2026 Toyota bZ Woodland First Testwilliam walker - MotorTrendStraight line quickImpressive cabin spaceAggressive looksShort road trip rangeAverage charging speedsWeird gauge clusterThe 2026 Toyota bZ Woodland looks somewhat ponderous when you initially lay your eyes on it, and these days, its 375 total system horsepower almost seems quaint. So, when you really lay into its accelerator pedal for the first time, you're not really prepared for how fast you're going to be traveling in short order. Hang on as its all-terrain tires scramble for traction when the bZ Woodland's motors spring into motion.AdvertisementAdvertisementStraight-line speed almost certainly isn't what Toyota had at the top of mind as a selling point when it drew up this midsize electric SUV and its broader Woodland subbrand on the product-planning blackboard. With its aggressive black cladding encircling the wheel wells, standard roof rack, and all-terrain tires on the Premium AWD model tested for this review, the bZ Woodland evokes images of trailheads and adventure lifestyles, not ripping around town or hightailing it down to the local outlet mall.william walker - MotorTrendThis Woodland Can HaulBut man, this thing is quick at the test track. We recorded a 0–60-mph time of 4.0 seconds flat, beating Toyota's own estimate by a healthy 0.4 second, on the way to to a quarter mile of 12.6 seconds at 110.3 mph. Those aren't blistering times, although from behind the wheel of this 4,598-pound, all-electric SUV, it's about the feels you feel. And this thing feels fast.When you aren't stomping on the accelerator, the bZ Woodland does a fine job handling its business when you're traveling to and from your place of business. The Premium model's Dunlop Grandtrek A/T 30T all-terrain tires help cushion the ride, and its stretched wheelbase over the standard bZ also aids in keeping bumps from intruding too rudely into the cabin.This isn't a vehicle that inspires sporty driving, but it isn't a wallowing beast, either, with a quick and light steering feel and strong, easily modulated braking that at 127 feet from 60–0 mph is decent for its class and mission. (Although if you want one-pedal driving, you won't find it here.) As a daily driver, we found the bZ Woodland to be easygoing.william walker - MotorTrendIt's Marketed For Adventure, Whenever You Get ThereWe didn't get a chance to take the measure of the bZ Woodland in an off-road capacity for this test, but Toyota, really, really wants people to think of it as ready for action when the dirt starts flying. To that end, it gets an ever so slight lift over the standard bZ to 8.4 inches of ground clearance, an X-Mode feature that helps optimize traction (further enhanced by a low-speed "grip control" function), this model's $1,298 "Adventure Tow Package" (as opposed to an unadventurous tow package?) that enables up to 3,500 pounds of tugging ability, and cross bars for the roof ($350). So, yes, it can do some light hauling, additional cargo carrying, and off-track running. But if you want a similarly sized EV that can really do the deal off-road, you'll need to give the Rivian R2 a long look.AdvertisementAdvertisementDepending on how far you need to travel to get to your adventure, the bZ Woodland will slow you down some from charging and overall range standpoints. In our MotorTrend Road Trip Range Test, where we run an EV from 100 percent to 5 percent charge at a steady 70 mph, we recorded just 201 miles, well under this model's 260-mile EPA range rating. And keep in mind that test is conducted with only the driver and no gear aboard.Charge times are another area where Toyota's EVs have lagged that of the competition, and while its latest EVs have improved, they still struggle with slow peak charging speeds and pedestrian overall charging times. To refill the bZ Woodland's 74.7-kWh battery, Toyota quotes a 10-80 percent DC fast charging time of 30 minutes or so. We recorded 5-80 percent in 27 minutes, so a smidge better than its estimate, with 167 miles added after 30 minutes of charging. The good news is the bZ Woodland has a native NACS port, which allows easy charging at Tesla Supercharger network stations.william walker - MotorTrendCavernous, Comfortable CabinInside, while you're waiting to charge up, you can charge not one but two phones on wireless pads, and you can do it while sitting in some of the most comfortable front seats going. You can also poke away at Toyota's latest 14.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which is also among the best in the midsize SUV class, EV or otherwise.Rear seat passengers have a ton of room as well, and the fixed glass roof makes things feel even airier. Pop the rear liftgate and a six-inch stretch of cargo area versis the non-Woodland bZ translates to a full 33.8 cubic feet of space (74.3 with the rear seats folded), which swallowed three giant pieces of luggage with no issue. It's a biggun' when it comes to hauling gear, although the optional JBL sound system slightly dents ultimate capacity.AdvertisementAdvertisementThere are a couple of minor issues in the cockpit. That dual wireless charger and center area can make it a bit cramped when you want to spread out. The small, set back 7.0-inch instrument display, steering wheel position, and controls are somewhat awkward in approach, and the digital rearview mirror has some reflection issues. Oh, and the Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 nanny alerts can get really "the sky is falling!" annoying, but there are several solid and effective systems included in the bundle, and we'd rather have them yelling at us than not.It's one of the more pleasant, spacious, and easy to operate cabins in this class, with just enough usable tech options, but not so many as to frustrate or overwhelm you.william walker - MotorTrendTo Woodland or Not Woodland?Like so many EVs of this nature, the bZ Woodland is a grab bag of contradictions. It's basically cosplaying as a cladded up off-roader but this is a vehicle to get you to a kayak launch or your cabin in the woods, not get after it on a hardcore trail. It will swallow a ton of stuff, but when you have it loaded with cargo and humans, it will burn the electrons in its battery even quicker than it already does. It's quick, although how often does that even matter other than here and there in the urban jungle?But taken as a whole, for what you get, the bZ Woodland has a lot of good things going for it, and at a price that isn't onerous. The base model starts at just under 47 grand, and the loaded-up Premium we had tops out around $50,000, right around the median cost for a vehicle these days. If space, comfort, and pace are what you're looking for in an EV SUV, then the bZ Woodland could be a great way to quickly get to your getaway—as long as you're okay stopping to charge it along the way.Photo credit: william walker - MotorTrendPhoto credit: william walker - MotorTrendPhoto credit: william walker - MotorTrendAdvertisementAdvertisementPhoto credit: william walker - MotorTrendPhoto credit: william walker - MotorTrendPhoto credit: william walker - MotorTrendPhoto credit: william walker - MotorTrendAdvertisementAdvertisementPhoto credit: william walker - MotorTrendPhoto credit: william walker - MotorTrendPhoto credit: william walker - MotorTrendPhoto credit: william walker - MotorTrendAdvertisementAdvertisementPhoto credit: william walker - MotorTrendPhoto credit: william walker - MotorTrendPhoto credit: william walker - MotorTrendPhoto credit: william walker - MotorTrendAdvertisementAdvertisementPhoto credit: william walker - MotorTrendPhoto credit: william walker - MotorTrendPhoto credit: william walker - MotorTrendPhoto credit: william walker - MotorTrendAdvertisementAdvertisementPhoto credit: william walker - MotorTrendPhoto credit: william walker - MotorTrendPhoto credit: william walker - MotorTrendPhoto credit: william walker - MotorTrendAdvertisementAdvertisementPhoto credit: william walker - MotorTrendPhoto credit: william walker - MotorTrendPhoto credit: william walker - MotorTrendPhoto credit: william walker - MotorTrendPhoto credit: william walker - MotorTrendPhoto credit: william walker - MotorTrendPhoto credit: william walker - MotorTrendPhoto credit: william walker - MotorTrendPhoto credit: william walker - MotorTrendPhoto credit: william walker - MotorTrend