Latest news with #bZ
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Toyota Gets More Comfortable With EVs, Adds Compact 2026 C-HR SUV to Lineup
PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing. Toyota unveiled a new electric car today, signaling more commitment to pure EVs after taking a bit longer than its competitors to warm up to the idea. The C-HR hits dealers in 2026 and joins Toyota's first EV, the newly renamed bZ, in the Japanese automaker's slim electric lineup. Toyota hasn't revealed the price yet, but a few signs point to it being an affordable pick. The C-HR has up to a 290-mile range, which is solid for everyday driving but below the bZ's 314 miles. It's also a compact crossover, compared to the bZ's larger body. The C-HR also has a smaller trunk, at 25.4 cubic feet of cargo space compared with the bZ's 27.7 cubic feet. Like the bZ, the C-HR runs on Toyota's e-TNG battery platform and features a NACS charge port, which is compatible with Tesla Superchargers without an adapter. The two cars both have 338 horsepower and charge from 10% to 80% in 30 minutes on a public fast charger "under ideal conditions," meaning drivers will likely experience slower speeds as well. Tech-wise, the C-HR features the same 14-inch touch screen and customizable ambient lighting as the bZ. It comes with two wireless smartphone chargers and rear-cabin USB ports. It supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. When considered as a whole, the specs for the C-HR and bZ are so similar—and revealed one day apart—that we reached out to Toyota for clarification on the main differences. A spokesperson confirmed: "[The] primary difference comes down to size, it's a bit shorter in length and height. The styling cues are slightly different on the front and rear quarters as well. From a handling perspective, the smaller form will impact overall feel and there will also be some differences in the suspension components, with additional details shared closer to on-sale date." This isn't necessarily a bad thing. It actually points to Toyota trying to create a cohesive EV lineup that it could grow. Most brands standardize the "design language" for vehicles in a similar class, though they have more standard naming conventions than Toyota is offering here. The Volvo EX90, for example, is Volvo's flagship electric SUV, and informs the more affordable EX30. The C-HR will come in two trim options, the SE and XSE. Both have the same 290-mile range, but the top-of-the-line XSE has the option to add on nicer interior and exterior finishes, an 8-way power passenger seat, driver memory seat, digital rearview mirror, traffic jam assist, and lane change assist. It also features a suite of self-driving features, such as pre-collision warnings, pedestrian detection, dynamic cruise control, lane departure alert with steering assist, and automatic high beams. Although Toyota doesn't offer hands-free driving like some others do, the C-HR comes with Proactive Driving Assist. It uses "the vehicle's camera and radar, when system operating conditions are met, to provide gentle braking and/or steering to support driving tasks," Toyota says.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
View Every Angle of the Upgraded 2026 Toyota bZ Electric SUV
read the full review Toyota is upgrading its electric SUV for 2026, and it also gets a name change from bZ4X to just bZ. The 2026 bZ gets a visual update that includes new headlights and new front and rear bumpers. The front end has the "hammerhead" lighting signature also seen on several other Toyotas. Toyota also changed the black plastic trim around the wheel wells to body color. The new bZ also gets upgrades to its powertrain, including more powerful electric motors. The interior feels more spacious than before thanks to a less obtrusive center-console design. There are now two wireless phone-charging pads for front-seat passengers. The touchscreen infotainment system is larger than before. The bZ is a five-passenger, two-row compact SUV. The top version of the bZ now makes 338 horsepower from a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive powertrain. The top battery is slightly larger than before, too, with an estimated capacity of 67 kWh. You Might Also Like Car and Driver's 10 Best Cars through the Decades How to Buy or Lease a New Car Lightning Lap Legends: Chevrolet Camaro vs. Ford Mustang!
Yahoo
3 days ago
- 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.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- 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.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Look out GM, Ford and Honda: Toyota just got serious about EVs with 2026 bZ small SUV
PLANO, Texas – 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. More: 2025 Toyota bZ4X EV disappoints, but a change may be coming 25% range increase to 314 miles 50% power increase to 338 horsepower NSCS charging port Plug & Charge compatibility 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. More: 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 SUV brings style and tech to electric family haulers 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. 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. 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. 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. Read more on autos and sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 2026 bZ is proof that Toyota just got serious about EVs
