Lexus beats Tesla to a 3-row luxury family SUV in the US with the quietest cabin

Lexus has pulled the wraps off the all-new TZ, its first three-row, full-size electric SUV that only goes against a handful of vehicles in the US when it comes to luxury appointments.

While Tesla has spent years dominating the EV conversation, it still cannot sell a family of six an electric three-row SUV, a gap that Lexus, of all brands late to the EV party, has now moved to fill.

The 2027 TZ is a proper big-family machine, stretching 5,100 mm in length on a 3,050 mm wheelbase. It rides on a dedicated EV platform with a flat floor that allows third-row headroom and legroom fit for adults, not the afterthought jump seats that so many SUVs try to pass off as usable. Power comes from a dual-motor AWD setup producing 407 HP, with the larger 95.82 kWh battery targeting 300 miles of EPA range and a 0–62 mph acceleration of 5.4 seconds.

2027 Lexus TZ specs and range

• Up to 420 HP AWD output
• 3,500 lb towing capacity
• 13.8 cubic feet cargo capacity with all seats upright
• 300-mile EPA range with 96 kWh battery
• 5.1s 0-60 mph acceleration
• 0.27 drag coefficient
• Rear-wheel steering
• Ventilated captain's chairs, automatic rear-seat folding
• Gear shifts and gas engine sounds through the 21-speaker system
• Full-screen navigation displayed in instrument cluster
• Cabin fragrance and Japanese ambient lighting

Inside, Lexus leans into its so-called Driving Lounge concept, with a panoramic roof spanning all three rows, second-row captain's chairs with power ottomans, and third row seats with living room sofa-like cushioning. Forged Bamboo trim sourced from Japan's Shikoku Island adds a sustainability angle without resorting to the plasticky trims that Tesla still ships even in its more expensive vehicles. The charging speed and range on a charge are lower than those of the Lucid Gravity so the Lexus TZ retail price may ultimately determine its popularity when it lands by the end of 2026

Tesla, meanwhile, remains absent from this segment entirely. Ostensibly, the Model X seats seven but competes in a different size and price class and is now discontinued, while a promised next-gen family hauler has never materialized. Lexus will go up against formidable competition in the category, like the Lucid Gravity, Cadillac Vistiq and Volvo EX90, when the TZ reaches showrooms. Even midrange offerings like the Kia EV9 prove popular when populating a segment that Tesla still refuses to enter.

Tesla may have a Cybertruck SUV in the works, though, whose prototype could be seen in Tesla’s design studio. The eventual 3-row SUV by Tesla could sport the Cybertruck’s edgy shape, but with a cabin stretched over the space where the truck bed lies. The Cybertruck itself doesn't sell very well as a pickup, so it remains to be seen if an FSD subscription could help it become a hit in the form of an SUV amidst all the 3-row family-hauler competition that keeps piling up.

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