BMW iX3 vs Lexus RZ

Range is the clearest gap between them. The rear-drive iX3 40 is rated at 635 km WLTP and the 50 xDrive at 805 km, among the longest-range electric SUVs on sale in Australia. The Lexus RZ claims 460 km WLTP in the 500e grades and 437 km in the heavier 550e F Sport. Real-world range sits below the official figure for both and falls with bigger wheels and higher speeds. If most of your driving is around town the RZ is fine. If you road-trip often, the iX3 clears every RZ grade and then some.

On a DC fast charger the iX3 40 accepts up to 300 kW and the 50 xDrive up to 400 kW. A 10 to 80 per cent top-up takes about 21 minutes at a charger that can deliver it. The Lexus RZ peaks at 150 kW and needs about 28 minutes for the same top-up. Both offer a 22 kW AC charger, which is quick for home and destination charging. In day-to-day use either is fine on a home wallbox overnight. On a long drive the BMW gets you moving again sooner, which is where the gap tells.

Read the two From prices carefully, because they are quoted on different bases. The iX3's figure is drive-away and the RZ's is before on-road costs, so the headline gap overstates the real difference, and on a like-for-like basis the entry cars land closer than they look. Both entry grades duck the luxury car tax threshold for fuel-efficient vehicles, which makes them friendly on a novated lease. The Lexus takes the lower-list-price case and a cheaper service plan. The BMW asks a little more and hands back much more range and far faster charging, which is where the money goes for most EV buyers.

Both score the maximum five stars. The iX3 earned its rating under the tougher 2026 ANCAP criteria, the first model tested to them, with autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a driver attention monitor and automatic high beam standard on both grades. The Lexus RZ's rating dates to 2023 but carries across the 2026 range, with strong published sub-scores of 87 per cent adult occupant and 89 per cent child occupant protection and the full Lexus Safety Sense+ suite standard. Neither is the compromise choice here, and both are among the safest electric SUVs you can buy.

The iX3 drives like a BMW, which is rare among heavy electric SUVs. The rear-drive 40 makes 235 kW and 500 Nm, and the dual-motor 50 xDrive lifts that to 345 kW and 645 Nm, with body control and steering reviewers rate highly. The Lexus RZ is quick too, with 280 kW in the 500e and 300 kW in the 550e F Sport through all-wheel drive, but it is tuned for refinement over engagement. The F Sport's steer-by-wire yoke is a talking point more than a reason to buy. For driving feel the BMW leads. For serene, quiet progress the Lexus answers.

The iX3's headline is Panoramic Vision, a display running the full width of the windscreen, with a head-up display, 360-degree camera and wireless charging standard on both grades. The cabin is a clear step up in design for BMW. The Lexus RZ answers with Takumi-grade materials and the serenity AU reviews highlighted, a large central touchscreen, and Mark Levinson audio on the upper grades, though its head-up display arrives only from the 500e Sports Luxury up. If you want the most tech for your entry dollar, the BMW gives more away. If you want the cabin reviewers rated calmer and plusher, the Lexus takes it.

These two are closely matched on practicality. The iX3 measures 4782 mm long to the RZ's 4805 mm, both seat five, and their boots are a dead heat at 520 and 522 litres. Fold the iX3's rear seats and it opens to 1750 litres, and it tows a braked 2000 kg to the RZ's 1500. The RZ counters with a quiet cabin and a flat floor, though it does without a front boot. Neither holds a practicality advantage big enough to decide the matchup on its own, so the real split stays range and cabin character.

For most electric-SUV buyers the BMW iX3 is the pick. It travels much further between charges, 635 km in the 40 and 805 km in the 50 xDrive on the WLTP cycle, charges far faster on DC, and drives with a polish the Lexus does not chase. You pay for it with a ride AU reviews call firm. The Lexus RZ is the answer if a lower entry price, a quieter cabin and mostly city driving matter more than headline range, and both entry grades duck the luxury car tax threshold for the novated-lease saving. Read the iX3 as the range leader and the RZ as the calmer value play.