"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
