Toyota bZ4X Test: How Good Is the First Fully Electric Model?

IF we exclude the ProAce utility vehicles, the Toyota bZ4X is the brand’s first true 100% car, which does its job without highlights.

We took the wheel of a pre-production model of the bZ4X, Toyota’s first 100% electric car. The Japanese manufacturer is trying to position itself in a market that had begun to slip away from it.

Electric by obligation

Only fools don’t change their minds. And when the vast majority of actors in the same sector move in the same direction, whether by force like Stellantis with Carlos Tavares or not, it becomes increasingly difficult to go against the current.

Until now, Toyota had resisted. But while the world’s leading automaker (contesting the title with Volkswagen depending on the year) weathered the storm and eventually proved right about hybrids, it was quite alone in advocating hydrogen over battery electric vehicles.

Therefore, after declaring just a few months ago that electric cars were not our future, Akio Toyoda, Toyota’s president, unveiled a few weeks ago the new bZ line. A batch of six models, all electric, built on the same platform, with the bZ4X being the first of its kind.

Arrival in June, Toyota bZ4X initially for rent

This new kind of Toyota will arrive at dealerships in June, with deliveries starting in September. To date, no price has been announced. However, it can be reserved online, provided you sign up for a long-term lease.

The entry-level version, with two-wheel drive (Pure trim), is offered at €399/month (37 months or 30,000 km), after an initial payment of €13,450. Toyota indicates that this version is eligible for a €5,000 bonus, which suggests its final price will be less than €45,000.

But for all other trims or versions, the bonus drops to €1,000. To get the version we tested, with four-wheel drive in the top-range Origin Exclusive trim, you’ll need to pay an initial fee of €12,450, plus 36 monthly payments of €579 for a 30,000 km contract. Totaling more than €33,294 over three years and 30,000 km, with a 218 hp car whose range is claimed at 422 km. Not cheap, this latest Toyota…

Enjoyable driving, even off-road

The bZ4X was developed in collaboration with Subaru, which will soon release a similar model under the name Solterra. On the road, the vehicle offers a comfortable ride with a certain dynamism. Its power isn’t huge, but the torque is generous, and driving enjoyment is felt. Of course, it weighs two tons and has no sporty character.

But in city driving, the silence and smoothness are wonderful, and in the countryside, the all-wheel drive and 21 cm ground clearance invite adventure. No one will remember, but the bZ4X is equipped with an intelligent multimode transmission, which allows it to handle many situations.

We visited the complex of Nasser Al-Attiyah, near Barcelona, where the recent Dakar winner trains and hosts teams in a nine-hectare rally-raid facility. There, we had the opportunity to test the bZ4X in steep grades, mud, or through a series of bumps. Each time, by adjusting the vehicle’s driving modes, we managed to handle the challenges with ease.

Few off-road enthusiasts will buy this kind of vehicle, but it’s worth acknowledging that silent, torque-rich, emission-free off-road driving has its appeal. Our test vehicle performed very well, even with road tires.

A spacious but curious interior for the Toyota bZ4X

The 12.3-inch central screen (8 inches in entry-level versions) makes a good impression. It even stands out in this plastic-filled environment, like a high-tech element. The digital instrument cluster echoes this, with a 7-inch display. It is placed quite far from the driver, at the end of two plastic arms. This setup looks rather sad, unlike the central display, which is much livelier and appears of good quality. Responsive and with simple yet elegant graphics, it is expected to host many of the vehicle’s functions.

However, being a pre-series model, the bZ4X provided to us lacked many features. There was no data on the regeneration system’s operation, and incorrect information about “fuel” consumption was displayed. 35 kWh/100 km was shown, whereas the actual consumption deduced from the quoted range was 16.9 kWh/100 km. That is average segment figures. We will need to verify this data in real conditions once the production version is homologated.

The new voice control, however, worked perfectly, like on a Mercedes EQB. Saying “Hey Toyota”, which can be customized so we don’t have to address the car as if it were a sports commentator, activates functions by explaining the request. For example, saying “I’m cold” will raise the temperature. Saying “Find me a Japanese restaurant” will prompt a list of suggestions on the screen, appearing quite quickly.

A low-voltage battery, potentially slowing recharging?

In modern electric cars, the main players use 400 V systems. The best such as the Audi e-tron GT, Hyundai Ioniq 5, or Porsche Taycan operate at 800 volts. This allows them to enable faster charging, accepting up to 239 kW for the Kia EV6.

Toyota has opted for a 355 V battery with liquid cooling, capable of accepting 150 kW DC fast charging. Many vehicles, such as the Ford Mustang Mach-E, use similar systems. But this figure already seems “challenging” given today’s battery capacities. Especially because, depending on outdoor temperature and the heating of cells (linked to driving style before charging), fast chargers rarely reach this theoretical maximum.

The manufacturer states that its technology for maintaining cells at an optimal temperature will improve charging efficiency. This is meant to bridge their theoretical limitations on paper while ensuring reliability. The Toyota bZ4X also guarantees its batteries for 10 years at 70% capacity, or 1 million kilometers.

Test verdict of the Toyota bZ4X

Toyota has managed to craft an approach that not only manages to forgive but nearly forgets mediocre range and charging capabilities.

By leveraging its reputation for reliability and positioning itself as an expert in electrified vehicles, the Japanese automaker has also launched the first all-terrain capable electric car, even suitable for some off-road situations. This can be seen as a way to catch up by occupying new ground.

Technical specifications of the tested Toyota bZ4X