Lexus TZ Beats Its Toyota and Subaru Siblings to Market, but With the Least Power
Every TZ makes 308 hp, less than the related Highlander and Getaway, but Lexus's three-row EV reaches showrooms first, with up to 315 miles of estimated range.
Lexus has finally put numbers on the powertrain it kept vague at the TZ's May reveal, and its first three-row EV turns out to be the mildest of three closely related SUVs. Every TZ uses the same dual-motor setup rated at 308 hp and 323 lb-ft, according to the official specs InsideEVs reported this week. That is 30 hp less than the all-wheel-drive Toyota Highlander and 112 hp less than the Subaru Getaway, which share its underpinnings.
What the Lexus gets in return is a head start. It is still due on sale in late 2026, while both siblings have slipped into 2027 as 2028 models, a delay we track in our Subaru Getaway guide.
Prices haven't moved since Lexus quietly added them to its TZ press kit on Sept. 14, shortly before the SUV went on display at New York's Armory Show. The Premium costs $64,050, the Premium Touring $72,050, and the Luxury $80,550, all including a $1,550 destination fee.
The base Premium carries the 76.96-kWh battery and a manufacturer-estimated 253 miles of range. The two upper grades switch to a 95.82-kWh pack, and Lexus's TZ model page estimates 315 miles for the Premium Touring. Neither figure is an EPA rating; the agency hasn't published one for the TZ yet.
That split matters because Lexus sold the TZ in May on a 300-mile rating for "select" grades. The Premium Touring clears it by 15 miles. The cheapest TZ falls 47 miles short.
Acceleration is unhurried for a luxury EV: 0–60 mph takes 6.2 seconds, per InsideEVs, and top speed is 112 mph. Buyers who want more can wait for a dealer-installed Performance Upgrade on the Luxury, which Lexus says raises output to 402 hp and cuts 0–60 to 5.2 seconds. It arrives in 2027, and Lexus hasn't priced it.
Same bones, different priorities
The TZ's closest comparison isn't a German rival but the Highlander. Toyota's 2028 Highlander fact sheet quotes 338 hp for all-wheel-drive versions and the same 315-mile estimate for models with the 95.8-kWh battery, with sales expected to begin in early 2027. The Getaway goes the other way, with 420 hp and Subaru's claim of roughly 300 miles.
So Lexus gave up power without gaining range over the Toyota. Its pitch rests elsewhere: a cabin Lexus calls the quietest of any of its SUVs, available rear-wheel steering, and a drive mode tuned to calm the ride for rear passengers.
All three siblings use a NACS port. InsideEVs reported at the reveal that the large-battery TZ tops out at 150 kW on a DC fast charger, with a 10–80% session taking about 35 minutes by Lexus's figures. Towing is rated at up to 3,500 pounds.
Price is the other gap. Neither Toyota nor Subaru has priced its version, and both sit without an MSRP on our list of new EVs arriving in 2027. That makes the $64,050 TZ the only published price on this platform so far.
Several details remain open. There is no EPA rating for any grade yet, no price for the Performance Upgrade, and no firm delivery date for each trim. Once the Highlander and Getaway get price tags, it will be clear how much the Lexus badge adds on the same hardware.
