The brand’s first mass-produced electric vehicle is the 2023 Toyota bZ4X, which is currently the only EV available. It is a compact SUV that is very similar to the brand-new Subaru Solterra and is about the same size as a RAV4. This Toyota EV makes them claim characteristics.
The Chevrolet Bolt EUV, the Ford Mustang Mach E, the Hyundai Kona Electric, the Kia Niro EV, the Tesla Model Y, and the Volkswagen ID.4 are among the growing number of non-luxury EV SUVs. Now 2023 Toyota bZ4X has joined that club. Although the Subaru Solterra costs more and comes standard with all-wheel drive, the bZ4X and Subaru Solterra are nearly identical.
2023 Toyota bZ4X: Powertrain, transmission, and performance
Standard is a front-wheel-drive, single-motor setup with 201 horsepower, which is exactly the same as the Kia Niro EV and Volkswagen ID.4’s front-wheel-drive version. Two motors power the all-wheel-drive model, but power only rises slightly to 215 horsepower. That’s a lot less than the all-wheel-drive Hyundai Ioniq 5 (320 hp) or the all-wheel-drive ID.4 (295 hp). Toyota claims that front-wheel-drive models can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 7.1 seconds, while all-wheel-drive models can accelerate in 6.5 seconds.
The EPA rates the bZ4X’s territory at 252 miles in XLE FWD pretense. With the XLE AWD model, that mileage drops to 242 miles. FWD Limited models have a range of 228 miles and AWD Limited models have a range of 222 miles. Limited models have more features and bigger wheels. Charging from 0 to 80 percent takes an hour, which is slower than the average for the segment. FWD models charge at a rate of 150 kW, while AWD models only charge at 100 kW.
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2023 Toyota bZ4X: Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
The interior of the bZ4X is airy and spacious, and the 12.3-inch touchscreen in the center of the dashboard is a digital gauge display. Standard features include wireless smartphone mirroring and navigation for three years before becoming subscription-based features. Although there is no glovebox, the wide center console between the two front seats has open storage and standard wireless smartphone charging. A radiant heating element in the lower dash of the Limited is an optional feature that warms the legs of riders in the front seat. The rear cargo hold is 26 to 28 cubic feet, as opposed to the RAV4’s 38, and there is also no trunk.
2023 Toyota bZ4X Exterior: Design
The bZ4X, like the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Volkswagen ID.4, is more like a tall wagon or hatchback than an SUV. The blacked-out panels that surround the wheel wells appear to be made to look like SUV body cladding, but in person, they just look out of shape. In profile view, the upright roof and faceted surfaces of the bZ4X make it look like the popular Toyota RAV4 crossover. Other automakers have developed dedicated vehicle architectures for their electric vehicles; however, Toyota chose to repurpose its Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) for the bZ4X, naming the EV version e-TNGA. Subaru will sell a bZ4X that is nearly identical to the Solterra, expanding an already existing partnership between the two automakers. Toyota’s Lexus extravagance brand will get its own rendition too, called the RZ 450e.
Although the bZ4X has a respectable amount of cargo space, it does not have a trunk. Due to the relatively level floor, which makes it simple to move things from one side to the other for curbside unloading, the back seats can also be used as a surprising storage space.
Infotainment, features, and driver assistance
Standard features include a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, natural language voice recognition, and over-the-air update capability, as well as a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster. A nine-speaker JBL audio system and a Wi-Fi hotspot (with AT&T service) are also available.
The 2023 Toyota bZ4X comes standard with four USB-C charging ports — two for each line of seats — and a USB-A port for media input. Also included is wireless phone charging, and Toyota covered the charging pad so you won’t want to look at your phone. With the bZ4X, Toyota becomes the latest automaker to offer digital key functionality. This means that people with certain smartphones can use their phones to lock, unlock, and drive their vehicles instead of using a key.
According to Toyota, the bZ4X is the first model to receive the most recent Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 system, which improves the performance of the radar and camera. Forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane keep assist, lane tracing assist, automated lane centering, and safe exit assist are among the standard driver assistance features made possible by these sensors. Safe exit assist makes use of the blind spot sensors to warn the driver of oncoming traffic as they exit the vehicle. On the Limited trim level, a 360-degree camera system is also available.
While Toyota only offers hands-on adaptive cruise with the aforementioned lane tracing assist feature to keep the car in its lane, the Chevy Bolt EUV can be outfitted with General Motors’ hands-free Super Cruise system, the Nissan Ariya can perform automated lane changes with its ProPilot Assist 2.0 system, and the Ford Mustang Mach-E offers the hands-free BlueCruise system.
Trims, Colors, and Price
The 2023 Toyota bZ4X is available in nine exotic colors including four dual-tone colors. The colors are Wind Chill Pearl, Elemental Silver Metallic, Heavy Metal, Supersonic Red, Black, Wind Chill Pearl with Black Roof, Elemental Silver Metallic with Silver Black roof, Heavy Metal with Black roof, and Supersonic Red with Black roof. The two trim levels for 2023 bZ4X are XLE and Limited. bZ4X XLE starts at $42,000 and the bZ4X Limited trim starts at $46,700.
