Lexus TZ three-row electric SUV confirmed for Australia in 2027, with Melbourne Cup Carnival debut

Confirmation and Melbourne Cup Carnival debut

Lexus Australia has confirmed the all-new TZ, the brand's first three-row battery-electric SUV, will arrive in local showrooms in 2027, ending months of uncertainty about the model's Australian availability. The announcement was reported by GoAuto on 9 October 2026, which noted the TZ had previously only been under consideration for the local market. ²

Chasing Cars reported the TZ will make its first local public appearance at next month's Melbourne Cup Carnival before the 2027 launch. GoAuto details that it will be displayed at the Landmark by Lexus pavilion in Flemington's Birdcage Enclosure alongside the limited-edition RZ 600e F Sport Performance, of which just nine examples are allocated to Australia for arrival later this year. ¹²

Lexus Australia chief executive Jack Hobbs said in a statement reported by GoAuto that the introduction of the TZ, alongside the company's growing battery-electric range, demonstrated the brand's commitment to broadening its electrified portfolio. "One expands luxury through space and versatility; the other pushes the boundaries of thrilling performance," he said of the TZ and RZ 600e pairing. "Together, they signal a new dawn for Lexus." ²

Prototype specifications and range figures

Lexus Australia published prototype values in May, as reported by Chasing Cars: a 95.8kWh battery with a 167kW/269Nm electric motor at each axle, for combined maximum power of 300kW. WLTP range is quoted at 620km on 20-inch wheels, falling to 530km on the 22-inch wheels. AC charging caps out at 22kW, while DC charging is accepted at at least 150kW, on paper meaning a 10 to 80 per cent charge should take 35 minutes. Australian specifications will be locked in closer to launch, and it is understood a smaller 77kWh battery is also offered in Japan. ¹

GoAuto adds that the claimed 0-100km/h time is 5.4 seconds, the TZ weighs approximately 2630kg, and luggage capacity ranges from 290 litres with all seats occupied to 2017 litres with the rear seating folded. These figures carry prototype or claimed qualifications and remain subject to final local confirmation. ²

The US-market TZ differs from the Australian prototype values. CarExpert reports the US TZ offers 76.96kWh or 95.82kWh batteries, with EPA range of 407km for the smaller pack and between 449km and 507km for the larger, and quotes total system outputs of 230kW and 445Nm with 0-60mph (0-96km/h) in 6.2 to 6.5 seconds depending on variant. WardsAuto separately reports two battery options and an estimated range of up to 300 miles for the US model. These US figures should not be conflated with the local prototype values. ³⁴

Dimensions, platform and related models

The TZ measures 5100mm long, 1990mm wide and 1705mm high on a 3050mm wheelbase, with seating for seven across three rows. Chasing Cars describes it as heavily based on the next-generation Toyota Kluger (the electric Kluger successor is not yet in Australia), and notes it is slightly longer and wider, but not taller, than the Volvo EX90. It is built in Japan rather than the USA, which as a right-hand-drive source market likely made the TZ easier for Lexus Australia to secure. ¹²

CarExpert reports the TZ shares its TNGA platform, 3050mm wheelbase and battery options with the upcoming Toyota Highlander EV and Subaru Getaway, and is the longest body of that trio. WardsAuto, reporting from the global unveiling in May 2026, notes the TZ rides on the Toyota New Global Architecture platform with MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension tuned for 20-inch or 22-inch wheels. US models get a North American Charging Standard port, which is not applicable to the Australian car. ³⁴

GoAuto traces the nameplate back to 2023, when trademark applications for the TZ 450e and TZ 550e were first uncovered, ahead of the production model's global debut in May 2026. ²

Cabin, driving features and safety technology

Lexus has developed the TZ around its Driving Lounge concept. Chasing Cars notes full-size captain's chairs for the second row, extensive work on interior quietness and bamboo veneer surfaces. WardsAuto quotes Toyota Chief Branding Officer Simon Humphries calling it "one of the quietest, if not the quietest, SUV cabins in the world", a manufacturer claim, and details a panoramic glass roof with a wire-driven power sunshade that preserves headroom for third-row passengers. ¹⁴

CarExpert lists ventilated front passenger and second-row captain's chairs with power-adjustable ottomans claimed as a first for a Lexus SUV, a 14-inch touchscreen, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, optional 21-speaker Mark Levinson audio, and sustainable materials including forged Shikoku bamboo, bio-based UltraSuede and recycled aluminium. Chasing Cars separately reports an Interactive Manual Drive, an artificial transmission intended to restore driver engagement. ³¹

On dynamics, CarExpert reports the DIRECT4 all-wheel drive system and an available four-wheel steering system that is a first for a Toyota electric vehicle, plus a Rear Comfort mode that coordinates Dynamic Rear Steering, brake force optimisation and drive force distribution to minimise pitching and lateral motion. WardsAuto details the rear wheels turning up to 4 degrees and Lexus Safety System+ 4.0 as standard, including Intersection Turn Assist, Full-Speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control and Lane Change Assist. A towing capacity of up to 3500 pounds (1587kg) is quoted by CarExpert and WardsAuto for the US model. ³⁴

Pricing picture and competition

Australian pricing, model grades and final equipment levels remain unconfirmed, with Lexus expected to provide details closer to the 2027 introduction, as reported by GoAuto. Chasing Cars expects the TZ will need to be priced within striking distance of the Volvo EX90's $106,990 starting price before on-roads, and points to the Kia EV9 from $97,155 before on-roads and the related Hyundai Ioniq 9 at $119,668 before on-roads as alternatives. CarExpert separately cites the Cadillac Vistiq at $116,000 plus on-roads as another rival, alongside the EX90. ²¹³

GoAuto notes the TZ will give Lexus a battery-electric option for families needing more than the five-seat capacity of the existing RZ. For context, CarExpert reports Lexus Australia cut the RZ's starting price by $36,559 to $84,500 before on-road costs earlier this year amid slow sales for that SUV. ²³