Toyota bZ4X First Drive Taking a Spin in Toyota's New Electric SUV Price, Range & More

Toyota bZ4X

What is happening in 2023?

2023 Toyota bZ4X First Drive Taking a Spin in Toyota's New Electric SUV Price, Range & More : This is the BZ4X in 2022. And in appearance, it leaves a very good impression. After all, this is a great vehicle for Toyota. Because it is the first electric car. You can get front wheel drive versions of single motors or front wheel drive versions of these twin motors. And you can step on it and do it. Sorry. Exceeded my expectations.

Toyota bZ4X

Toyota bZ4X

Thus, the BZ4X can be completely powered up thanks to the instantaneous torque of the battery and the electric motor. This car was developed in collaboration with Subaru, which released a version called Solterra. This puts both the BZ4X and Solterra in direct competition with other electric vehicles in the small SUV segment, such as the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, Volkswagen ID.4 and of course Tesla Model Y.

But what grabs my attention, grabs my attention, and then keeps it? However, the two-engine versions get up to 228 miles of EPA-estimated range. The single-engine version comes with 252 which is a good thing. And while I probably don't need to tell you that the BZ4X is comfortable, it's not exactly fun. So let's spend the rest of this trip taking a look at the new car and seeing what it has to offer.

prices and specifications

There are two trim levels for the BZ4X, the XLE and then the Limited. Whichever version you get, every BZ4X has some pretty cool features like a panoramic sunroof and a wide range of advanced safety features.

Toyota bZ4X

So on a trim like the XLE, which gets you 18-inch wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control, and LED lighting all around. Upgrading to Limited will improve you quite a bit. For example, the front seats are electrically adjustable, heated and ventilated. Also, those 18-inch wheels were upgraded in the 20s, and so was the electric tailgate. That's 201 hp.

It can also be upgraded to a twin-engine version with all-wheel drive. Jump up to 215 horsepower. This gives you a larger battery and an extra electric motor. As you may have noticed, this is not a huge boost. But if you often drive your car in slippery, icy or snowy conditions, this seems like a good option.

As you can see, the pressure on the throttle in this twin-engine version was very strong. [inaudible] Let's talk price. In terms of ballpark pricing, you can expect the XLE to start around $42,000. And Limiteds like this start at around $47,000. If you want both the twin-motor version and the all-wheel-drive version, add around $2,000.

The highlight of the pricing is that Toyota is offering federal rebates of up to $7,500. But ultimately, we'll run out of Toyota's estimates by the fourth quarter of this year. After that there is always a federal rebate.

But less and less until the program finally works perfectly. So, if you're considering the BZ4X and pricing with federal rebates is a factor, now is the right time.

Competitors:

The BZ4X has many electric competitors. And for many buyers, the battery's rated range will make all the difference. Well, the BZ4X may not have the best tracks in the world. But it is competitive with certain versions of the Volkswagen ID. 4 Ford Mustang Mac E.

Of course, as soon as we get the chance, we'll bring the BZ4X in for our test run and put it in the Edmunds EV test loop to see if it can actually meet those EPA ratings. Toyota also offers a great benefit to BZ4X buyers. You get one year free of charge at public EVGO stations. So expect to familiarize yourself with people in your area.

interior

interior toyota bz4x

interior toyota bz4x

The cabin has a very familiar Toyota quality. There are soft surfaces and hard plastics. so is a perfect Lots of shiny black pianos. Now, all in all, it looks profitable and maybe cheap.

But with things like the black piano, they're just trying to improve the joint a bit, especially for the price. It looks better than your regular plastic. But it also creates a lot of shine. As we drove, the sun shone brightly. It went straight into my eyeball. It's not the best.

So there is also a bit of funk in the style. For example, here is intermediate storage. can you see my hand And it has a flat surface to put things. And in contrast to the Ioniq 5, it also serves to separate the driver's and front passenger's seat bottom. When I sat down, I struggled to see the use case. I mean, first of all, I'm not going to load a lot of wood here. I enjoy seeing you better. And that cool jet fighter style layout. To Toyota aficionados, it may sound bold, even a little futuristic, and Toyota seems to be pushing the boundaries a bit. As for this touchscreen, it's just a touchscreen, so you have to press it, it's 12.3 inches.

And it's the same for all his BZ4X versions. So every car gets it. That's great. This is the same updated Toyota system I tested on my last Tundra and really liked it. I also like the different menus, which are super easy to navigate and responsive. And the card is nice too. They have a unique vibe. And they are really easy to move. Additionally, wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto are standard on all trim levels. And there is also a wireless charger underneath. At the rear, the floor is quite high and you have to go up and down a bit. I think they are the same height as the front seat. But for some reason I couldn't see it in front. But when I go there, the headroom is limited but good. Legroom is a definite strength. I can stretch a lot. and i have long legs Do not open the doors often.

So if you have a lot of bulky stuff lying around, maybe try this out before you buy. And then there's a pull-out section for your drinks.

There are two USB-C ports. This model is limited, so you get the option of heated rear seats. Very nice. Very good comfortable place. Lots of glossy piano black. But this material is beautiful and soft. So I came back here and was able to spend quite a bit of time. What are you saying?

Pregnancy:

cargo toyota bz4x

cargo toyota bz4x

When it comes to cargo space, the BZ4X has a maximum capacity of 27.7 cubic feet. Now, that's less than many competing EVs, but slightly more than the Ioniq 5. If you load heavy items inside, the cargo floor is at a comfortable and appropriate height. There is also an underground compartment if you want to dispose of wet or smelly clothes. You can also slide the floor to free up a little more space.

There are many electrical components under the hood of the BZ4X, but no trunk. Now I insist on Solterra for this. Solterra has no advantage over products like the Ioniq 5. It's kind of a joke. To relieve even the smallest of pains without a trunk, you can opt for the BZ4X roof rail. I can go back

EV engines, power and performance "Drive the Impression":

Toyota bZ4X EV engines

Let's talk about how the BZ4X drives. This is what I expected. We saw the BZ4X's 201 horsepower on the spec sheet. The twin engine versions get the 215. What I got instead is a rocket ship.

It takes much longer than I expected. This is impressive. It is also stable on the road and on the motorway at low speeds. As for how it drives the rest of the car, the steering can be a little rough and sloppy, but it's not bad and responsive enough.

I really like the brake pedal. Stopping and slowly adjusting the pedals is easy. It has some of the brick-like feel that is typical of some electric cars. But it's not hard to feel your way through it. No one pedal is driving.

At least in my experience and research I have seen, electric vehicle buyers want a pedal driving experience. I know some car manufacturers disagree. I think this is a lost opportunity. I think that's what Toyota should have focused on. Many people see this as a benefit of owning electric cars. I also mentioned earlier the advanced safety features you get with the car.

Many Toyotas these days are equipped with the TSS 2.0, which offers a whole host of different functions. Comes with 3.0. What does that mean - there aren't really any additional features. But everything has been improved with improved cameras and sensors throughout the car, most notably Lane Keeping Assist, which helps you stay between lanes and gives you some steering assistance.

But other than that there isn't much to say in terms of driving. There is nothing complicated to learn. It's kind of like jumping into some early Priuses where hybrid technology can seem intimidating to a lot of people.

But then you get in it and you realize, oh, you drive it very easily like a normal car. One last thing to mention about driving is that there's an Eco Mode button for more efficient driving and Subaru's X Mode for extra traction settings.

CarsZap Take:

The BZ4X seems to capture classic Toyota appeal in terms of everyday usability. That doesn't necessarily mean it's the best car out there for you.

There are a lot of electric vehicles that offer more personality, more performance, more range, or all three. So take a long look at the BZ4X before you decide to settle on it. And, of course, stay tuned to carszap.com to see when we're able to get in a BZ4X for our full slate of tests so that we can give it a rating score and see how it stacks up against the rest of the EV class. In the meantime, leave us a comment below and let us know what kind of impression it left with you. Thanks for reading.