Compare the2025 Volvo EX40VS 2024 Lexus RZ

The EX40’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The RZ doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the EX40 and RZ have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The EX40 Ultra has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The RZ’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The EX40 has a standard Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS), which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the WHIPS allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. At the same time the pretensioning seatbelts fire, removing slack from the belts. The RZ doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Both the EX40 and the RZ have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The EX40’s corrosion warranty is 6 years longer than the RZ’s (12 vs. 6 years).

Volvo pays for scheduled maintenance on the EX40 for 3 years and 30,000 miles longer than Lexus pays for maintenance for the RZ (4/40,000 vs. 1/10,000).

There are over 15 percent more Volvo dealers than there are Lexus dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the EX40’s warranty.

The EX40 has more powerful engines than the RZ:

As tested in Motor Trend the EX40 Twin Motor electric motors is faster than the RZ 450e electric motors:

On the EPA test cycle the EX40 Single Motor FWD gets better mileage than the RZ 300e w/20" Wheels FWD (118 city/94 hwy vs. 96 city/105 hwy MPGe).

The EX40 can travel longer on a full charge than the RZ on a full charge:

For better stopping power the EX40’s brake rotors are larger than those on the RZ:

The EX40’s standard 235/50R19 front and 255/45R19 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series front and 45 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the RZ’s standard 60 series front and 55 series rear tires. The EX40 Ultra’s 235/45R20 front and 255/40R20 rear tires have a lower 45 series front and 40 series rear profile than the RZ’s optional 50 series front and 45 series rear tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the EX40 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the RZ.

The EX40 AWD handles at .84 G’s, while the RZ 450e Premium pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The EX40 is 1 foot, 2.4 inches shorter than the RZ, making the EX40 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The EX40 has 2.8 inches more rear hip room and 2 inches more rear shoulder room than the RZ.

The EX40 has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the RZ with its rear seat folded (57.5 vs. 55.6 cubic feet).

A control in the cargo area automatically lowers the EX40’s optional rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The RZ doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the EX40. The RZ doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The EX40 has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The RZ has no towing capacity.

Optional Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) on the EX40 uses the Dynamic Stability and Traction Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The RZ doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The EX40 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The RZ uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

A maintenance reminder system is standard on the EX40 to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals based on odometer mileage. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Lexus doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the RZ.

The power windows standard on both the EX40 and the RZ have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the EX40 is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The RZ prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

If the windows are left open on the EX40 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can also lower the windows the same way. The driver of the RZ can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the EX40 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The RZ doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the EX40 has a standard rear wiper. The RZ doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the EX40 Ultra has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The RZ doesn’t offer cornering lights. The EX40 Ultra also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The Volvo XC40 outsold the Lexus RZ by over five to one during 2023.