2026 Toyota bZ Tested: A Quicker and Better EVAndi Hedrick - Car and Driver (Andi Hedrick - Car and Driver)6/10/26 UPDATE: This review has been updated with instrumented test results for a front-wheel-drive XLE Plus model.At this point, year-by-year changes to electric vehicles are starting to follow a familiar template. You squeeze a bit more power out of the electric motors, you juice up the battery pack, you improve the charging system, and boom—you've got a more appealing product. Toyota is following this script with the 2026 bZ, a compact electric SUV that replaces the previous bZ4X, becoming a far more competitive model within the segment.The name change itself is the first notable tidbit, as it shows that Toyota is no longer committed to following an EV-specific naming pattern. The bZ moniker, which stands for "beyond Zero," is applied only to this model—now sans 4X—and the bZ Woodland, a longer and more outdoorsy SUV sibling built on the same platform. Otherwise, the U.S. arm of the company is abandoning this global naming scheme that, in China for instance, includes a whole range of bZ-badged products such as bZ3 and bZ7 with numbers and suffixes denoting size and body style. Other EVs, such as the C-HR and the Highlander, use familiar names from elsewhere in the Toyota portfolio.Andi Hedrick - Car and Driver (Andi Hedrick - Car and Driver)Regardless of what it's called, the bZ remains twinned with the Subaru Solterra. This latest version undergoes a wholesale upgrade to its powertrain and other mechanical tidbits that addresses the previous bZ4X's biggest shortcomings: limited range, uncompetitive charging times, and low power output. Range estimates are improved on most models, thanks to a slightly more powerful battery pack with an estimated capacity of 67 kWh. Maximum range climbs from a previous high of 252 miles to 314 miles for the new front-wheel-drive XLE Plus model. And charging improvements come courtesy of a more powerful onboard charger (11.0 kilowatts, up from 6.6) and a new NACS (North American Charging System) port that allows the bZ to use Tesla Superchargers, though its max draw rate on a DC fast-charger is still capped at 150 kilowatts.AdvertisementAdvertisementWe had the chance to drive the new bZ back to back with the old bZ4X, and the new model feels more sprightly and lighter on its feet. The new dual-motor, all-wheel-drive configuration is particularly quick. It's not every day that you see a vehicle's power output jump up by over 50 percent, but the new 338-hp setup absolutely embarrasses the outgoing 214-hp dual-motor configuration. We got the old AWD car to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds, and the new one is in a different league: a mechanically identical Solterra Touring XT hit 60 mph in 4.3 seconds in our testing. This easily puts the bZ in contention with other EVs in the class, including the all-wheel-drive versions of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Volkswagen ID.4.Andi Hedrick - Car and Driver (Andi Hedrick - Car and Driver)The improvements to the driving experience are not just because of the extra power either. We also drove the new base front-wheel-drive XLE model, which makes do with only a 168-hp motor and a smaller battery with only 52 kWh of estimated capacity. Although it's certainly slow, it illustrated that the updated bZ also rides and handles better than before. The steering effort is lighter and the suspension tuning firmer, leading to a more composed feel, despite our test car's modest 0.82 g of grip on the skidpad and lengthy 183-foot stop from 70 mph.If you opt for the XLE Plus or Limited FWD models, you get the bigger battery pack and a more powerful 221-hp front motor (up from 201 hp in the previous front-drive model). The XLE Plus we tested delivered a 60-mph time of 6.2 seconds, and it achieved a decent 250 miles on our real-world 75-mph highway range test. The old dual-motor bZ4X only hit 160 miles in this same test, so that's a useful improvement and a better result than many of the bZ's rivals managed in our hands.Andi Hedrick - Car and Driver (Andi Hedrick - Car and Driver)The bZ's interior is improved as well, with a less obtrusive center console design and a more conventional digital gauge cluster binnacle in front of the driver. The seating position is still a bit weird, and the steering wheel can obstruct the view of the gauge cluster unless you adjust it a certain way. But overall, we like the new cabin more than the old one, as it feels airier and more spacious and also benefits from a larger center touchscreen.AdvertisementAdvertisementOverall, the bZ hasn't undergone an entirely transformative update, but these numerous changes do bring Toyota into competitive territory with other compact electric SUVs. Before, the bZ4X lagged rivals in terms of objective numbers like range, performance, and charging times, as well as in terms of the subjective driving experience. While the bZ is still not a class leader, it makes up a considerable amount of ground. And it's priced right, with the base XLE coming in at under $37,000 and our XLE Plus test car providing good value at an as-tested $40,778. We'd hesitate to pay too much more than that, but overall this Toyota is now a more relevant mainstream player in the EV space. Plus, it's no longer burdened with that clunky bZ4X name.Andi Hedrick - Car and Driver (Andi Hedrick - Car and Driver)➡️ Skip the lot. Let Car and Driver help you find your next car.Shop New Cars Shop Used CarsYou Might Also LikeGift Guide: Best Ride-On Electric Cars for KidsFuture Cars Worth Waiting For: 2025–2029
+11 others
