It’s taken a while but the Toyota bZ4X is the Japanese brand’s first proper foray into electric vehicles, and it’s chosen to do so with the most obvious body style for today’s consumers: a family-friendly SUV.
It’s also gone for striking styling that should at least catch potential buyers’ eyes on the road, while fast charging capabilities and the option of a surprisingly capable all-wheel drive variant - plus Toyota’s reputation for reliability - have the potential to make it a sound used choice as well as a good new buy.
The list of potential alternatives seems to be growing daily though, so if you’re considering a bZ4X, it may also be worth checking out the Skoda Enyaq iV, Kia EV6, and Hyundai Ioniq 5, while the Lexus RZ is a more luxurious version of the bZ4X itself, and the Subaru Solterra is also based on the Toyota.
The Toyota bZ4X is still very new, having been launched in 2022. On paper at least it seems to have plenty to recommend it: it’s an electric car built by one of the industry’s leaders in hybrid vehicles, which you’d think should count for something, it offers a pretty decent claimed range, has the potential for 150kW rapid charging, and looks distinctive too - though the unusual styling won’t be for everyone.
It’s good to drive, too. Front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive versions are available, and they’re brisk off the line, with the AWD car being surprisingly adept off-road - no doubt thanks in part to all-wheel drive experts Subaru being involved in the system’s development. On road it’s agile and rides well too.
The interior is quite a departure for Toyota, being almost as unusual as the exterior styling - it’s got a Peugeot-style layout with a relatively small steering wheel and the instrument cluster above it. And like those Peugeots, it doesn’t suit everyone, sometimes obscuring the cluster. The touchscreen systems generally work well though and while the boot is smaller than that of some competitors, the cabin is spacious enough.
There are however some question marks over range, which drops off quickly in cold weather, more so than some other EVs, so you may not always be able to trust the 250-plus miles that both versions of the bZ4X claim.
Used models are already showing some pretty decent discounts, but if the bZ4X doesn’t quite appeal, then there are plenty of other EVs that might. On the same platform you’ll find the Subaru Solterra and Lexus RZ, while the Skoda Enyaq iV, Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 are all great EVs in this class.
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With just a small difference in power between front wheel drive and all-wheel drive models there’s no great difference in how each drivetrain behaves, and we’d say there’s no great reason to go for the AWD model unless you know you’re going to make use of its extra traction - the extra range of the front-drive car will probably prove more useful to more people.
While the entry-level Pure is well equipped, the mid-range Motion does have one advantage in our eyes, which is its larger infotainment display. Functionally there’s not a huge difference, but the smaller 8-inch screen looks somewhat lost in a dashboard that’s clearly been designed for a larger screen! The Motion’s heated seats may help with range too, reducing your need for energy-intensive cabin heating in winter.
As we’ve come to expect from electric vehicles, even the cheapest models in the range tend to be relatively expensive to buy, but the up side to this is that manufacturers often load them with equipment that you’d usually only find in much higher-end models. Exactly the same applies to the bZ4X, with the entry-level Pure still looking very well equipped, while models further up the range throw in features like larger infotainment screens and synthetic leather trim.
The Toyota bZ4X’s dimensions are:
The Toyota bZ4X’s boot size is:
Because the Toyota bZ4X is only sold as an electric vehicle, both the front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive variants are completely free to tax, at least for the time being. This gives them a useful saving even over hybrid equivalents like Toyota’s own RAV4, which would cost £170 per year.
Due to high list prices and repair costs, EVs can be surprisingly expensive to insure. The bZ4X starts in a much higher insurance group than the similarly-sized but hybrid powered Toyota RAV4 - entry level models start in group 35, to the RAV4’s group 25. The bZ4X then rises to group 40. Some EVs may prove cheaper, like the Volkswagen ID.5’s group 29 starting point, but the Toyota’s insurance ratings are similar to the Kia EV6, and less than a Tesla Model Y.
Read our full Toyota bZ4X review