Shopping for a 2025 Toyota bZ4X? Here's What Experts Say You Should Look At Instead

Miami Herald

14-05-2025

If you've been eyeing the battery-electric 2025 Toyota bZ4X and have put off buying one, your patience has been rewarded. Toyota has cut the price of the base XLE front-wheel-drive model to $37,070, a 41% price reduction. Prefer all-wheel drive? That's now $39,150. Limited models start at $41,800, down $5,380 from last year. The price cuts are needed, as the Toyota bZ4X isn't eligible for federal EV tax credits, but more than that, Toyota's first electric vehicle just isn't competitive – yet.
For 2025, the most you get from a bZ4X is an EPA-rated 252 miles of range out of an XLE FWD, but it falls as low as 222 miles on an XLE AWD or XLE Limited AWD. There's no abundance of power, either, with 201 horsepower for front-wheel-drive models and 214 horsepower with all-wheel drive. That's adequate at best. And should you be so inclined, it can tow 1,500 pounds. Driving the bZ4X is pleasant enough, but it lacks the alert, quick feel most EVs possess, and its regenerative braking is meager, so one pedal ­driving is not possible.
Inside, there's a 7-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12.3-inch infotainment display, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and wireless smartphone charging. There's 94 cubic feet of passenger capacity and 26-28 cubic feet of cargo space, depending on the model, which expands to 57 cubic feet with the seats folded. There is no front trunk, either, as in some other EVs.
Thankfully, there are some overdue changes for 2026 that should make a big difference. Gone is the odd black-painted fender, part of a redesign that makes the vehicle more appealing. Inside, the center console gets revised and sports a new 14-inch infotainment touchscreen. Its name gets a makeover too, now shortened just to bZ. Batteries get upgraded, too, now benefitting from a Tesla North American Charging Standard (NACS) port. Front-wheel-drive XLE models now boast 221 horsepower, with all-wheel drive models getting a far healthier 338 horsepower. Range is up as well, and although EPA numbers haven't been released, Toyota estimates anywhere from 236 miles of range on the XLE FWD to 278 to 278-to-314 miles of range for other models, which is far more competitive.
But there's still no federal tax credit available for the bZ, and 2026 model year pricing hasn't been announced either. So, if you need an EV now, here are some rivals to consider.
Despite a starting price of $34,995 including destination charge, the 2025 Chevrolet Equinox gets the full $7,500 federal EV tax credit, reducing the cost before options, taxes, and fees to $27,495. For that, you get a cabin with 102 cubic feet of passenger space and 26 cubic feet of cargo space, expanding to 57 cubic feet with the seats folded. There is no front trunk here either, and towing is rated at 1,500 pounds. There's an 11-inch digital gauge cluster and a mammoth 17.7-inch infotainment touchscreen with integrated Google Maps and Spotify. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are not available.
Offered in LT1, LTS, and RS trim, the single-motor, front-wheel-drive Equinox EV gets an EPA-rated 319 miles on a charge while generating 220 horsepower. Opt for the dual-motor, all-wheel-drive model, and you still run 307 miles of range with a far healthier 300 horsepower. Super Cruise, GM's hands-free semi-autonomous driving technology, is optional. That said, performance is merely adequate on front-wheel-drive models, while all-wheel-drive powertrains pack the punch you'll appreciate. It's a solid mainstream EV at a great price that lives up to Chevrolet's classic value story, but the lack of Apple CarPlay or Android Auto will make it a no-go for some.
At once fresh and familiar, the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 is filled with exquisite detailing. Its relentlessly horizontal instrument panel contains two side-by-side 12.3-inch screens, one being the digital instrument cluster, and the other acting as the infotainment touchscreen. Wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, voice recognition, a navigation system, and USB-C ports are all on board, as well as a new steering wheel. The Ioniq 5 is also impressive roomy, with 106.5 cubic feet of passenger volume and 26 cubic feet of cargo volume that grows to 59 cubic feet with the rear seats folded.
The entry-level Ioniq 5 SE Standard Range provides 168 horsepower and a 240-mile range with rear-wheel drive. SE, SEL, and Limited trims have 225 horsepower and 310 miles with a single motor and rear-wheel drive. There's also a dual-motor option that provides all-wheel drive with 320 horsepower and 250-280 miles of range depending on trim and tires. A new off-road-oriented XRT trim is available, but Hyundai has not released its horsepower or range ratings. The Ioniq 5 thankfully gets a Tesla North American Charging Standard port, although CCS plugs are also provided. Towing capacity is 2,300 pounds with rear-wheel drive.
You can opt for the high-performance Ioniq 5 N, but we review that separately, along with other high-performance EVs. Overall, the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 instills driver confidence, with negligible body roll and swift, precise steering, making navigating easy. Credit its wide stance and a ton of mass placed down low for those characteristics. It's particularly fun in Sport driving mode, where its rear-wheel bias becomes apparent. Best of all, it's built in Georgia and eligible for the full $7,500 tax credit. Prices start at $44,075 including destination charge or $36,575 including the tax credit.
Strikingly styled inside and out, the Nissan Ariya sings a design song that so many Nissan products do. While it lacks the unforgettable design of the first Nissan Rogue or Infiniti FX 35, it's nonetheless quite striking. This compact battery-electric SUV offers 97 cubic feet of passenger space and slightly less than 23 cubic feet of cargo room, expanding to more than 59 cubic feet with the seats folded. Elegant and eloquent in its execution, the interior is beautifully finished, with controls embedded in a strip of wood that traverses the instrument panel. A 12.3-inch instrument cluster and 12.3-inch infotainment display come standard with Android Auto, wireless Apple CarPlay, and four USB ports.
The front-wheel drive Ariya Engage and Evolve+ generate 214 horsepower on the former and 238 horsepower on the latter, and have an estimated 216 and 289 miles of range, respectively. All-wheel drive Ariya Engage models have 335 horsepower and 205 miles of range. The upper-level Engage+, Evolve+, and Platinum+ trims have 389 horsepower, generating more than enough power for 272 miles of range for the first two models, and 267 miles for the Platinum+. Towing is rated at 1,500 pounds. Like so many Nissan vehicles, the Ariya provides a quiet, composed ride and handling with light steering and an agreeable, pleasing demeanor.
While we wouldn't recommend the 2025 Toyota bZ4X, we do think the 2026 Toyota bZ is worth waiting for if you want a battery-electric Toyota. But price remains a question mark, and given the current trade uncertainty and a lack of federal income tax credit, you might be tempted to sample the beautifully executed 2025 Nissan Ariya or bargain-priced Chevrolet Equinox EV, which proves a hard one to resist for those on a budget. Yet if you want any kind of driver involvement from your EV, the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 is an excellent choice, proving fun-to-drive and remarkably well-designed with a forward-looking design aesthetic contained in a package that recalls the most fun hot hatches of the 1980s. Regardless of what floats your boat, there's something here sure to electrify your electric motoring passion.
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