Driving Toyota’s first electric car — we’re going to ignore the limited-run RAV4 EV from 1997 — should be a big deal. It’s ignored the electric car market for years, focusing on hybrids to deliver huge efficiency improvements, but 12 years after the Nissan Leaf arrived, Toyota has finally capitulated and launched the bZ4X.
The bZWhat?
The bZ4X. It doesn’t roll off the tongue, does it? As with anything Toyota, there’s a reason for it; the bZ stands for ‘beyond zero’ (we’ve no idea why the ‘z’ isn’t capitalised, though), which is the firm’s name for all its future electric vehicles. The ‘4’ stands for its size, and we know there’ll be a smaller ‘3’ model and a larger ‘5’ model to come. Finally, the ‘X’ means it’s an SUV, although Toyota hasn’t mentioned what letters will be assigned to hatchbacks, saloons or estates.
So what is it?
It’s a medium-sized SUV that’s going head to head with some big electric rivals, ranging from the Nissan Ariya and Kia EV6 to the Tesla Model Y and Mercedes-Benz EQB.
It’s all built on a new platform unique to Toyota’s electric cars, which is flexible enough to allow single or dual electric motors and various battery pack sizes but with some fixed points to keep costs under control. Subaru helped with the development, which is why its Solterra model looks all but identical to the Toyota, both inside and out.
Toyota fits a 71.4kWh battery pack to the bZ4X, which is good for up to 317 miles, depending on the trim level. The entry-level Pure model gets the longest range, while the range-topping Vision with four-wheel drive drops to 259 miles. We’re in a mid-range Motion model, also with four-wheel drive, that will manage 286 miles on a charge, according to official test data.
Four-wheel drive? Will it go off-road?
Nobody uses their sensible family car to go off-road, but we took it to the wilds of Scotland to put it to the test anyway, where it did surprisingly well.
It’s got quite an overhang at both ends of the car and rides just 177mm from the ground, so you won’t be tackling the Darien Gap in the bZ4X, but it scrambled up wet, sloppy forest tracks, climbed rocky trails, and even waded through a freezing burn leading to Loch Lomond that was definitely deeper than the 500mm wading limit Toyota quotes.
It wasn’t always pretty, and we may have lost a couple of minor body parts in the water (sorry, Toyota), but the bZ4X made it up, across and through anything we dared to tackle, so it’ll be fine when faced with a slightly muddy car park at the races.
What’s it like on the road?
The four-wheel-drive model has two eclectic motors, one at each end, each providing 109hp. The mathematicians amongst you will have worked out that it’s got 218hp in total, backed up by 337Nm of torque.
That’s enough for a 0-62mph sprint time of 7.5 seconds, which is quick enough for a sensible family car. Yes, other electric cars go quicker, but it soon becomes a redundant statistic in the real world.
A low centre of gravity helps the bZ4X feel stable (a heavy battery pack mounted under the floor will help that), but it’s not a car you could ever describe as sporty. The suspension does a decent job of keeping the car comfortable without allowing it to wallow around, although the compliant Yokohama tyres on 18-inch wheels also help to keep it comfy inside. A 20-inch wheel is fitted to the Vision models, which has an appreciable impact on ride quality.
Despite its comfort-oriented approach, it’s still possible to have a bit of fun in the Toyota, with the chassis being pleasingly well-balanced. The steering is a little lifeless, though, but it never saps confidence.
What’s it like inside?
Toyota likes to do things in a thoroughly sensible way, but the cabin of the bZ4X is a departure from the manufacturer’s usual sombre but effective designs. Perhaps it’s Subaru’s influence, but the dashboard is unlike anything else on the road. Well, apart from the Subaru Solterra.
Behind the slightly smaller-than-usual steering wheel is a distant instrument panel. All digital, the 7.0-inch screen sits at the end of a plastic valley but doesn’t quite gel. It could be the graphics, which are quite busy and a little dated, with no customisation options to simply what’s displayed. It also doesn’t show the battery percentage, limiting you to seeing how many miles remain in the car, despite that being something that can change rapidly if you get a bit feisty with the throttle pedal.
To the left sits a huge glossy plastic panel that meanders towards the centre console. It houses a 12.3-inch infotainment screen (although it’s just 8.0 inches on the Pure spec cars) that runs Toyota’s latest software, which is fine if not exceptional. It’s got all the gadgets you want, like navigation, a DAB radio, voice recognition and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but other systems are more intuitive and easier on the eye.
It’s all wrapped up in a touch-sensitive panel that houses a gear selection knob (although there are only forwards and backwards to choose from) and a neat covered cubby for your phone.
Swathes of fabric cover parts of the dashboard, giving the car an initially upmarket feel, but that soon passes as you find various touchpoints with hard plastics and, in places, rather insubstantial materials. Toyota’s luxury brand, Lexus, could pass on a few tips.
There’s lots of space for everyone, especially in the back, where the knee room is excellent, although the dark materials and thick rear pillars can leave the cabin feeling quite gloomy.
The boot is reasonable enough, able to swallow 452 litres of luggage, which is only slightly less than you’ll get in a Nissan Ariya and much less than you’ll get in a Skoda Enyaq.
What will it cost?
The Toyota bZ4X range starts from £46,110 for the Pure model, although we’d suggest you splash out on the Motion trim for an extra £3,800 — it’s a lot of money to find, but adds so much equipment, from the large infotainment screen and heated seats to a range of essential safety technology. The top-of-the-range Vision model is another £1,900, at £51,810. You can also add all-wheel drive, with more power and traction but less range, for around £2,500.
The cheapest lease deal we could find worked out at £466 a month with a small deposit, although monthly rates as low as £441 with a larger deposit were available. Upgrading to the Motion spec adds about £60 a month.
The battery pack will, officially, get our test car as far as 286 miles. A reasonably sensible drive around Scottish country roads and faster A-roads saw the onboard computer showing an average economy of 3.9 miles per kWh, meaning we’d have got 277 miles up the road. Tackling the off-road sections, that dropped to 2.4m/kWh, which isn’t surprising.
Charging the battery pack from empty will cost around £5.35 at home, using the cheapest suitable energy tariff we could find. Of course, rates vary and change frequently, so check with your supplier.
Servicing is required every year, or 10,000 miles, which is quite frequent for an electric model. The warranty runs for three years or 60,000 miles but gets extended every time a Toyota dealer carries out a service, making it possible to keep the car under warranty for up to 10 years or 100,000 miles.
Should I buy one?
We were hoping for a little more excitement from Toyota’s first real foray into the world of electric motoring, but there’s little wrong with the bZ4X as a family SUV. We particularly like the ride quality, equipment levels (outside of the Pure trim) and surprising off-road ability in all-wheel drive versions.
The infotainment tech lags behind its rivals, although that’s a criticism that’s been levied at Toyota for many years, and it doesn’t feel particularly luxurious for a £50,000 car, but then a smaller, less powerful Peugeot e-2008 can top £40,000, so perhaps it’s just expectations not keeping up with inflation.
You won’t get many thrills from owning a Toyota bZ4X, but neither will it cause you any problems. It’s fine, more or less matching all of its rivals on price, performance, space and equipment and edging ahead of many for comfort. The durability you might expect from a mammoth warranty package will also be very reassuring.
Model Tested: Toyota bZ4X Motion AWD
Average Joes Rating: ★★★★☆
| Price : | £52,510 | Range : | £46,110–£54,410 |
| Power : | 218 hp | Torque : | 337 Nm |
| Max speed : | 100 mph | 0-62mph : | 6.9 secs |
| Range : | 286 miles | Recharge : | 150 kW |
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