A 2027 Lexus TZ rolled through Toronto this week with cameras in tow, giving the public its first unfiltered look at Lexus’s first three-row electric SUV. The production crew used a Tesla Model S as the chase car, an ironic pairing that drew more comments than the camouflage-free prototype itself. The TZ is not a rebadged TX. The TX remains Lexus’s gas and hybrid family hauler. The TZ is a dedicated battery-electric model built on Toyota’s e-TNGA architecture, sharing underpinnings with the new electric Highlander while wearing a sharper Lexus face, a lounge-like cabin, and standard DIRECT4 all-wheel drive.
Two lithium-ion packs are offered: roughly 77 kWh and 96 kWh. Lexus estimates up to 300 miles, or about 480 kilometers, on the larger battery. U.S. models get a NACS port for Tesla Superchargers. Fast charging is quoted at about 35 minutes from 10 to 80 percent. Lexus has already set U.S. pricing. The Premium AWD starts at $64,050 including destination. Premium Touring and Luxury grades climb to $72,050 and $80,550. Canadian pricing has not been announced. On-sale timing is late 2026 into early 2027, which explains the rush to film commercials now. The Toronto shoot is more than street theatre. It signals that production-spec vehicles are already in circulation and that Lexus wants the TZ seen as a quiet, premium alternative to the Kia EV9, Hyundai Ioniq 9, and Volvo EX90. Whether the Tesla chase car was a practical choice or a wink at the charging network, the message is the same: the three-row luxury EV race has a new Lexus entry, and it is almost here.