Lexus has spent years building a plug-in hybrid argument while rivals raced toward fully electric lineups. The 2027 Lexus TZ is the brand’s answer to the question of whether luxury, a third row, and a zero-emissions powertrain can share the same vehicle without one of them coming up short.
The TZ is Lexus’s first all-electric three-row SUV, and it arrives into a segment that has grown quickly around it. The Volvo EX90, Hyundai Ioniq 9, and Kia EV9 have already established buyer expectations for what a premium three-row EV should deliver. Lexus is entering later, which means it needs to bring something specific rather than just checking boxes.
Two battery sizes give buyers a choice at the foundation. The smaller pack carries 76.96 kWh; the larger runs 95.82 kWh. Both use lithium-ion chemistry and feed a DIRECT4 all-wheel-drive system with dual electric motors producing a combined 402 hp. Zero to 100 km/h takes 5.4 seconds. Lexus targets up to 300 miles of driving range, with 150 kW DC fast charging capability to support longer trips. Each motor is rated at 224 hp individually, paired with a torque figure of 268.6 Nm each.
The DIRECT4 AWD system does more than just distribute torque. Torque ratios shift continuously depending on what the driver is asking for: from 60:40 front-to-rear during normal acceleration, to 0:100 under hard cornering demands. A dedicated REAR COMFORT drive mode coordinates Dynamic Rear Steering, brake force distribution, and drive force balance simultaneously, specifically to reduce cabin pitch and lateral motion for rear passengers. That is a detail aimed squarely at families who care about what the third row actually feels like on a highway on-ramp.
Dynamic Rear Steering steers the rear wheels up to 4 degrees in coordination with the front axle. At low speeds, it tightens the turning radius; at higher speeds, it adds stability. Combined with the TNGA platform’s reinforced body structure, which uses high-rigidity adhesives, laser screw welding, and lightweight aluminum components, the TZ is engineered to feel taut without transmitting that stiffness into the cabin. Five levels of regenerative braking, adjustable through paddle shifters, let the driver dial in coasting behavior up to 0.2 G of deceleration without touching the brake pedal.
Inside, the TZ makes a case for what Lexus means by luxury. Front passenger and second-row seats get power ottomans, a first for a Lexus SUV. Third-row seats use what Lexus describes as sofa-like cushions. A standard panoramic roof uses a wire-driven sunshade mechanism designed to preserve headroom, which matters for a three-row vehicle where the rearmost passengers are often the most compromised. Standard ambient LED illumination cycles through six Japanese-inspired themes. The interior incorporates hand-crafted Shikoku Island Forged Bamboo as a material highlight, connecting the cabin’s eco-sensitive positioning to its material choices rather than leaving the environmental argument entirely to the powertrain.
Drive modes include NORMAL, SPORT, ECO, RANGE, and REAR COMFORT. The spread suggests Lexus expects TZ buyers to use the vehicle differently depending on the day, and designed the software accordingly rather than forcing a single compromise setting.
The TZ is expected to go on sale in North America near the end of 2026. Lexus has held the base price at the $60,000 figure disclosed at the initial reveal, keeping the TZ priced directly against the Ioniq 9 and EV9 while undercutting the R1S. The Ioniq 9, EX90, and EV9 have already shown that buyers will spend on a three-row electric SUV when the cabin justifies it. Lexus’s argument is that its version of that justification involves bamboo trim, power ottomans, and a drivetrain calibrated around passenger serenity as much as outright performance. Whether the cabin execution matches the engineering ambition is a test-drive question. The specs, at least, are competitive.
2027 Lexus TZ Photo Gallery
Source: Lexus. Images courtesy of Lexus.
