Toyota’s first high-volume battery-electric vehicle is fun-to-drive and comfortable, but underwhelms on performance and interior materials.
ENCINITAS, CA – Toyota has offered electrification – partial electrification – in the form of gas-electric hybrids for the past 20-plus years. And while those vehicles, namely the iconic Prius, have been beneficial to reducing Americans’ gas-guzzling ways, they still largely rely on an internal-combustion engine for propulsion.
The bZ4X is Toyota’s first step toward full electrification in a mass-market model. A decade ago, it partnered with Tesla, then a relatively unknown upstart, on the RAV4 Electric, a 113-mile (182-km) BEV that we reviewed favorably.
This new BEV is a co-development of Toyota and Subaru, with the latter’s own Solterra BEV CUV model riding on the same Toyota e-TNGA platform as the bZ4X. The platform promises a low center of gravity plus high rigidity for superior on-road handling.
We’re still a couple weeks out from testing the Soltera, but we can say the bZ4X feels planted and stable in a recent media drive here of front- and all-wheel-drive Limited grades – in the rare instances where there was no traffic and we could open it up a bit.
Overall, the CUV performs well traversing suburban Encinitas. Braking and acceleration feel normal and confident. However, this is one of the more restrained BEVs we’ve come across lately: With 201 hp and 196 lb.-ft. (266 Nm) of torque in the front- drive model, your hair won’t be on fire after flooring the accelerator. Maybe a little singed. At least there’s the AWD model, with 214 hp and an additional 124 lb.-ft. (168 Nm) made from its rear motor.
Also, unlike many other BEVs, there’s little regenerative motor drag felt when easing off the accelerator approaching a stop light. Drag is slightly increased by going into Eco mode from Normal. Regen can be amped up via the touch of a boost button on the center console. By pressing the button (an icon of a foot pressing a brake) we get about medium motor drag approaching stoplights. It’s unlikely boost will bring you to a complete stop unless conditions are perfect (i.e. you’re traveling rather slowly on a flat surface), but personally we prefer less-heavy drag anyway.
The front-wheel-drive bZ4X has a single motor but, as is usually the case with the lightest BEV variants, it has the better range, at 252 miles (406 km) in XLE dress and 242 miles (389 km) in the Limited grade. That compares with AWD range of 222-228 miles (357-367 km) in Limited and XLE models.
The FWD and AWD Limited models tested do a good job of retaining range, with a mile lost for a mile traveled. One strange quirk we notice is how much Toyota estimates HVAC usage to impact range. Ours climbs from 190 miles to 241 (306 to 388 km) when turning off climate controls. Typically, you see a 10-20-mile (16-32-km) loss with HVAC running.
While its EPA-estimated range is 222 miles (357 km), our Limited AWD tester indeed was showing 241. As with any vehicle, ICE-powered included, range displayed on the cluster is merely an approximation, with true range dependent on individual driving style and ambient temperature, as well as climate-system usage.
Still, the bZ4X falls short on performance specs when compared to other models, such as the new Hyundai Ioniq 5. That BEV’s dual-motor AWD grade is rated at 320 hp and can travel an estimated 256 miles (412 km) on a fully charged battery pack. The FWD Ioniq 5 makes 225 hp and has a 303-mile (488-km) range, one of the best yet in a BEV from a legacy automaker.
Like the Ioniq 5, the bZ4X has a decidedly space-age appearance inside and out. “Futuristic” and “creased” are two words that come to mind upon viewing the Toyota. The look proves polarizing at this event. From certain angles – the back and areas of the profile – it’s reminiscent of the current RAV4. Not a bad thing and likely purposeful as Toyota sold about 400,000 RAVs in the U.S. last year.
The non-grille grille is large and, as in so many BEVs, expressionless. It’s not our favorite feature but seems to recede more in darker vs. lighter colors.
The bZ4X’s interior also is angular and dark. Most of the instrument panel, console and door trim is deep gray. The tunnel-like area behind the steering wheel and in front of the gauge-cluster display screen amplifies the gloominess. An attractive checked fabric on the instrument panel and doors adds contrast, as do some square graphics on the lid for the Qi phone charger bin, but a touch of color somewhere would be nice.
It also could use more supple materials for a price point north of $40,000. Upper front doors have soft-touch material, but upper rear doors are hard plastic, as is pillar trim.
At odds with the vehicle’s futuristic slant are abundant hard buttons, notably on and around the steering wheel. A dedicated odo/trip button seems unnecessary in 2022, with many vehicles, be they BEV or ICEs, having that feature in the cluster screen menu.
Still there is a large main touchscreen, running Toyota’s new-generation multimedia system. We like the new system’s airier layout and simplified menu structure. Also likeable are the five total USB ports in the vehicle, plus a 12V outlet and wireless Apple CarPlay.
The bZ4X scores high on comfort, with adjustable lumbar for the driver and a giant backseat for rear passengers to stretch out.
Overall, it’s a fine BEV, but lacks on performance and range and suffers a bit from slower charging speeds than the Ioniq 5. It’s also missing little/big things like a frunk and glovebox. Not every BEV has the former, but we can’t remember when we drove a vehicle without the latter. Yet, it is more affordable in its top trim level than the Ioniq 5, with our AWD tester topping out at $52,000 vs. the Hyundai’s $54,500.
Toyota’s reputation among techies and greenies isn’t what it used to be, especially after CEO Akio Toyoda’s years of dissing BEVs. This won’t be an automatic purchase for those folks because they once loved a Prius. Rather, this has the hallmarks of being a good vehicle for mainstream buyers, at a (slightly) more affordable cost than the competition, and from an automaker with a strong reputation for reliability.
Assembled in Japan, the bZ4X goes on sale in zero-emission-vehicle states in the U.S. this month and rolls out to all 50 states by November.
Keyword: 2023 Toyota bZ4X Good, Not Great