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Yes, the malicious EV, formerly known as the Toyota BZ4X, is better. But it still lacks important features. If casual car shoppers went off the headlines recently, they might easily think that the U.S. auto industry's transition to electric vehicles has been boondoggle a $50 billion failed products, policies and imagination. The reality is that there are millions of American EV drivers who are completely satisfied with their gas-free existence and, statistically speaking, are probably not back.
People can find it hard to understand this if they don't experience it every day. I think there are few images that prove that point more than hundreds of thousands of Toyota EVs on American roads. After all, if the best-selling car company in the world, and the name that has become synonymous with reliability, gets serious about EVs, wouldn't it be the ultimate proof that battery-powered cars can work for everyone?
Read More: 2026 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid MPG, Price, and First Drive Review: 600-Mile Range
I wanted the 2026 Toyota bZ to make such a case. It appeared to be able to redeem its predecessor, the bZ4X, which was widely maligned for its range, charging performance and software. If the BZ fixes those things, perhaps it can prove that many people already think: Toyota is now the best choice for most buyers. After testing, I can tell you that the bz is a better car and a better EV than the bZ4X. But now it's not one thing that holds it up — even though there are all the ingredients out there for Toyota to fix it permanently.
Specifications and Features
In 2026, Toyota will bring significant updates not only to the Lexus and Subaru electric families, but also to new members of different sizes. The car all gets updated batteries, better overall performance, more range and improved charging speed. Of all these new options, the bZ remains a versatile option. It is a compact medium-sized crossover with the same price and size class as the Tesla Model Y, Hyundai Ioniq5, Ford Mustang Mach-E and others. It can have in XLE and more well-equipped limited trim. As before, the bZ is offered with a single-motor front or dual-motor all-wheel drive, and the overall styling is basically the same. But under the skin a lot is different.
The base bZ gets a new 57.7 kilowatt-hour battery pack, but most models use a 74.7 kilowatt-hour unit - a slightly larger range than the bZ4X ranges from the sub-par 235 miles of the XLE FWD model to the XLE FWD Plus model with a larger battery. It stretches up to an impressive 314 miles. It is much more competitive across the board. The bZ4X was topped with a range of only 252 miles. The updated electric motor provides more power, too. The AWD model provides 338 to 214 of the older cars, and the front drive model gets a boost of 20 hp to 221 hp.
Read More: 2027 BMW iX3 Review Why the Neue Klasse EV Deserves the Hype (Range, Charging, Driving Impressions)
Perhaps most importantly, charging has also improved. The old CCS port is gone and replaced by a Tesla-style NACS unit developed in-house. The maximum fast charging speed is the same at 150 kilowatts, although by modern standards it is a mid-pack, but the charging curve has improved. Unlike the O.G. bZ4X, this car is also capable of fast charging multiple times in a day. Previously, due to its weakness, the bZ4X was not a competent road trip machine.
Driving Experience
My bZ tester was the XLE FWD Plus model with a large battery, so it is moderately complete. As with the old bZ4X, it's fun to drive. My testing machine compares to 4,057 pounds, which is the most lightweight due to the EV crossover. With this fine-grained chassis, we welcome you to the BZ's agility and light weight benefits when you don't get some competitors and from Chevy also Hyundai, Kia.
Still, I'm not a big fan of the torque steering inherent in front-drive EVs. Based on my time with its brother, the Subaru Solterra, I would recommend the AWD bZ instead unless you are absolutely looking to maximize your range. It has better, more balanced driving dynamics and the extra power is very welcome. Toyota claims that the FWD bZ will do 0-60mph in 8 seconds, but I'm sure it will be considerably faster than that. Like most EVs, I feel faster than the paper performance figures suggest.
In addition to losing the "4X" of the badge, this new car is almost identical to the old one on the outside. That's another story inside. The center console has been revised to provide more space, the display facing the driver is in a new and more visible spot, the dashboard has been completely redesigned and the area around the central display is now much less cluttered. It's a subtle improvement, but a likeable one, and the bZ remains comfortable for long-distance driving - still important in black plastic and a dark industrial atmosphere.
On the plus side, bZ is refreshingly easy to use. Usually according to the EV standard. Where’s the door handle? There is nothing new here. They are just door handles. There are lots of buttons and physical switches. It's all very easy to figure out. At a time when the automotive industry is reeling from the unintended consequences of state-of-the-art designs, controls like the BZ RAV4 are oddly welcome. If you need an EV that isn't too lazy to operate from a physical control point of view, look at this.
You sacrifice internal space to some rivals. The new RAV4, which is a cousin of BZ with 28 cubic feet of storage behind the second row of seats (or 26 cubic feet if you opt for JBL speakers) and 94.4 cubic feet of overall space, is notable in terms of interior volume. Hyundai and Tesla EVs are also much better in this respect.
Range, Efficiency, Charging
In ideal weather conditions, such a bZ XLE FWD Plus makes the family distance king with a range of 314 miles. But we didn't have ideal weather conditions in Upstate New York this winter, and when I tested the bZ, the temperature was sometimes in the negatives. No matter which company makes the car, it is not optimal for the performance of EVs. Still, bZ saw a loss of range that I consider normal for such conditions. The 100% charge could mean 267 miles or about 245 miles. When you play with the climate system, and when the outside temperature changes, the range of the car is adjusted on the spot. For efficiency, my tester was as high as 2.7 miles per kWh in the cold and was now almost equivalent to my own Kia EV6. I didn't get a chance to fast charge the bZ during my test.
Technology Features
Here's where things start to fall a bit. If you get 2026RAV4, you are treated to Toyota's new Arene connected software platform. This is a complete overhaul of the infotainment system and the software and hardware stack behind it. You get a more customizable display, better graphics, a faster, more intuitive interface and a proper home screen with mapping, audio and range displays. For the company behind the software curve, it's pretty good.
But bZ (and C-HR and bZ Woodland) are sticking to their previous software systems, at least for now. That means you must subscribe to live on a more rudimentary display and use the "cloud navigation" system, and in the worst case, you don't have EV route planning yet. Also, if you need to find an EV charger, you must do it with Toyota's smartphone app. To the credit of the company, the app is very good now — features include remote startup and charge management. But it is ridiculous that the built-in navigation system is very limited. Want to move from New York City to Los Angeles? The charge is on you to figure it out, so bZ will tell you how to get there by gas car ETA. A Toyota spokeswoman could not say why the bZ, CH-R and bZ Woodland do not have Toyota's latest software, but he confirmed the will of the new Highlander.
I've heard some owners defend this lack of functionality by saying they don't load-trip frequently (which is also statistically true) or that they know where their plugs are (and certainly, I do too). But the problem is that, for the same amount of money, you can get any number of EVs that will help you plan a long trip just by finding a plug and pressing a button and you wouldn't want it instead? Perhaps bZ has route planning and range information via Apple Maps when you launch Apple CarPlay. But I never got it to work. And even if I could, leaning toward Apple for such an important feature feels awkward.
Competition
The bZ brings style, solid range, ease of use and (perhaps, anyway) Toyota's famous reliability to a very competitive segment. Chevrolet's Equinox EV and Blazer EV are consistent with the bZ in many specifications but have a much better Android Automotive OS-based software system than this. Hyundai and Kia EVs still have a bZ beat with fast charging speeds. And although the Ford Mustang Mach-E shows its age a bit, it can still hold itself and is even more fun to drive.
Price and Verdict
For its credit, the bZ is also a better deal than its predecessor. For entry-level XLE FWD trim, it starts at $36,350 (including destination). It's more than $2,000 cheaper than the base BZ. The XLE FWD Plus, like my tester, starts at $39,350. XLE AWD goes for $41,350 and loaded Limited returns $46,750. Again, it's competitive, but enough to lament the $7,500 EV tax credit.
Yes, bZ is better than ever. But I'm having a hard time telling you why to buy, unless you win an incredible deal or really, really love to buy from Toyota. And for many, that badge is enough. If BZ had route planning and better software, so would it. For now, buying one means getting a decent range of EVs from a trusted brand, but it also means some frustrating compromises.
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