Lexus RZ vs Polestar Polestar 4 SUV

On the WLTP cycle the Polestar 4 SUV claims up to 630km from its 100kWh battery in Rear Motor form, dropping to 600km for the all-wheel-drive Dual Motor. The Lexus RZ claims 460km for the 500e grades and 437km for the heavier 550e F Sport from a 74.69kWh pack. That is a 170km gap in the Polestar's favour at the entry grade, and the single clearest line between the two on paper. Real-world figures sit below both claims, as with any EV, but if you road-trip regularly the Polestar travels noticeably further between charges. Around town and charging at home, the RZ's range is a non-issue.

The answer depends on where you charge. On a DC fast charger the Polestar 4 SUV peaks at 200kW for a 10-to-80 per cent top-up in about 30 minutes; the Lexus RZ peaks at 150kW and takes about 28 minutes over the same window, so the two are close on a road-trip stop despite the Polestar's higher peak. At home it flips: the RZ's onboard AC charger runs at 22kW to the Polestar's standard 11kW, so on a three-phase supply the Lexus refills roughly twice as fast overnight. Polestar offers a 22kW AC upgrade as a $900 option. Both use 400-volt architectures, slower than 800-volt rivals.

The Polestar 4 SUV opens at $73,900 before on-road costs for the Rear Motor, against $84,500 for the Lexus RZ 500e Luxury, a gap of roughly $10,600 on a like-for-like before-on-roads basis. Step up and the Polestar Dual Motor is $81,750 while the RZ climbs to $91,000 for the 500e Sports Luxury and $105,000 for the 550e F Sport. Both entry grades sit under the fuel-efficient luxury car tax threshold, which makes them eligible for the FBT exemption on novated leases, a real saving for salary-packaging buyers. The Lexus narrows the running-cost gap with capped servicing, but the Polestar is the cheaper car to buy.

For family use the Polestar 4 SUV makes the stronger practical case. Its SUV body restores a proper rear window, adds 25mm of rear headroom and grows the boot to 530 litres, and the 630km range eases the long weekend run. It also services every 24 months or 30,000km, half as often as the Lexus. The RZ answers with a quieter, more hushed cabin, published five-star ANCAP sub-scores of 87 per cent adult and 89 per cent child occupant protection, and Lexus dealer aftercare. Families who travel far will find the Polestar the easier car; those who value quiet and a trusted service network lean Lexus.

Both cars' entry grades fall under the fuel-efficient luxury car tax threshold, so both the Polestar 4 SUV Rear Motor and the Lexus RZ 500e qualify for the FBT exemption that makes novated leasing attractive on an EV. From there the Polestar's lower before-on-roads price of $73,900, against the RZ's $84,500, means a smaller amount financed and a lower lease cost. The Lexus claws some of that back with capped servicing at $1,975 over five years and a longer-standing dealer network. For most salary-packaging buyers the Polestar is the sharper number; the RZ suits those who value Lexus ownership.

At the top of each range the Polestar wins clearly: its 400kW, 686Nm Dual Motor claims 3.9 seconds to 100km/h, dramatically quicker than the fastest Lexus. Lower down it is closer and even flips. The RZ 500e makes 280kW to the Polestar Rear Motor's 200kW, and Lexus claims a 4.6-second sprint for the 500e against the single-motor Polestar's 7.3 seconds, so the entry Lexus is the quicker entry car. The RZ 550e F Sport adds a steer-by-wire yoke and 300kW but is only two-tenths quicker than the 500e. For outright pace choose the Polestar Dual Motor; for a brisk entry grade, the Lexus.

The Polestar 4 holds a five-star ANCAP rating from 2025 that ANCAP lists as applying to all variants of the Medium SUV, including the new rear-window SUV body, and it does not expire until December 2031. Standard safety runs deep: autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, pedestrian detection and driver attention monitoring, plus seven airbags including a front centre airbag. The Lexus RZ matches the five stars with a 2023 rating and publishes strong sub-scores, 87 per cent adult and 89 per cent child occupant protection, with 10 airbags. Both are among the safer choices in the segment.

Polestar changed 48 parts to create the SUV body: a straighter roofline, an upright tailgate and, above all, a conventional rear window and standard rear-view mirror in place of the coupe's camera-fed digital mirror, which becomes a $1,000 option. The boot grows to 530 litres and folds to about 1,665 litres, rear headroom gains 25mm, and claimed range rises to 630km. After a September 2026 price-match the SUV and coupe cost the same, so the extra space and range come at no premium. The catch is sourcing and timing: the SUV is built in South Korea and reaches Australian customers from the fourth quarter of 2026.

For most buyers the Polestar 4 SUV is the stronger all-rounder: more range, a lower before-on-roads price, a two-year service interval and a cabin Australian reviewers rate among the best in class. Choose the Lexus RZ if you prize hand-built quiet, the faster 22kW home AC charging and the reassurance of Lexus dealer service, and if your driving is mostly around town where its 460km range is no obstacle. Within the Polestar range the Rear Motor is the efficient, longer-range pick; within the Lexus, the 500e Sports Luxury is the sweet spot and the yoke-equipped F Sport a want, not a need.