Lexus finally reveals prices of the 2027 TZ three-row electric SUV

Toyota Motor Corporation treated the EV gold rush with ice-cold skepticism - we all saw it, and we all had a few things to say about it. Its rivals burned billions delivering half-baked electric cars, but Toyota focused on its multi-powertrain approach - leaning into hybrids, perfecting battery supply chains, and telling the world to calm down. In hindsight, I think Toyota might have understood the market a bit better than anyone else.

But all that corporate patience only buys you so much leeway before buyers demand a proper three-row hauler. In a rather unusual sprint, Lexus is leapfrogging its own stablemates - beating both the Toyota Highlander BEV and the Subaru Getaway to showroom floors - and planting a flag in the heart of the luxury family segment with the 2027 TZ.

The new TZ is not a timid, compact crossover playing dress-up - it is a substantial machine, stretching 200.8 inches from nose to tail with a 120.1 inches wheelbase. It is 78.3 inches wide and stands 67.1 inches tall, matching its rivals pretty much blow for blow. The Hyundai Ioniq 9 casts a near-identical shadow, and the Volvo EX90 is slightly shorter at 198.3 inches long. Thankfully, Lexus designers managed to avoid the fridge-on-wheels silhouette, making the TZ look quite athletic.

There shouldn't be any surprise that the TZ shares its structural bones with the Toyota Highlander EV and Subaru Getaway, but thankfully the new SUV is not the usual badge-engineering exercise. Lexus literally took an angle grinder to conventional platform sharing, and welded in chassis braces and added thick acoustic damping to guarantee the tomb-like cabin serenity long-time brand loyalists love.

Even more telling is the inclusion of standard Dynamic Rear Steering. By actively counter-steering the rear wheels at low speeds, this five-meter land yacht tucks into cramped school-run drop-offs with the agility of a compact hatchback. Combined with finely tuned multi-link suspension, the chassis is dialed in to smother harsh expansion joints and banish the queasy, floaty secondary body roll that ruins so many heavy electric SUVs on bumpy country roads.

The early leaks of the TZ promised a 402-horsepower dual-motor setup. Unfortunately, Lexus confirmed the baseline powertrain was dialed back to 308 horsepower, coupled with an improved DIRECT4 all-wheel drive system. Naturally, 308 ponies sounds weak when family crossovers outpace drag-strip monsters. But in real life, instant dual-motor torque delivery matters more than pub-trivia output numbers. Lexus dialed down the neck-snapping hysterics in favor of creamy throttle response - now you can overtake slow lorries without upsetting your passengers' stomachs.

Lexus decided on a sensible two-tier battery approach tailored to different budgets. The lineup starts with a 76.96 kWh pack that promises an EPA-estimated range of up to 253 miles - enough for daily urban duties, but probably a bit tight for last minute cross-country dash.

The long-legged cruiser is the larger 95.82 kWh pack, which stretches endurance out to 315 miles. That figure falls just a whisper shy of the manufacturer's early 320 miles projection, but it still is competitive for holiday family road trips. But if you go for the flagship Luxury trim, the rolling resistance and unsprung weight of those 22-inch wheels will drag your range down to 279 miles. Modern driver's dilemma: do you prefer the visuals, or would you rather have 36 miles of extra cushion between charging stops?

When you do pull off to plug in, the TZ's charging strategy favors battery preservation - meaning it is slow. DC fast charging peaks at 150 kW, bringing the pack from 10% to 80% in about 35 minutes. Next to the lightning-fast 18-minute sprints of 800V Korean EVs, 150 kW sounds conservative. At least Lexus includes a factory-integrated NACS charging port. Native access to Tesla's sprawling Supercharger network eliminates the greatest problem in modern electric road-tripping. In my book, charger reliability at every motorway stop beats a high-peak kilowatt claim every day of the week.

Right, interior next. Lexus has finally buried the ghost of its infuriating center-console trackpads - the dashboard gets the latest 14-inch Lexus Interface multimedia screen, paired with a digital instrument cluster that can display full-screen navigation maps. You also get dedicated EV Routing and live EV Range Mapping, which calculates elevation gradients, ambient weather, and cabin climate drain to forecast your battery state on arrival with shocking accuracy. Customizable widgets, improved voice assistant, and a 21-speaker Mark Levinson audio setup complete the list.

But where the new TZ really surprises is in the price department. The entry-level TZ 450e Premium AWD lands at $64,050 - with the mandatory $1,550 delivery fee already included. Families wanting genuine cross-country legs will likely go for the TZ 450e Premium Touring AWD for $72,050, with that headline 315 miles range.

At the very top we have the TZ 450e Luxury AWD at $80,550, which adds opulent trimmings, heated and ventilated executive second-row chairs, and leaves room for an optional dealer-unlocked performance reflash to the full 402 horsepower if your pride demands it. That $80,550 is serious cash, but starting the entire range under $65,000 is a proper pricing judo.

If pure seat count on a budget is your objective, then the Hyundai Ioniq 9 comes with a starting price around $60,555. Its mechanical sibling, the Kia EV9, hovers even lower in the mid-fifties. But turn toward the traditional luxury establishment, and the math swings in Lexus's favor. The Volvo EX90 starts at a steep $78,090 before you even look at the options catalog. The Cadillac Vistiq and the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV will happily push your invoice deep into six-figure territory. By sneaking an all-wheel-drive luxury hauler under $65,000, Lexus is undercutting the old guard.

It turns out you don't need silly quarter-mile times or wild falcon doors to build a good electric family cruiser. Real-world ride comfort, tight turning circle, and rock-solid charging access - this is Lexus respecting how families actually travel. Yes, it gave up the horsepower bragging rights, but in exchange it offers poise and usability. You can't call the TZ a bargain Lexus, but a good value? That would be a yes.

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