Lexus LFA’s soundtrack, and it wasn’t merely for present. Toyota Chief Branding Officer Simon Humphries mentioned the sound will probably be “accessible on demand.”
The 2027 TZ will go on sale in the US by the top of this 12 months, with full specs and pricing particulars to be introduced nearer to launch.
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Supply: Lexus
Motor1’s Take: The EV market could also be cooling down in the US, however we wouldn’t essentially say the TZ’s launch comes at a foul time. In spite of everything, it will likely be a world mannequin and a stable entry into the three-row luxurious electrical SUV section. In and out, Lexus seems to have put within the effort to correctly distinguish the TZ from its mainstream Highlander sibling.
Nevertheless, it is not going to be simple for Lexus to lure in patrons. The TZ will face stiff competitors from day one, going up towards fashions such because the Volvo EX90, Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV, Cadillac Vistiq, and Rivian R1S.
