[Redkoi]

Hi there,

I placed the order before the unveil, on April 6. Went to the dealership in person and placed a $1000 deposit to be on the waiting list, there were already 6 or 7 people on it.

The rep said that they would probably have a demo unit by the end of the year, and then I could decide if I want to purchase the car or not (they won't have any issues selling the car if I back out).

He projected that I would be getting the car by August to October, but nothing is certain, my lease is due in September and they could extend my lease if the car is not ready in time (I currently have an NX Hybrid).

Waiting for the pricing and trim configurations, based on the European information it doesn't look like it will be a cheap car... I'm also on a waiting list for an Audi Q4, which might be a better buy depending on the RZ price.

 

[Redkoi]

Nice to hear from you, Redkoi! My experience is very similar. I was told that we would get ours around December. My dealer was just as laid back and confident as yours when it came to order cancellation.

The Audi Q4 looks great, too! The current context is making us shop so differently… I also have a deposit/pre-order on an Ioniq 5. However, the production date just recently got pushed an additional 6 months towards the second half of 2023!

Hi KeoRS! Yes, this is a very different time for car shopping, I never thought I would have to think about my next car over a year before my lease end. I was actually given a choice to order another model (hybrid or PHEV NX) with no deposit, in case I didn't like the RZ. Interest rates are much higher than 3-4 years ago, and now I'm also considering a Venza Limited - it has almost all the features of an NX, and similar interior comfort, but it's a lot cheaper. No Lexus badge but I can live without it.

What bothers me is that most electric cars have a very cheap interior, you pay almost $70k and it feels like you're in a $35k car. I tested the Volvo C40 which is the best looking electric car currently (in my opinion), but the interior is very basic, lots of hard plastic.

It sucks that the Ioniq 5 dates are getting pushed over. In Europe, I read that the Q4 is also having production issues and delivery is being postponed, even regular cars are being delivered without all the features. Hopefully we'll have more information about the RZ soon, and Lexus won't have too many production issues.

 

[Redkoi]

Are you guys team yoke or traditional steering wheel?

I’d love to try the yoke, it seems to be properly implemented.

 

[Redkoi]

I am worried mostly about the comfort aspect, one review mentioned that they felt strain on the wrists after driving for 2 hours

Didn't read that one, it might be an issue depending on how you grab it. I don't usually drive that much, but it's definitely something to consider!

 

[Redkoi]

Yeah exactly. Production starts in Nov and cars with the yoke will start production April 2023 according to the dealership here

What I read so far is that Toyota is not offering the yoke for North America in the first year of production, but they might change their minds if there's enough demand for it.

 

[Redkoi]

Any ideas about which color to get? Copper, ather (sky blue), silver, grey and black and bi-tone are shown on a number of u-tube reviews

I personally don't like the dual tone scheme, I think it looks good in white (maybe wrap the roof in black to look like the prototype?)

 

[Redkoi]

Nice to hear from you, Redkoi! My experience is very similar. I was told that we would get ours around December. My dealer was just as laid back and confident as yours when it came to order cancellation.

The Audi Q4 looks great, too! The current context is making us shop so differently… I also have a deposit/pre-order on an Ioniq 5. However, the production date just recently got pushed an additional 6 months towards the second half of 2023!

So I went to the dealership yesterday and they told me that the RZ will be initially released only in BC and QC, ON will only get cars probably starting in the summer of 2023. I don't think I can wait that long, especially since I'm 6th on the waiting list, which means I'll probably get it by the end of 2023 or early 2024... Very frustrated with the current market, still waiting to hear from Audi, but I might order an NX hybrid or PHEV instead. KeoRS, you should still be good since you're in QC!

 

[Redkoi]

Uh oh!! Yes, I live in Qc, but the closest dealer is Belair Lexus in Ottawa, ON! Hah! Guess I may be out of luck.

Call them and check the information. I drove the new NX 450h+ (PHEV) and liked it a lot, if you're not set on a pure electric it might be a good option (50+km of electric range, and the ultra premium package is still eligible for the $5k incentive).