2024 (74) Toyota Bz4x 150kW Pure 71.4kWh 5dr Auto [11kW]

By Jonathan Crouch

Introduction

By 2021, Toyota had sold over 70 million electrified vehicles, but they'd virtually all been hybrids. Launched in that year, this bZ4X mid-sized SUV was the brand's first purpose-built EV. Since its engineering drew on over two decades of electrified automotive experience, you'd expect it to be a very complete product indeed. You shouldn't be disappointed.

History

What kind of purpose-built EV might the world's biggest car maker bring us? The bZ4X was our answer, introduced back in 2021 as Toyota's first all-new Battery Electric Vehicle. Silly name perhaps, but this car had a very serious remit. It was the first in what the brand planned to be a whole series of 'bZ' (or 'beyond Zero')-branded Toyota electric products to be launched globally. The less-than-catchy name referenced the size of car ('4' designates the brand's mid-sized models) - and the vehicle type (in this case 'X' for Crossover/SUV). Back in 2021 we'd certainly waited long enough for this contender. Given that by then Toyota had been making electrified vehicles for over a quarter of a century and experimented with a full-electric concept version of the RAV4 as long ago as 1997, it was surprising that this bZ4X took so long to arrive. It didn't actually go on sale here until the end of 2022, the launch delayed by a detaching wheel hub scandal that the brand took months to fix. And initial sales were slowed by overly conservative 'battery buffering', which caused the car to under-estimate its available drive range, something reduced by an initially inefficient cabin heater But the world's biggest car maker could afford to take its time in developing this model. Unlike most of its rivals, because brand had a range of efficient Hybrids, it didn't urgently need EVs to meet its European fleet CO2 targets. But, like every other car manufacturer, it knew it would certainly need plenty of them soon. Hence the multi-million pound development of the all-new eTNGA platform needed for this car and the many other Toyota and Lexus EVs scheduled to follow it. That chassis was also shared with Subaru, who led the development of this Toyota in its twin motor AWD form and were therefore been rewarded with the chance to sell a badge-engineered version of that 4x4 model called the Soltera. It's this bZ4X though, that Toyota hoped EV customers would become familiar with, the car tasked with paving the way towards achieving a global sales target of 3.5 million EV Toyotas a year by 2030. This model was significantly updated in late 2025, but it's the earlier 2021-2025-era versions of this car we look at here.

What You Get

You sense that Toyota was undecided whether it's first proper electric vehicle should look like an EV or an SUV. Which is why we got a design here that blended a bit of both, hardly altered at all from the concept Toyota first showed at the Los Angeles Motor Show in 2021, apparently based around the theme of 'Hi-Tech and Emotion'. At least it's different. And certainly different from Toyota's usual SUV contender of this size, the RAV4. The 4.69-metres-long silhouette's more angular too, with pronounced upper creases on both doors and a lower tick-shaped swage line that flows up into the rear wheel arch. The frontal appearance is characterised by a brand-defining 'hammerhead' shape, with beady signature slim LED headlight 'eyes' and an emphasis on the front corners that's supposed to communicate the car's strong stance. At the rear, the design focus is again on emphasising the corners. The split roof spoiler that's standard above base trim is interesting and its aerodynamic properties are supposed to make unnecessary a rear wiper, so unfortunately Toyota didn't fit one. Inside, it's all quite different, as you'd hope with a car designed from a clean sheet of paper. Whether the bZ4X offers as luxurious a cabin as ought to grace an aspirational upper mid-sized EV is another question. Charismatic furnishing and opulent panelling isn't everything of course and there's no doubt that back in 2021 this was the most sophisticated front-of-cabin design the company had ever offered - and in some ways the most unusual. The absence of a glovebox is supposed to create an airier feeling, which unfortunately you don't really notice because you're hemmed in by the high-set centre console, below which room created by the absence of a transmission tunnel frees up open lower shallow storage space you'll hardly ever use. The other thing you'll notice pretty soon after getting comfortable is the unusual wheel and instrument binnacle arrangement that sees you staring through the spokes of a smaller-than-usual steering wheel at a seven-inch digital combimeter instrument screen supported by unusual grey slatted struts. Anything else you'll need to know will of course be found on the central infotainment monitor, which will be of the 12.3-inch 'Toyota Smart Connect' kind provided you've avoided the base 'Pure' level of trim that hardly anyone will want. That 'Smart Connect' set-up's a vast improvement on previous Toyota infotainment technology and includes over-the-air updates, cloud-based navigation and a decently intuitive voice activation system. The steering wheel and instrument screen layout might take a bit of adjustment, but you'll like the commandingly SUV-like seating position and the supportive front chairs. In the rear, it's certainly spacious in terms of leg room - you'll find it to be vast if you come to this car from a combustion-powered saloon or SUV of this size. Headroom isn't quite so noteworthy, so particularly lanky folk might have to take advantage of the backrest recline adjustment feature. More significant though is an issue that affects quite a few EVs of this kind; namely that the high floor level necessitated by the bulky lower battery pack means that the underside of your thighs could be better supported - though it's something that you'll only notice really keenly on longer trips. Does that long wheelbase translate into a vast boot capacity? Not really. The tailgate's powered providing you avoid base trim and once it rises, a 452-litre capacity is revealed. That seat back recline function means you've the option of making the backrests a little more upright when you're cramming suitcases in - three 82-litre cases would fit if you did that, or if you prefer, a couple of mountain bikes. Toyota forgot to install cargo sidewall catches too, so you've to stretch to the ones on the seat shoulders if you need to flatten the rear bench. Once you've done that, you'll find that the space opened up isn't quite flat, but it should be quite sufficient for the needs of most owners.

What to Look For

The first issue the bZ4X faced in its production life was a global recall for wheels that could potentially detach due to loose hub bolts. If you're looking at a very early bZ4X, make sure that this recall has been addressed. Early owners also complained about very limited range in very cold weather - sometimes as little as 70-100 miles on a charge; it's worth an extended test before you buy. Very cold weather significantly slowed charging times of early models too. We've heard reports of the 12V battery failing, which could lead to the car not starting - and to infotainment system issues. Otherwise it's just the usual things. Check the alloy wheels carefully for condition and the rear part of the interior for child damage. Insist on a proper service history.

Replacement Parts

(approx - based on a 2022 bZ4X 204bhp ex VAT - autodoc.co.uk) A cabin filter is priced in the £22 to £49 bracket. An oil filter costs in the £4 to £12 bracket. On to brakes. A set of front pads tend to retail in the £19 to £38 bracket. Front brake discs tend to be in the £57-£90 bracket. You'll need in the £390 bracket for a tail light. A windscreen is in the £875 bracket.

On the Road

Toyota's prevailing mantra, that for 'no more boring cars', was certainly put to the test with this one, this bZ4X, like its segment rivals, weighed down with a battery as heavy as an Asian baby elephant. From launch, that battery was a meaty 71.4kWh in size and sat low down as an integral structural part of the 'eTNGA' platform. The taut rigidity of this chassis helps explain surprisingly agile cornering prowess for a mid-sized EV Crossover of this class and those underpinnings can accommodate either front-driven or all-wheel drive powertrains. Both can be had with a bZ4X and both use a clever 'eAxle' design that integrates the transaxle, the electric motor and the inverter in a single unit. The 2WD version gets a front-mounted 150kW motor developing 201bhp and offering between 277 and 317 miles of range - it's probably all the bZ4X you really need. It would be a pity though, to ignore the alternative Subaru-developed AWD model, which offers a downrated 80kW motor on the front axle, with another identically-powerful motor at the rear, hence the 215bhp system output and between 257 and 286 miles of range. 'X-MODE' branded 'Snow/Dirt' or 'Deep Snow/Mud' drive settings give this EV an unusual level of capability on the slippery stuff too. A more useful selectable drive setting for all bZ4X models is that for 'Regeneration Boost', which slows your off-throttle progress by up to 0.15G, in the process harvesting more energy to recharge the battery as you drive. Earlier versions of this Toyota needed that, given that from launch, this car's mileage range figures were hardly class-leading, but in terms of refinement and ride quality, it's up with the class leaders from its period. As is handling response through the turns. This car can offer an 11kW three-phase on-board charger and will accept fast charging at up to 150kW, which will get you an 80% fill in 20 minutes from a 150kW DC charger - it'd be an hour with a 50kW DC charger. Your garage wallbox with a 230V/32A supply will take about nine and a half hours for a full charge.

Overall

Stupid name: very sensible car. The bZ4X turned out to be good enough to endorse Toyota's decision to play the long game and take its time in developing a full EV. We'd hoped for a more premium cabin ambience and a more ground-breaking set of drive range stats, but in almost every other respect, this car emerged as a very complete product indeed once Toyota had sorted out its initial glitches. The engineering here was certainly complete enough to make quite a few other mid-sized full-electric Crossover rivals of the period feel a bit 'first generation'. In many ways, this was the EV Toyota's rivals always feared it would build. In our early testing, we were surprised just how engaging this car felt to drive: and few contenders in this class ride better. In addition, the bZ4X also scores in terms of its refinement. Plus Toyota's also clearly very carefully thought through all the worthy stuff like end-of-life recycling and carbon neutrality over the full production cycle. We're surprised the brand didn't use this design's lengthy gestation period to engineer in the 800V electrical infrastructure that would have opened up access to the coming new generation of ultra-fast public chargers. Overall, the bZ4X was exactly what the world's biggest car maker needed in this segment, decently arresting to look at, just about competitively priced and, unlike most previous models from the brand, properly provided for in terms of connectivity. It became more polished and longer-ranging in post-2025-era updated form. But if you don't need that, you may feel that early versions of the bZ4X will suit you just fine.