EV sales have hit a downturn this year, forcing many legacy automakers to scale back their EV plans as more consumers realize hybrids combine the best of all worlds — efficiency, price, and range. Toyota is feeling this on both ends, leading the charge with the largest and most successful hybrid lineup, but at the same time, EVs such as 2024 Toyota bZ4X have gone undetected in the market. Has Toyota done enough to bring a legitimate competitor into the market?
It certainly doesn’t seem that way. Sales for the bZ4X have been disappointing so far, and this EV does very little to differentiate itself from anything else out there. It’s challenged with slow charging speeds, less-than-average range, and questionable looks. Power-wise, it hovers near the bottom of the segment, and its pricing leaves much to be desired. It’s not a bad Toyota per se — in a vacuum, there’s a lot to like about this all-electric Toyota — but it’s just not a competitive against other EVs.
Our top-trim bZ4X XLE tester uses a dual-motor setup with a 72.8 kWh battery pack. With a Level 2 charger, you can expect a full charge from near-empty in nine hours. Attached to a Level 3 DC fast-charger, Toyota says the bZ4X can do a 10-to-80 per cent charge in about half an hour. Those numbers are good, but other EVs are more competitive.
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, for instance, can do that same Level 3 charge in about 18 minutes, and can easily do 400-plus kilometres of real-world range, versus our bZ4X tester’s indicated 335 km on a full charge. If you’re planning on using your EV for longer road trips, the bZ4X might not be a good fit based on those figures, but at least cold weather performance should be improved with a water-to-water heat exchanger that’s new for 2024.
The dual-motor, all-wheel-drive bZ4X XLE is rated at 214 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque. These figures won’t win any stoplight drag races, especially with its 4,409-pound curb weight. You don’t get the same level of urgency and instant-torque as other EVs, but it gets up to speed respectably. Look for a zero-to-100 km/h run in about 6.9 seconds.
There are exactly zero sporting intentions here, but the bZ4X favours comfort without a doubt. The ride is comfortable, the chassis feels solid and eats up bumps, potholes, and rough pavement with ease even with the XLE’s 20-inch wheels, and the interior is spacious for four full-sized adults. On top of that, cargo space measures in at a competitive 784 L with the seats up and 1,611 when stowed. It’s more spacious with the seats up than the EV6 and Nissan Ariya, and about as roomy as the Ioniq 5, though the Mustang Mach-E and VW ID.4 have more space seats up or down.
Up front, the bZ4X’s dash is well laid-out and relatively easy to use. Much like the new Prius, the bZ4X adopts the same digital gauge cluster setup, requiring the steering wheel to sit quite low for taller drivers, so that may take some getting used-to. However, the 12.3-inch touchscreen running Toyota’s revamped infotainment is standard and operates with ease. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are present, along with wireless charging for your phone.
One of the more polarizing aspects of the bZ4X remains its exterior styling. There’s simply too much contrast body cladding no matter which colour you choose, unless it’s black. This design is better-suited to the off-road nature of its sibling, the Subaru Solterra. A body-colour option down the line would be nice; the bZ4X’s other sibling, the Lexus RZ 450e, is much easier on the eyes.
Toyota offers two trim levels, but there’s a catch: the bZ4X is only officially sold in British Columbia and Quebec. The base LE starts at $49,990, while the XLE will run you $55,050. Opting for the $8,700 Technology package adds features such as ventillated front seats, a power liftgate, the aforementioned 20-inch wheels, a nine-speaker JBL sound system, and a lot more, but that brings the as-tested price to an eye-watering $63,750 as-tested before incentives.
At this price, there are better options available in the EV market. The 2024 Toyota bZ4X lags in several areas compared to its key competitors, which is especially surprising given just how compelling hybrids like the Prius and RAV4 Prime are. Being average in the EV space simply isn’t good enough; the bZ4X has the potential to take a real bite out of the market, Toyota needs to work on its price tag, range, and charging capabilities.
