Car Deal of the Day: the refined Lexus RZ 450e for £283 per month

• Electric SUV with a brisk 5.3-second 0-62mph time
• 270 miles of range in RZ 450e form
• Premium Plus trim for £283 per month

Lexus and electric power are a match made in heaven, in theory. Take a car maker that prides itself on refinement – this is a company that once had an advert for its LS400 flagship with a stack of cocktail glasses perched on the bonnet while it was doing 100mph on a rolling road, without spilling a drop – equip it with a powertrain that is refined by its very nature, and everyone’s a winner, right?

And yes, it’ll come as no surprise, but refinement is one of our favourite characteristics of the Lexus RZ, which based on parent company Toyota’s electric bZ4X. We’re less keen on the price, but that’s where our Car Deal of the Day comes in, because it makes the £50k-and-up RZ a lot more affordable than it seems on paper.

At under £300 a month, it certainly takes the sting out of the RZ’s list price, and should let you concentrate on some of this electric SUV’s talents. We’ve already mentioned refinement, something the RZ has plenty of, whether you stick to town driving or venture out onto the motorway, although the 20-inch wheels on the Premium Plus model in this deal do give the ride a bit of a firm edge.

We’ve no qualms about the RZ 450e’s performance, though, with a pair of motors delivering both all-wheel drive and a 309bhp output for a 5.3-second 0-62mph time. Handling is neat, tidy, and reassuring, but like most Lexus models over the years, not especially sporty.

The other significant number is range. The RZ 450e Premium Plus is quoted at 270 miles (some RZs lower down the range knock on the door of 300), which is nothing special for a car in this class, but should do the trick if you don’t spend every waking moment behind the wheel.

Equipment levels are generous though, in true Lexus fashion; you get electrically adjustable and ventilated front seats, two-zone climate control, an electrically adjustable steering column, a panoramic glass roof, a 14-inch touchscreen display, and a suite of safety systems in the Premium Plus trim featured here.