Lexus Rz vs Chery C5

What's the difference?

When Lexus revealed its first dedicated electric car, a sporty looking SUV based on the Toyota bZ4X, price seemed to be the biggest factor in its disappointing sales figures.

Starting at about the $120,000 mark, the Lexus RZ you may have seen around, if you’re extremely eagle-eyed, was far from popular. 

After a little bit of time off showroom floors, however, the RZ is back.

More range, more power, a new first for Lexus in terms of driving tech and a much, much lower starting price could see the brand’s first dedicated EV pick up the pace.

But, there’s a big question mark over that new tech - the much-hyped steering yoke that replaces the wheel in the top-spec F Sport, which uses a steer-by-wire system in a debut setup for Lexus.

Is it a revelation, or a gimmick? We attended the updated RZ launch in Victoria to find out.

This is the new Chery C5.

Not a Chevy C5 Corvette, Citroen C5, Sinclair C5 city trike or even a Lockheed C-5 Galaxy bomber, but a facelifted Omoda 5, with a fresh nose and a few (largely) welcome upgrades underneath.

But do they address the old model’s flaws? Which, for many reviewers, made it difficult to recommend, even against other equally cheap and cheerless small SUV rival alternatives, including the previous-shape MG ZS and GWM Haval Jolion.

Read on to find out.