2023 Toyota bZ4X: Charting a new green path

Toyota, the king of gasoline-electric hybrids, has long been skeptical of all-electric vehicles.

Their limited range and spotty charging station networks, along with doubts about profitability, rendered them impractical and nonviable, the company long thought. Toyota once offered a battery-electric RAV4, but only in California and only in volumes to meet state mandates for the sale of zero-emission vehicles.

So the new bZ4X, the first EV Toyota has designed from the ground up, though with a key partner, is a bit of game-changer for the company.

The bZ4X is the product of a joint venture between Toyota and Subaru, which is introducing the similar Solterra EV. The companies split engineering evenly, though the crossovers are built in a Toyota plant in Japan.

The bZ4X — the bZ nomenclature is shorthand for "beyond zero" and will be adopted on future Toyota electric models — is positioned between the RAV4 compact and Venza midsize crossovers in length. But at 112.2 inches, the wheelbase is the same as on the three-row Highlander large crossover.

The two-row, five-seat bZ4X comes equipped with a standard 150-kilowatt front motor and a temperature-controlled 71-kilowatt-hour battery pack, giving it an EPA-rated range of 252 miles. An optional all-wheel-drive version, outfitted with Subaru's X-Mode system, is equipped with an additional rear-mounted 80-kW motor and a 73-kWh battery pack, giving the crossover a range of 228 miles.

On high-end Limited models, the range drops to 242 miles for front-wheel drive and 222 for awd because they are equipped with 20-inch tires instead of 18-inch, as well as feature ventilated seats.

The bZ4X's 400-watt charging capability means it takes about one hour to charge the battery from 0 to 100 percent on a DC fast charger, 11 hours on a Level 2 charger and 50 hours on a Level 1 charger.

The bZ4X was engineered to retain the capacity of its thermally controlled battery over the long term. Toyota claims it will retain 90 percent of its power after 10 years of ownership.

Pricing starts at $43,215, including shipping. Buyers get one year of complimentary charging on the EVgo network.

We've collected some early reviews.

"Twist the dial-type shift knob to D and punch the accelerator and the BZ4X punches slightly above its stated specs. Like most EVs, this is due to the instantaneous and linear application of torque, rather than building power to a crescendo. Around town, when pulling away from traffic lights, passing or merging, the SUV feels more responsive and zippy than its on-paper numbers imply.

"The crossover's ride is soft — noticeably softer than the competition from Kia and Ford — but not sloppy or vague. Squat and dive on launch and braking feel nicely controlled, though I noticed the body lean in the corners. At both highway and parking lot speeds, the steering remains predictable and easy, if not also a touch numb. It's not the most fun-to-drive ride in this class, but it's an easy and comfy commuter.

"The 8.1-inches of ground clearance potentially give the BZ4X an advantage on dirt roads or poor weather compared to most of the low-slung electric crossovers in this class, particularly when mated with the AWD configuration's X-Mode system with traction programs for Snow/Dirt, Snow/Mud and hill descent control. I wasn't able to test the BZ4X off-road, but my colleague came away satisfied after a bit of soft-roading in the identical Subaru Solterra.

"The BZ4X also features a user-selectable Boost Mode regenerative braking setting that's almost a one-pedal driving mode, but not quite. Boost Mode gives full regeneration on lift, slowing the SUV to a creep but not to a complete stop. The high-regen setting is, however, not compatible with the X-Mode settings and one must be deactivated before the other can be applied."

— Antuan Goodwin, Road Show by CNET

"While some other EV makers aim for brain-crushing acceleration, the BZ4X takes about seven seconds, give or take, to get from zero to 60 miles an hour. And honestly, that's just fine. It's fairly quick, actually. No one really needs to accelerate faster than that. A little over 200 horsepower from the BZ4X's electric motor or motors, depending on whether you get all-wheel-drive or not, is also perfectly decent and reasonable.

"Other EVs can give you over 300 miles of range, maybe even 400 miles, on a single charge, but the BZ4X can give you up to 252 miles of range on a charge. Again, that's fine. Most people drive fewer than 40 miles on an average day, and most buyers will get a charger installed in their home, if they can, before buying an electric vehicle. That means they'll have more than 200 miles worth of batteries they're carrying around all the time just for the occasional long trip. Why carry more?

"I liked the BZ4X's all-around fine and normal demeanor and even found it refreshing. It has a handy and straightforward volume knob. The BZ4X has a big touchscreen in the middle because everything has big touchscreens now. But it's not one of these enormous pixel-platters the size of a TV that makes you stretch your arm out to reach every part.

"There are two things that really stand out on the BZ4X: the fenders and the ride quality. The suspension on the BZ4X is surprisingly stiff and bouncy, much more than I would expect from a Toyota. Someone explained to me later that this was a result of engineers aiming for a responsive and fun driving feel, which requires firmer suspension, especially in a vehicle with heavy batteries and high ride height. That's fine except that I really doubt anyone will buy the BZ4X for fun. It drives nicely, and electric vehicles, with their quick, responsive motors, lend themselves to fun. I would just think, given a choice between a smooth ride and excitement on a curvy road, most Toyota crossover buyers rather be cosseted. Besides, I've driven a few fun electric crossovers that didn't bounce me around like this."

— Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNN

"The cabin is a clean affair with reasonably well-appointed detailing on the Limited power-heated and -cooled front seats. A luxurious feature, yes, but it also means you can stay warm or cool, as the season demands, while making less use of the SUV's range-sucking climate control system.

"The interior takes on a high-tech feel with its twin digital displays. But, as we've seen with competing models, that's a mixed bag. A 12.3-inch infotainment system dominates the instrument panel and is large enough to make it easy to use. There are some conventional, manual controls — including a volume knob — but the touchscreen handles most everything you need.

"What's particularly impressive is Toyota's new voice assistant. Like Amazon's Alexa, it allows you to issue commands in plain English and can operate virtually everything in the vehicle.

"Having already seen it work in new products from both Toyota and Lexus, I consider it one of the most successful efforts out there. It's notably more accurate and responsive than the often-frustrating alternative from Mercedes-Benz, the MBUX.

"Less impressive is the 7.0-inch digital gauge cluster. It is intended to be viewed from above, rather than through, the steering wheel. But among the many journalists who attended a recent drive event in San Diego, quite a few found that the wheel still tended to limit screen visibility."

— Paul Eisenstein, Gear Junkie

"In my first drive, I noticed significantly better efficiency from the front-wheel-drive version, although I thought the best-driving of the lineup was the all-wheel-drive XLE version, with its 18-inch wheels. In this version, the BZ4X rode soft, but it felt no less coordinated when pushed near its limit than the Limited and its 20-inch multi-spoke alloys. The somewhat heavier Limited had noticeably more impact harshness over Southern California's few-and-far-between bumpy road surfaces.

"Toyota says that the single-motor version can get to 60 mph in 7.1 seconds, while the dual-motor version takes 6.5 seconds. Give the single-motor version a rolling start, and I suspect they're neck-and-neck. The AWD version is just a bit more confident about quick takeoffs and, I imagine, a lot more confident as soon as the road surface becomes slick.

"Official EPA efficiency and range figures haven't yet been posted for the BZ4X, but Toyota anticipates an estimated 252 or 242 miles for front-wheel-drive versions (XLE and Limited versions, respectively), or 228 or 222 miles for those respective models in dual-motor all-wheel-drive form.

"First off, by quick-take indications on my early drive, across three vehicles, the BZ4X has got it going on with respect to efficiency. Toyota anticipates that the single-motor version earns 119 MPGe combined — better than any version of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 or Kia EV6 (117 MPGe at best) and its efficiency-focused e-GMP platform, and only bested by the Tesla Model Y, at 122 MPGe."

— Bengt Halvorson, Green Car Reports

"Were the bZ4X a gasoline-powered car, we'd praise its midrange punch, but this electric powertrain packs something more akin to a mule kick. It's the sort of acceleration that makes people swear off internal combustion.

"Once on the move, the bZ4X generates a fair amount of road noise, particularly from the back of the car. The Limited, which sported an optional oddball two-piece split spoiler, produced even more wind whoosh. With no engine to mask this noise, sound insulation in an electric car is trickier. Considering the company's experience with the hushed Mirai, an electric car that produces power with a hydrogen fuel cell, we didn't expect Toyota to get this wrong, but it did.

"Road manners are typical of what we've come to expect from the latest crop of Toyotas. Ride quality is quite good; the Limited model, which gets 20-inch wheels, is a bit more firm than the XLE, which uses 18-inch wheels with a taller tire sidewall that helps soften the bumps. But the Limited's lower-profile tires give it much better steering response; the XLE's steering feels squidgier off center, especially in sharp, fast corners. Still, both cars track nicely on straightaways and through the curves.

"Body roll in turns is minimal — no surprise with that big, heavy battery pack under the floor keeping the center of gravity low — and both grip and cornering poise are quite good. Front-drive cars give way to tire-squealing understeer, while the all-wheel-drive system allows the rear end to dig in and drive the car through the corner as you get on the accelerator."

— Aaron Gold, Motor Trend