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This electric crossover from Lexus is luxurious alright, but it's so meanderingly average everywhere else 2024 Lexus RZ 300e review by The Road Beat Words and pictures: Mitchell Weitzman Lexus, a longtime purveyor of hybrid vehicles in their lineup, has been quite late to the world of purely electric vehicles. This is also true of Toyota, the parent company of their premium Lexus brand. I previously tested the headlining RZ 450e last year, and this slightly more affordable version both improves and retreats in several areas. Unfortunately, the improvements still make this a lame duck for when choosing a brand new electric vehicle, and unless you can score one with some great rebates or lease promotion, I would steer clear and choose the plug of another EV-maker. See also: 2023 Lexus RZ 450e review What has been worth keeping is the star quality of the RZ's cabin. Featuring rich suede and all sorts of soft materials and exhibiting no rattles to be found nor heard, the RZ is a proper luxury car. And while the design flare isn't nearly as high as the eye candy that Genesis bestows upon their GV60 EV, the Lexus does give the impression of a higher tactile quality on many important touch points. The seats are great, too, and passengers in the rear have adequate leg room to not warrant complaint. Lexus consistently does nice and secure cabins, and the RZ holds up that strong standard. Well-equipped is an additional plus point that pairs with the nicely furnished interior, but also, what new cars aren't well-equipped these days? What used to be a strong suite of Toyota and Lexus cars, others have simply replicated, and often for less. Still, all the modern amenities and safety items are all present here, and the large center screen is easy enough to learn and use on the daily. With less power than the 450e model, range increases to a real world 200 miles on this model. And also unlike the quicker 450e, I didn't see alarming drops in estimated range from simply turning on the cabin fans or air conditioning. Weirdly, the new and slower 300e has a larger battery pack, now rated at 72.5 kWh (verse just 62.5 on the former MY23 450e), thus helping contribute to the increased driving range. In 2024, being to travel at least 200 miles between charges should be the bare minimum, and even then I would (and many others) wish for anything extra to make daily driving and any kind of trips less of a worry and hassle. Worth mentioning is that this 300e version is front-wheel drive, unlike the all-wheel drive of the faster RZ 450e. Over $60,000 for a front-wheel drive vehicle might sound strange, and I would agree to say it's not fitting of a luxury car at this retail price, but due to the apparent lack of power, you would rarely ever notice the burden placed solely on the front axle. Horsepower is a paltry 201, and while the instant response of electric motors make it perfectly adequate in urban environments, the passing performance at freeway speeds is terrible, and it's here where 201 horsepower in a heavy electric vehicle is all the more unacceptable with this steep of a price tag. 0-60 MPH might happen in as little as 7.2 seconds, but after 60 MPH, the Lexus falls off a cliff with worryingly waning acceleration. It's at this point where the 200 miles just isn't enough still given the relative lack of power and front-wheel drive drivetrain. Hyundai's and other cheaper EVs often pack 100 or more AWD horsepower while offering 10-25% extra range, so the 200 miles is frankly disappointing. Also worthy of head shaking is how mundane and boring the RZ 300e is to drive. Other electric cars can be very fun to drive, but the RZ 300e does not possess any resemblance of the word fun in its vocabulary. The RZ 450e may have 50% extra horsepower, but it too suffers from the same lack of enthusiasm, as if the engineers behind the RZ (and the Toyota bZ4X on which it's based) do not understand passion nor have desire to embrace passion and what can make a car joyous to drive. At least it's quiet and the ride quality is decent, but turning the wheel reveals no such hidden talents. With the RZ 300e, taking the 'long way home' simply is just a waste of time due to the slow and delayed reflexes and dead steering. To keep things short, I see little to no reason to consider any kind of Lexus RZ given the price premium they command over other EVs that perform admirably better, can be driven farther, and can even charge far quicker (350 KW fast charging vs only 100-150KW on the RZ twins). Yeah it's luxurious on the inside, but why not save thousands and go for the 30+ MPG Lexus NX 350h instead? That's just as nice when it comes to quality, gets fabulous gas mileage, and it can be quite cheaper. Moreover, Hyundai's ever-popular Ioniq 5 can be fully-loaded with 320 horsepower and AWD for considerably less (though less interior flair), and then the ubiquitous, but great Tesla Model 3 or Y would also be superior choices for the same obvious reasons. Unless you can get some screaming deal on one (Toyota's bZ4X was offered with a $16,250 in lease cash rebates at one point, which points to both how desperate Toyota is to move them), I'd readily avoid the RZ 300e and any current EV offering from Lexus. They're sadly an entire generation behind, and the RZ is (barely) living proof, clinging on to life support so suddenly following its release. 2024 Lexus RZ 300e As-tested price: $63,390 Pros: Typically solid Lexus luxury and build Cons: Weak performance; so-so range; too expensive; Lots of alternative EVs 2024 Lexus RZ 300e review and photos. Images by Mitchellweitzmanphoto.com .

Throwing some eye candy at a basic RAV4 could be a recipe for success 2024 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Woodland Edition review with The Road Beat Words and pictures by Mitchell Weitzman What does Woodland mean to you? For me, it's the 60,000 person town northwest of Sacramento that is ironically absent of trees and anything resembling a 'woodland.' Most will imagine a thickened green forest, so it's appropriate that this new RAV4 Hybrid Woodland Edition was equipped with a rather fitting coat of Army Green paint to blend in. I recently tested a Sienna 'Woodland' that came in Cement, the exact antithesis to a woodland. Perhaps that one was more akin to the eponymous Northern California town, but at least this one actually evokes imagery of an actual woodland. For Toyota, the Woodland Edition is a bit of a value-added package designed to make the lower-tier models more appealing and desirable. With a suggested retail price of $36,545, this green aspiration sits right in the middle of the two extremes when it comes to RAV4 pricing. Normally you'd have to size up to an SE or XSE at least to gain some visual stimulation for this popular crossover, but the Woodland Edition does convincingly spice things up with its green paint option and glowing bronze wheels wrapped in capable tread-laden tires. Other desirable features include LED headlights, all-wheel drive, all-weather floor mats for those woodland-themed adventures, Toyota's smart key proximity-sensing keyless entry, and what Toyota calls TRD-tuned suspension. All the normal Toyota safety items are included as on all models as is convenient wireless Apple CarPlay. However, one huge omission is a leather-wrapped steering wheel. Instead, we're treated to Toyota's poverty-class wheel which is among the nastiest in any new car today. It honestly feels like it's made of rough cardboard, and with a large visible seem where the plastic is fused together around the outer rim. An awful steering wheel that's highly unpleasant, and unfortunately it's the one item you literally can't avoid touching when driving this RAV4. I actually forgot how bad the basic Toyota steering wheels were and I regret I had to be reminded. Previously tested RAV4s all were well-optioned models that included leather steering wheels. The rest of the Woodland Edition is pretty consistent with the rest of the RAV4 Hybrid range. Gas mileage is excellent as expected, sipping fuel to the tune of 34 MPG. Despite fabric seats, it's a comfortable car for long periods of time and has generous space in all seats and an impressive cargo volume. It's even reasonably quiet inside at speed. This is far from a luxurious interior, and nor would I expect it to be for the price, but it's quite utilitarian and robust without any rattles even on rough roads. In other words, it's a solid build, if a bit uninspired and dated. On the road, the RAV4 Hybrid Woodland Edition drives just fine with smooth everyday operation. Steering might be numb (and that ghastly wheel), but it's at least accurate, responding surprisingly well to inputs and can easily be hustled down country roads at an alarming pace which most all new cars are capable of. Grip is okay, and understeer will prevail and upset the electronic driver aids, but for the casual driver, this is a fairly competent crossover. Not quite approaching the dynamics of Mazda or Honda, but it's easily good enough for the larger audience of consumers who will find it an upgrade over past Toyotas. With some aggressive-looking tires and all-wheel drive, you can have increased confidence through mud and snow, but don't go expecting this to replace Jeep Wranglers or even a 4Runner any time soon. Also of note is its 8.1" of ground clearance, which is disappointingly the same as other RAV4 Hybrids and a half-inch less than the RAV4 TRD Off-Road. What becomes the biggest single appeal of the RAV4 Woodland Edition is the appearance, especially configured in this choice of this military-inspired paint and catchy bronze wheels. Some will hate the bronze wheels and call them trendy, but others might enjoy the different look they bring. After that, there's not much else going for the Woodland Edition given its cheaper interior furnishings and terrible steering wheel. The steering wheel alone would be all the reason to want a different model if I'm being completely candid. Seriously, if the wheel was better this would be a decent value-added package, but it's that bad to use; I'm tempted to lather it in coconut oil because of how dehydrated the surface feels. It's nice Toyota is trying different things and spicing up some more entry-level trims, but it's not enough to substitute for either another brand or simply a nicer RAV4 Hybrid. Price as-tested: $36,545 Pros: Eye-catching paint and wheels, MPG Cons: Terrible steering wheel, Not really an off-roader

Objectively improved in every imaginable metric, the new Land Cruiser left me cold. 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser review by The Road Beat Words and pictures: Mitchell Weitzman With so much weight on its shoulders, the new Land Cruiser is almost destined to be a disappointment. Serving a long tenure as Toyota's flagship vehicle in the United States (the ultra-luxury Century limo in Japan is the true flagship, the vehicle of choice for politicians and yakuza ), this new edition has gone down-market to appeal to an increasingly mainstream audience. And it's here where the Land Cruiser makes its first mistake, because despite the striking and pupil-grabbing retro exterior, there is nothing special about this new Land Cruiser. To be fair, there was never anything special about the outgoing Land Cruiser, which, as recently as a couple years ago, was selling brand new for nearly $90,000 and had the basic interior of a pumped-up 4Runner (in other words, the interior sucked for the money). At that price, the vehicle offered was quite frankly was a gargantuan ripoff. But, it was at least hilariously and legendarily durable, known to run and run with the only limitation to your destination being the human behind the wheel, which greatly depends on their ego and potential dumb ideas. For example, if you were stuck in the middle of the Sahara Desert, a Land Cruiser might be the most desirable car in the world in that moment for how trustworthy and capable enough one is. Apart from the toughness, the rest of the former Land Cruiser was a grossly overpriced turkey, so in that respect, the new Land Cruiser doesn't have much to do in order to improve. Let's let the past die, though, because this new Land Cruiser has nothing related to the old model in anything but name. However, this Land Cruiser is more of a Land Cruiser than its American-market forebears for the fact this new one is based on the Land Cruiser Prado (what previously has been sold in rest-of-world markets), which itself is derived from the smaller 4Runner platform. Shrunken down to a more approachable footprint, swap out the venerable V8 for a modern turbocharged four-cylinder with hybrid assist, add neo-vintage styling, and we have the new Land Cruiser. And wow is that styling rather wonderful. Wonderful doesn't last long, though, because despite the internet's pretentious hype for this vehicle, I did not gel with my tester. Even with a vast array of clever off-road technological wizardry and drive modes to conquer your intended terrain, it's a fact that most Land Cruisers will never leave the pavement, except for maybe a dirt or gravel parking lot/driveway. A dominating detriment includes the supposedly clever hybrid powertrain. Downsizing is supposed to be all the rage, at least as the manufacturers will make you believe you, but this tiny little four-cylinder averaged, wait for it, under 18 MPG during my week of daily driving on a variety of roads. 18?? That's actually laughable, because while the window sticker displays a combined 25, don't believe that fantasy for even a second. To put into perspective how terrible that economy figure really is, the last Sequoia I tested, which is a vastly larger SUV with an accordingly vastly larger twin-turbo V6 hybrid, averaged the exact same MPG. Where performance is concerned, it never feels quick either despite the 326 combined horsepower and whopping 465 pounds of torque, only translating to a steady 0-60 MPH time of 7.5 seconds. Land Cruisers aren't about speed, but I would have hoped for more poke in passing situations upon seeing the silly i-FORCE MAX engine badge emblazoned on the back, though it's perfectly serviceable around town and in normal driving and accelerating, as any new car of the last ten years has also been. The engine is luckily mostly smooth and without the crass coarseness of previous Toyota four-cylinders, but this new hybrid setup is severely disappointing because of the wretched fuel mileage. Like, what is the point of a hybrid four-cylinder if it drinks this much fuel?. Oh, and on the outside, it's loud at idle, with lots of clicks and clacks that sound like your new car has an exhaust leak or noisy lifters. This mid-range model has a nice interior for a Toyota, but not for a $70,000 vehicle. The soft materials on the doors and seats in a rich brown color can fool you into thinking it's nicer than it is, but the seats are also quite flat and unaccommodating for longer drives, and there are lots of cheap feeling and oddly placed controls. The row of buttons for the air conditioning can creak and you can see the whole arrangement bend and move if you aren't gentle on them. Further, the volume knob is placed in a position where a passenger cannot reach it, and such that the steering wheel even blocks it from driver's view. Did they forget about putting a volume knob and just slabbed it on somewhere? It looks like such an afterthought. Forgoing the usual rugged build quality, the doors don't open and close with the same bank-vault security that the old Land Cruiser demonstrated, with these new items sounding hollow and tinny, the sign of a vehicle's cheaper construction. And with a hybrid setup impeding space in the rear, the floor of the cargo area arrears is high, limiting volume and your storage capabilities. Road noise from below is low, but don't discount the rushing wind noise, with those large mirrors likely attributing to the vortex that hits the boxy windshield and side windows. Driving with the windows down above 40 MPH is also ruined by the mirrors, with wind volumes reaching too high for my own comfort at even moderate speeds. Adding to the disappointment on the inside, the air conditioning was curiously weak for a brand new car (even during a 30 minute drive at night with ambient temperatures comfortably in the 80s), and the front seat warmers were basically not even there. In light of it being summer, there was a particularly cool couple of evenings where a friend turned the seat warmer on the highest setting and proclaimed they couldn't feel it. I tried it myself and only could detect the faintest warmth from below. On another drive on a warmer afternoon, I turned the seat warmer on for my friend without them realizing it. Upon arrival 15 minutes later, I asked if they knew the seat warmer was on and they had no idea. So, weaker air conditioning (something I've noticed in a couple other new Toyotas), and probably the worst/weakest seat warmers I've ever tried. What else? The gauge cluster cannot be seen by passengers during daytime, as if it has a privacy filter on it like you see on smartphones. The cluster is also the typical new-Toyota-mess of excessive icons and with menus that are difficult to learn and scroll through (all the safety setting have to be adjusted here and cannot be done through the main center display - dumb). And this particular Land Cruiser had a malfunctioning automatic day/night setting for the main screen. Like all other new cars (and you can set this on phones and computers), the display is supposed to change from bright white day mode to a nighttime and eye-friendly dark mode on its own when the sun sets. I had this setting marked on, and with the correct time and zone automatically set, and it never worked once, blinding me upon starting the car at night with its piercing white screen at max brightness. Toyotas in the past will momentarily flash white before changing to dark (which it still shouldn't do), but this one never changed automatically as designed (I checked the settings multiple times, yes). The solution was manually changing it to a permanent dark mode during my testing. This makes it all the more disappointing when you consider the Land Cruiser does drive quite nice and better than I would have expected. The steering is accurate and makes controlling this rolling box easy on the road, and the handling isn't half-bad either when you throw it into corners, with some semblance of balance being demonstrated. That's all relative of course, because grip levels from the tires are low, but this is easily a more capable car in corners than any previous 4Runner or Land Cruiser when you turn the steering wheel. Ride quality is well-judged over a variety of road surfaces, too, not ever demonstrating the over-stiffened jiggly-ness of past Toyota SUVs and trucks. I didn't get a chance to take it on any challenging terrain to test the quotable departure angles and suspension articulation, but all that technical goodness and terrain controls can't make up for a ground clearance of only 8.7 inches. That's less than a current 4Runner, significantly less than a Tacoma TRD Off-Road pickup, and not even an inch more than an everyday Highlander. So without lifting one or fitting bigger tires, you're going to have to be very mindful about off-roading a Land Cruiser to ensure you're not scraping or bottoming out. In real world use and application, not amount of articulation can make up for the fact that the Land Cruiser won't be able to clear unassuming rocks and other obstacles. And it really begs the question of what's all the point of this technology and fancy suspension if you're limited by modest clearance? For a vehicle that is a centerpiece pride of the Overlanding community, the new Land Cruiser might disappoint fresh out of the showroom and also betrays its pared-down simple approach of being back-to-its-roots or more of an off-roader for everyone. The true off-roaders might best be served with a 4Runner TRD Pro for less money. Will the Land Cruiser will be good off-road? Sure. But is it that good? It's not going to do anything better (it'll actually be worse) than less expensive SUVs, but at least it'll do what it can in some degree of comfort and with electronic ease from all the controls inside. I really wanted to like the new Land Cruiser because of how much eyeball it possesses, drawing looks for many and garnering highly positive comments from friends. But the engine lacks sorely, the interior could be better still, and the off-roading ability will be less than other current (and less expensive) Toyotas. It comes across then mostly as a fashion statement piece, and that will likely be the reason for many buying them. And that's fine; Looks are that important to some, and most Mercedes G-Wagons never see a drop of dirt. For me, though, it's less that I didn't like the Land Cruiser and more that I was disappointed. I hoped for more, I wanted to believe the hype, but the Kool Aid doesn't taste that good in reality. By aiming the Land Cruiser as mainstream and approachable, the appeal has decreased as well, and so has the desirability. At least the past Land Cruiser was a rare and unique offering produced in low volumes, making it somewhat special, but this new edition is just another Toyota now. For a more 'proper' Land Cruiser experience, you should consider the Lexus GX instead, which looks the same, has a more luxurious interior, and ditches that four-cylinder tragedy for a twin-turbo V6. The review for that model will come hopefully soon. 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser As-tested price: $70,029 Pros: Excellent exterior styling; Electronic off-road tools Cons: Thirsty four-cylinder; Expensive; Limited by ground clearance 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser review and photos by Mitchell Weitzman and The Road Beat.

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