Lexus quoted 402 horsepower when it pulled the sheet off the TZ electric three-row SUV. Now, with order books about to open, that number has quietly shrunk to 308.
The 2027 TZ450e Premium, starting at $64,050, will be the first model to reach U.S. showrooms late this year. Its dual-motor powertrain and 77-kWh battery promise 253 miles of range. Respectable numbers, but a long way from the output Lexus trumpeted at the vehicle’s debut.
Want the full 402 horses? You’ll need the top-shelf Luxury trim at $80,550, and even then, the power isn’t standard. Lexus is calling it a “Performance Upgrade” that gets activated at the dealership. So the headlining spec from the original reveal is now a dealer-unlocked option on the most expensive version.
That’s a curious way to deliver on a promise.
The mid-range TZ450e Premium Touring lands early next year at $72,050. It swaps in a 96-kWh battery for a 315-mile range estimate, the best in the lineup. The Luxury trim, despite costing the most, manages only 279 miles because it rides on 22-inch wheels.
Fashion costs kilowatt-hours, apparently.
Lexus is also beating its corporate siblings to market. The Toyota Highlander EV and Subaru Getaway, which share the same three-row electric platform, have both slipped to 2027 arrivals as 2028 model-year vehicles. That gives the TZ a window to establish itself before cheaper alternatives from within its own family show up.
Pricing puts the TZ in an awkward middle ground. At $64,050 to start, it sits only a few thousand dollars above the Kia EV9 and Hyundai Ioniq 9, both of which open just above $60,000 and have proven themselves in the market. The Korean competitors offer genuine three-row space, competitive range, and established charging networks. Lexus will need more than a badge to justify the gap.
Against actual luxury rivals, the math looks different. The Cadillac Vistiq and Volvo EX90 start in the high $70,000 range and climb steeply from there. A loaded TZ450e Luxury at $80,550 undercuts both when they’re optioned up.
But the horsepower revision nags. Automakers adjust specs between reveal and production all the time, usually by small margins. A 23 percent drop is not small. It raises fair questions about what else might shift before the first customers take delivery.
Range estimates are EPA-pending. Trim content could change. The Performance Upgrade’s price hasn’t been disclosed.
Lexus has also leaned into its synthetic sound technology, offering the TZ a simulated exhaust note modeled after the LFA’s V-10. It’s a party trick, not a powertrain, and it won’t distract serious buyers from the spec sheet.
The configurator is live, so prospective buyers can start pricing out options. The real test comes when the first TZ450e Premium units hit dealer lots later this year. Customers will discover whether 308 horsepower in a three-row electric SUV feels like enough or like something was left on the table.
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