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Motor Trend
07-08-2025
- Automotive
- Motor Trend
Tested: Is the 2026 Toyota bZ Good or Just Slightly Less Mediocre?
Pros Greatly improved acceleration and range Comfortable ride Nifty parking camera Cons Sluggish fast-charging speed Awkward interior Two-motor models still can't crack 300-mile mark Has Toyota done enough to transform what was formerly known as the bZ4X into the 2026 bZ? We criticized the outgoing version of this electric SUV for its poor range, slow recharging, and bizarre interior layout (perhaps that's what 'bZ' stands for). For 2026, Toyota has attempted to address these concerns and has truncated the tongue-twister name for good measure. The 2026 Toyota bZ improves on its predecessor with increased power and range, but issues remain. The interior redesign is awkward, charging is slower than competitors, and the driving experience lacks refinement. At an estimated $50,000, it struggles to stand out among rivals. This summary was generated by AI using content from this MotorTrend article. Read Next Our First Drive of the 2026 bZ left us cautiously intrigued, enthralled by the extra range and power but puzzled by the interior changes. It was time to spend a couple of weeks with the Toyota bZ, strap on our testing gear, and figure out once and for all if the thing is worth buying. The Critical Number We Don't Know Toyota frustrated our efforts by waiting to announce firm pricing. As we write this, the company has only told us the bZ will start around $40,000 including the destination charge, which would indicate a price increase of around $1,500 compared to the 2025 bZ4X. But that's the basic XLE front-drive model, which in its reconstituted bZ form has less range and power for 2026. (Yes, that's right, someone at Toyota figured out a way to make the basic bZ4X even less compelling. And people say innovation is dead!) The version we're testing here is the Limited AWD model, which takes the bZ in the right direction with more power and range. But at what cost? We don't know. Enough equivocating; let's look at some numbers. The dual-motor bZ gets a power boost over the old bZ4X , jumping 124 hp to 338. (Toyota has not published a combined torque rating, but summing torque values usually comes pretty close. In this case, that gives us about 323 lb-ft.) We expected improved acceleration, and we got it. The bZ zinged to 60 in 4.4 silent seconds, much more in keeping with what we expect from a dual-motor EV than the old bZ4X's 5.8-second run, and it delivered an action-packed launch as an unexpected bonus. With the VSC Off button pressed (stability control never entirely disengages), the bZ bolted from the gate like an ill-tempered stallion, and we could actually feel it scrabbling for traction. The eager bZ ran into its own speed limiter in the quarter mile, which it covered in 13.1 seconds at 101.7 mph, a nice improvement over the old bZ4X's 14.5 at 95.9. What effect does this newfound power have on range and charging? All bZs save for that pathetic base model now have a slightly bigger battery—74.7 kWh versus the prior 72.8 kWh—and that, combined with other improvements, brings a notable bump in range. Per the EPA, the all-wheel-drive bZ goes between 278 and 288 miles depending on trim level (278 for the Limited we drove), up from 222– 228 in the bZ4X. The front-drive Limited model, with the bigger battery, cracks the 300-mile barrier by 14 miles. Oh, and the base model's battery shrinks from 71.4 kWh to 57.7, for an EPA-rated range of 236 miles. We didn't subject the old AWD bZ4X to our Road-Trip Range test, in which we run a steady 70 mph until the battery gets down to 5 percent, but its mechanical twin, a Subaru Solterra Touring AWD, managed 196 miles, while the new bZ returned 222 miles. Like the EPA rating, it's an OK number but not a standout. bZ Can Dish It Out but Can't Take It Unfortunately, when it comes to getting power back into the battery, the Toyota bZ isn't in as much of a hurry. All-wheel-drive models now fast charge at 150 kW, just like the front-drivers—with the old bZ4X, AWD versions charged at 100 kW—but many if not most of the bZ's competitors juice up at faster rates of 240 kW or better. The bZ has adapted the Tesla-style NACS charging port, which will make finding a charger much easier; still, bZ owners should expect to watch a lot of Teslas (and Hyundais and Kias) come and go while they wait. With the battery down to 5 percent, we added 115 miles of range in 15 minutes and 187 miles in 30 minutes; again, this is not a stellar performance. Toyota offers adapters for CCS-style chargers, so if you buy a bZ, we kindly request you stake out a 150-kW CCS charger and leave the 350s for the quicker-charging cars. That'll be most of them. With no major changes to the suspension, we weren't expecting any major braking or handling improvements. The bZ stopped from 60 in 126 feet, a foot longer than the old bZ4X. It circled the skidpad at 0.78 g and ran through our figure-eight handling course in 26.7 seconds, both just a smidge better than the last bZ4X we tested. The small steering wheel and quick ratio made for easy testing on the handling course, but the bZ's steering feels a little hyperactive in real-world driving and offers little useful feedback. Combined with the overeager power delivery, the bZ felt clumsy and uncoordinated on a challenging curvy road. We did like the ride quality, but excessive road and tire noise spoiled the bZ's efforts to sell itself on refinement. And although regenerative braking is good, with multiple regen levels set by steering wheel paddles, there's no true one-pedal driving mode that will let the driver stop the car by lifting off the accelerator. Awkward Interior Get an Awkward Fix The bZ's dashboard is probably its strangest element. The bZ4X originally had an instrument panel set right under the windshield, the idea being that the driver viewed the panel from over the steering wheel rather than through it. Drivers complained they had to set the column too low to see the screen. The 2026 bZ gets a new dash design, primarily to accommodate a new center screen—more on that in a second—but the wheel still sits too low, and the expanse between steering wheel and instrument panel is now a largely unadorned plastic wasteland. For the climate and infotainment controls, Toyota adapted the more compact screen layout found in its Lexus models, which vastly reduces the button count. The problem is that on the bZ's dashboard, the new screen looks exactly like what it is: a part pulled from an entirely different automobile. In the recovered space on the center stack, Toyota added side-by-side wireless chargers. That's great if the bZ owner and their co-pilot need their phones immediately at hand for some reason, but it blocks access to potentially useful storage space. Toyota should check out a Kia EV6 to see how useful a center console can be. You Can Do Better Than This, Toyota (Comma Optional) Overall, the 2026 Toyota bZ AWD Limited struck us as a lukewarm effort to improve a lukewarm product, and it's certainly not representative of the engineering genius that drove the Prius hybrid to win the 2024 MotorTrend Car of the Year award. The bZ is a bland, funny-looking electric SUV that is decidedly anodyne by nearly every measurement. The exception is the 236-mile base model, which pegs the needle but on the wrong side of the gauge. If we can extrapolate from Toyota's estimate, the bZ Limited AWD will start around $47,000. With options—and bear in mind that even on the top-of-the-line model, Toyota charges extra for any paint color that's not black—a bZ AWD Limited like the one we tested will sticker for around 50 grand. Maybe more if tariffs come a-callin', as the bZ is made in Japan. For that kind of money, there are many better electric SUVs. Sadly for the consumer, the answer to our initial question—has Toyota done enough to make the bZ competitive?—is a firm no. While its acceleration is now in the same neighborhood as that of its rivals and its range nearly so, the bZ fails to stand out in any notable way, with the exception of its ride quality and nifty parking camera that renders the car as transparent. Like the old bZ4X and nearly identical Subaru Solterra, the bZ might be a reasonable buy if you can get a good deal. But rather than a refresh, the bZ really needs a do-over.
Toronto Star
09-06-2025
- Automotive
- Toronto Star
Power, range, charging … what's wrong with this EV from Toyota?
PLANO, TEXAS—The tarmac is sun-baked and the air is heavy with humidity. While the road surface isn't bad, there are some pretty aggressive expansion joints that do make themselves felt. But not as much as I would expect. That's because I'm driving the all-new Toyota bZ (formerly bZ4X) electric crossover and, boy, has Toyota ever done wonders with the ride in this version of the vehicle.
Hamilton Spectator
07-06-2025
- Automotive
- Hamilton Spectator
Power, range, charging … what's wrong with this EV from Toyota?
PLANO, TEXAS—The tarmac is sun-baked and the air is heavy with humidity. While the road surface isn't bad, there are some pretty aggressive expansion joints that do make themselves felt. But not as much as I would expect. That's because I'm driving the all-new Toyota bZ (formerly bZ4X) electric crossover and, boy, has Toyota ever done wonders with the ride in this version of the vehicle. As good as the ride is — even though my tester has the optional 20-inch wheels, and that kind of thing tends to affect ride negatively — it's a very small part of a much bigger picture here. A lot of massaging has been done for this mid-cycle refresh of Toyota's one-and-only full battery-electric vehicle — it is a lineup that will soon triple in size after the recent announcement of the new C-HR and bZ Woodland — to address the most pressing needs of the old model, which swirled mainly around EV range and power. There needs to be an asterisk here, because, in some ways they have addressed this, but, in others, they haven't. Just as it was previously, the bZ is available with single-motor front-wheel-drive (FWD) and dual-motor all-wheel-drive (AWD). For '26, the AWD version makes 460 kilometres of range and 338 horsepower, 25- and 50-per-cent boosts, respectively, on the previous model. That's good, but the FWD model has a smaller battery than before and less range, as a result. Toyota maintains this is a cost-saving measure (pricing hasn't yet been announced), but it's, well, a bit of a bummer. AWD models of a car do tend to outsell FWD models in Canada so the lion's share of buyers will likely be happy with this. The story of its styling is a 'Tale of Two Cities'; the front end is a vast departure from the previous model, and not much has changed in the back. The vehicle gets Toyota's new 'Hammerhead' styling, which adds cool c-shaped daytime running lights and a smooth lower fascia with seamlessly-integrated body colour bumpers. Also new for '26: you can have body-coloured fenders depending on the exterior colour choice. For '26 some colours still do get contrast-colour fenders but the ones that don't look very classy and upmarket. At the rear sit the same tail light lenses and twin roof-mounted wings, with changes for '26 amounting to little more than some new badging. Inside, the main additions include a standard 14-inch central infotainment display, as well as optional nine-speaker JBL audio, while dual wireless charge pads are standard on all bZ trims (XLE FWD, XLE AWD, Limited AWD). As was the case before, the speedometer sits atop the dash, in the driver's line of sight, without obstructing the view. It essentially takes the place of a heads-up display, and it works. I spent the duration of my test in the dual-motor AWD version and that 338 horsepower can really be felt as soon as you dip in to the throttle. At 2,065 kilograms in Limited AWD spec, the bZ is no lightweight, but the power on offer and the throttle response make up for that and they have you squirting through intersections with ease. There's no problem getting up to speed on the highway. It's properly quick, this EV CUV, and inspires driver confidence as a result. The ride is very good, even if you specify the 20-inch wheels, but the chassis and suspension tuning is only half the battle when it comes to comfort of occupants. The seats are well padded and supportive, both front and back, and, while there is a nice, deep storage bin underneath the front seat armrest and a deployable armrest in back, hips and stray limbs don't get overly squeezed. The optional full-length glass roof doesn't impinge too much on front- and rear-seat headroom, which is a bonus. The added power and range are advantages. As is the charging. For '26, all bZ models come standard with NACS charging, which means you can plug in to a Tesla Supercharger and charge from 10 per cent to 80 per cent in about 30 minutes. If you prefer to use more traditional charge ports, such as a DC fast charge, each bZ sold comes with an adapter that will allow you to plug in to those, as well as a level II home charger if you happen to have one. Yes, the FWD model makes less range than before, but the power and range on offer from the AWD version hits the nail on the head. In AWD guise, it's exactly what the doctor ordered for the bZ. Type: Five-door, mid-size crossover; all-wheel-drive Engine: Front and rear EV motors; 338 horsepower Range: 460 kilometres Transmission: Single-speed automatic Cargo: 730 litres or 26 cubic feet behind second row Price: Not yet announced
USA Today
01-06-2025
- Automotive
- USA Today
2026 Toyota bZ review: Major upgrades make it a serious EV contender
2026 Toyota bZ review: Major upgrades make it a serious EV contender Show Caption Hide Caption Video first drive: 2026 Toyota bZ gets major makeover Big increases in power and range, new features and more make Toyota's renamed SUV a significant player among small SUVs. Improvements to the '26 bZ start at the EV's heart: battery, charging and motors. The Toyota bZ goes on sale in second half of 2025. The 2026 Toyota bZ makes a leap forward with improvements for everything from the subcompact EV's name to its charging system. The 2022 bZ4X was an uncharacteristic disappointment from the world's largest automaker. Overpriced and under-equipped, it was hamstrung by everything from uncompetitive technology to a ludicrous name. Toyota listened to its critics and turned one of the world's most formidable continuous improvement machines loose. Renamed the bZ ― still not poetry, but the badge no longer looks like a laser printer threw up ― the new model is competitive with small electric SUVs like the Kia Niro, Hyundai Kona and Fiat 500e. The 2026 bZ goes on sale in the second half of 2025. Detailed figures for price, range and charging will be available later. I recently drove a loaded bZ Limited through the exurbs surrounding Toyota's North America headquarters in Plano. It felt like a completely different vehicle from the bZ4X Limited I tested a couple of months ago. Key improvements to 2026 Toyota bZ 25% range increase to 314 miles 50% power increase to 338 horsepower NSCS charging port Plug & Charge compatibility Radical makeover Improvements to the '26 bZ start at the EV's heart: battery, charging and motors. The bZ gets two sizes of lithium-ion battery: a 74.7 kWh unit delivers up to 314 miles range and a 57.7 kWh unit rated at 236 miles. The battery is now capable of pre-conditioning, which speeds up charging and reduces energy use in cold weather. Toyota Tundra recall: Is Toyota's most expensive truck reliable or plagued with issues? A built-in NACS charging port provides access to Tesla's DC fast charging network. An adaptor will be necessary for CCS chargers common at other charging stations. An onboard charger upgraded from 7 to 11 kW will hasten charging at the 240v connections most EV owners use at home. Plug & Charge software makes charging fast and easy at participating chargers including Electrify America, EVgo, ChargePoint and Tesla. Maximum power increases dramatically, from 214 to 338 hp for the AWD model and 201 to 221 hp for FWD. The exterior styling benefits from updated front LED running lights and fascia that bring the nose into harmony with Toyota's "hammerhead" nose. Body-color front fascia and cladding around the wheels is also new. Driving impressions The '26 fairly leaps away from stops compared with its under-power predecessor. Toyota claims a 4.9-seconds 0-60 mph for the AWD bZ. It was mum on the previous model's acceleration, and not out of modesty. The steering was responsive in my time in neighborhoods, shopping districts and along wide, smooth roads that curved between corporate campuses and public parks. The brakes are firm and easy to modulate. New steering column paddles adjust regenerative braking to recapture energy, but there's no one-pedal setting to bring the bZ to a full stop. The front seat is roomy, with a big center console that holds two new wireless charging pads. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard. The new dash has a 14-inch touch screen. The instrument cluster is new, too, bigger and easier to read. A heat pump reduces energy use for heating and cooling the cabin. Standard heated steering wheel and front seats further reduce cold-weather energy use. Climate control options include ventilated front seats, heated rear seats and a radiant front-seat foot and leg heater. Why buy a 2026 Toyota bZ? Price and charging time are huge unknowns, but there's lots to like about the 2026 Toyota bZ. Its improved power and battery size give it competitive performance and range. Revised lights and exterior color pattern make it look like a grown-up vehicle, as opposed to the bZ4X's cobbled-together appearance. The interior of my bZ Limited was comfortable, trimmed in appealing soft materials and roomy. It's a huge step forward to Toyota's EV status, worth a look from anybody shopping for a small electric SUV. 2026 Toyota bZ at a glance Front- or all-wheel drive compact electric SUV Seats five Base price: TBA On sale second half of 2025 Model tested: bZ AWD Limited Price as tested: TBA Power: One electric motor on each axle (167 kW front/87 rear) Output: 338 hp; torque NA Transmission: Single-speed direct drive 0-60 mph: 4.9 seconds AWD, 8 seconds FWD (estimate) Battery: 74.7 or 57.7 kWh lithium-ion EPA estimated range on a charge: 314 miles FWD; 288 miles AWD; 236 miles; FWD 57.7 kWh battery Maximum charging speed: 150 kW DC; 11 kW 240v AC Charging time: TBA Maximum charging rate: 150 kW Wheelbase: 112.2 inches Length: 184.6 inches Width: 73.2 inches Height: 65 inches Ground clearance: 8.2 inches Passenger volume: 94.4 cubic feet Cargo volume: 27.7 cubic feet behind rear seat (25.8 w/JBL speakers) Curb weight: 4,453 pounds Assembled in Aichi, Japan Contact Mark Phelan: mmphelan@ Follow him on Twitter @mark_phelan. 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Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
2026 Toyota bZ Seems to Have Something for Everyone
Four versions of the '26 Toyota bZ will use a 74.7-kWh battery and achieve estimated range of between 278 miles and 314 miles. A front-drive XLE trim will get a new 57.7-kWh battery and 236 miles of range. Early next year, bZ shoppers can step up to something more rugged: the 2026 bZ Woodland edition with a range-topping 375 hp and standard AWD. The new instrument panel overall is streamlined and looks more upscale than the one in the 2025 bZ4X, and the design team moved the gauge cluster higher, making it easier to see in the '26 model. It's much more than just a name change. Yes, Toyota has ditched the clumsy and awkward bZ4X moniker for its most recent battery-electric vehicle for the US market, in hopes that the simplified name 'bZ' will resonate with shoppers and bear fruit when this updated 2026 model starts arriving at Toyota showrooms later this summer. The bZ4X has been in the market for three years—and has taken its lumps along the way. The 2022 launch was plagued by an embarrassing recall for loose hub bolts that might cause wheels to detach. Barely 1,200 units sold in 2022. But the bZ4X recovered well enough to achieve 9,329 sales in 2023 in the US and then another 18,570 in 2024. But for context, higher-priced luxury EVs like the BMW i4, Cadillac Lyriq, and Rivian R1S handily outsold the bZ4X in 2024, as did mainstream EVs like the Mustang Mach-E, Nissan Ariya, and Honda Prologue. So Toyota clearly has work to do in this volatile and politically charged segment for all-electric vehicles, and the latest changes to this refreshed (and renamed) 2026 bZ are notable on a number of fronts. On the outside, you can barely see the difference in the trim and unaltered sheetmetal compared to the 2025 bZ4X. But the mechanical changes for the new bZ are meaningful. The '25 bZ4X offered two battery packs (71.4 kWh and 72.8 kWh), capable of range between 222 and 252 miles. Four versions of the '26 bZ will use a 74.7-kWh battery and achieve estimated range of between 278 miles (with AWD) and 314 miles (with front-wheel drive). Even better, a front-drive XLE trim will be offered with a new, smaller 57.7-kWh battery, rated at 236 miles of range and likely coming in at a lower price point—but with a meager 168 hp. Look for 338 hp combined with AWD (Limited and XLE trim) for '26, up from 214 hp combined on the prior AWD bZ4X. We didn't get to drive that new 338-hp bZ, but even the 221-hp Limited FWD model felt more than lively on a short route last week in and around Plano, Texas, near the Toyota North American headquarters. It was even capable of squawking tires from a standstill. The spec sheet shows a big step up in acceleration to 60 mph, from 6.5 seconds with AWD for the bZ4X to 4.9 seconds with the 338-hp AWD system in the new bZ. But at the lower end with FWD and the smaller 57.7-kWh battery, the bZ is slower to 60 mph: a leisurely 8 seconds compared to 7.1 in the base bZ4X with a larger battery. Toyota's basically giving EV shoppers more options—at both the lower and upper end of the bZ range. For some people with shorter range and power requirements, 168 hp and 236 miles of range might be the perfect vehicle, at a lower price point. And early next year, bZ shoppers can step up to yet another option if they are looking for something more rugged. The 2026 bZ Woodland edition will bring a range-topping 375 hp, standard AWD, up to an estimated 260 miles of range, 3,500 pounds of towing capacity, and 8.3 inches of ground clearance for adventuring off-road. Another important addition for the '26 bZ, including the Woodland: Standard on all of them is the Tesla-designed North American Charging System (NACS) port, giving access to thousands of DC fast charging stations nationwide. If you have a favorite charging station that still uses the Combined Charging System (CCS) port that has been standard for most other EV makers, then you'll be glad to find an adapter that comes with your bZ, at no extra charge. Consider it an insurance policy giving you a lot more charging options during road trips. Look inside the 2026 bZ and you'll see significant design upgrades. The instrument panel is all new and now gets a larger 14-inch multimedia touchscreen in the center that integrates more neatly within the instrument panel. That new screen is positioned higher for better visibility. The old screen had tiny buttons positioned at the base for adjusting volume up and down—good luck working those while moving. Below that were climate controls that were also poorly organized and hard to read. The new configuration is cleaner and simpler and includes two chunky dials for adjusting cabin temperature for both driver and passenger. And right between those dials is another welcome new addition: a physical volume knob (which could use some brightwork to stand out from the all-black background). The instrument panel overall is streamlined and looks more upscale than the one it replaces. The digital gauge cluster in the bZ4X sat too low, and the steering wheel would block its visibility. But for '26 the design team moved the cluster higher, making it easier to see, and pushed it a bit closer to the windshield. And there was just too much going on with the old gauge cluster, which had arms on either side reaching forward toward the driver. In between those arms was a hump that extended and tapered back from the steering wheel toward the cluster. The mess is cleaned up. Also for '26, that steering wheel (which is unchanged and has lots of buttons) comes with paddles to crank up the regenerative braking force (up to four clicks) with the right side, or down with the left. Those paddles weren't there for the bZ4X, so you had to use a switch in the center console. The new paddles work great, but you still don't get full one-pedal driving, just like with the bZ4X. There's another big interior change worth mentioning. The bZ4X center console had one port for wireless phone charging, while the new bZ gets two. And the console has been reconfigured to bring the gear shifter closer to the driver. It all looks better than it did. Starting price for the 2025 bZ4X was $38,205, and we'll have to wait until later this summer for the new pricing when the '26 bZ starts arriving at Toyota showrooms, in XLE and Limited trims. Toyota builds the bZ4X in Japan and China. Do you plan to cross-shop the 2026 Toyota bZ with any other EVs? Please comment below.
