Over the past decade, Toyota has taken a sizable lead when it comes to its hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles, but it has trailed the likes of Nissan, Volkswagen, Hyundai and Kia for full electric cars. Well, at long last, Toyota has launched their first battery-electric vehicle (BEV) – this 2023 Toyota bZ4X XLE AWD – and it has its goal set way high to introduce a total of 15 BEVs by 2025.
At a glance, the name bZ4X may seem odd coming from a company that is not typically known to adopt the alphanumeric approach in their nomenclature. However, we should expect more of these names to come as Toyota launches the new Toyota bZ (stands for Beyond Zero) sub-brand for their upcoming BEVs and there is a total of seven in the works under this umbrella including the bZ4X.
Styling of the Toyota bZ4X is futuristic but less radical than the Prius lineup. The two-tone colour scheme certainly takes some getting used to, however the rest of the silhouette resembles the RAV4 crossover and the rear-end is quite recognizable as a current Toyota product. The bZ4X’s overall size is also similar to the RAV4 and the overall styling grew on us as the week went on.
The bZ4X comes in two configurations – front wheel drive L and LE models with a 150-kilowatt motor in the front generating 201-horsepower, or the XLE AWD model that has an 80-kilowatt motor on each of the axles for a total output of 214 horsepower. Just like any electric vehicles that puts out all of the torque from a standstill, the bZ4X XLE AWD can accelerate briskly and feels much faster than any typical gasoline powered car with similar power ratings, but its delivery is less forceful than most.
Unlike other BEVs that we have tested before, the bZ4X feels less inviting to give it the beans at every traffic light. Its smooth and linear power delivery rewards gentle throttle inputs but there is still plenty of zip when you need to overtake or catch up to speed on the highway on-ramp. Total drive range for the bZ4X XLE AWD is rated at 367 kilometres – 39 less than the front-drive models. We suspect that figure is conservative as we were constantly beating the system estimate throughout the week and had no problem keeping the battery topped up after our regular daily commute by plugging it into a standard 120-volt outlet overnight.
In terms of driving dynamics, there really is not much to write home about. The bZ4X is like every mainstream EV out there – it does its best to take you where you want to go but don’t expect thrill or surprises. Steering feels accurate, throttle response is instantaneous and incredibly linear, and the low centre of gravity means overall stability throughout the corners. There are various drive modes though the difference between the profiles is minimal, and the bZ4X XLE AWD gains a X-Mode to better handle slippery situations by offering enhanced grip control.
Interior space is fairly good for a compact electric car. There is good legroom in both rows and there is up to 784 litres of cargo room behind the seats. Headroom is a bit shy in the rear because of the heavily sloped roofline, but not many will complain once they are seated. The XLE AWD trim offers a full-length panoramic fixed-glass roof that brought a whole lot of brightness into the cabin which improved the overall ambience.
The rest of the interior layout is par for the course for a modern Toyota product with basic but durable material and good craftsmanship. Thanks to the lack of a transmission tunnel, Toyota is able to fit an extra storage space below the centre console which is great for handbags or small suitcases. The overall ergonomic is acceptable with good seating position and easy to reach buttons, with one glaring concern – the digital instrument cluster is positioned right behind the steering wheel and there is simply no way of reading all of the information without tiling one’s head around. The early prototype for the bZ4X was equipped with the yoke-style steering wheel and it’s easy to see why this issue came about once it is moved to a conventional style one.
Infotainment is delivered using the 12.3-inch touchscreen atop the centre console and we enjoyed the intuitive layout of the operating system which is not something we could say about previous generations of the Toyota Entune application. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity is supported, and the abundance of charging option on the XLE AWD is a welcomed feature with one wireless charger, one USB Type-A, and four USB Type-C charging ports. Sound quality is the downside as there are only six speakers throughout the cabin and we would hope to see an option to upgrade in the near future to take advantage of the quiet cabin.
At the time of writing, the 2023 Toyota bZ4X is only available in limited quantity and only in the province of British Columbia and Quebec. Pricing starts at $44,990 for the base front-wheel drive model, and our tester rung in at $54,990 which is in line with other EV models for sale in the market today.
Despite being late to the party (and still has not arrived yet for most of Canada), the 2023 Toyota bZ4X XLE AWD is a compelling option thanks to its attractive styling and no-frill driving dynamic. No, it does not stand out from the crowd, but it also is not worse than any of its competition which is quite a typical Toyota way of car building. Time is ticking though, with the plethora of mainstream EVs we are about to see, and we hope to see the bZ4X reach more dealerships soon so it won’t get obsolete by the time it makes its entrance to the electric party.
