Seen Toyota’s new advert? Barry went electrical, didn’t he?
Bearded Baz is truthful dinkum Aussie. Acquired his flannel shirt, likes a pie, likes AFL. Why’d he make the EV shift?
“As a result of it’s a… Toyota,” he states. As if it’s the obvious factor he’d ditch his diesel HiLux for the brand new BZ4X.
However don’t underestimate the significance of this automobile’s touchdown. Toyota’s our largest model by a distance, and whereas late to market with its first full EV, the BZ4X’s arrival validates the electrical automobile revolution to many a sceptic.
Maybe predictably, the BZ4X is pragmatism personified. Toyota’s debut EV is firmly middle-of-the-road by way of worth, measurement, vary, efficiency, cost velocity and options.
Within the medium SUV EV house, rivals embrace our runaway best-seller Tesla Mannequin Y, but additionally the extra visually-striking Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6.
READ MORE:Need a 2024 Toyota BZ4X on a full service lease? You higher have deep pocketsOur verdict on the BZ4X 2WD’s chief rival: Tesla Mannequin Y RWD evaluate
2024 Toyota BZ4X FWD worth and gear
![2024 Toyota bZ4X FWD](https://evcentral.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Toyota-Pressroom-68340605-1a2a-4ce6-88ad-d0119a63b6b6-1024x576.jpeg)
It’s $66,000 plus on-roads for this single motor front-wheel-drive BZ4X. A greater-equipped all-wheel-drive’s $74,900 plus costs, so that you’re taking a look at round $70,000 and $79,000 respectively to drive-away.
Each FWD and AWD look close to similar, and share a 71.4kWh battery. Our FWD presents 150kW and 266Nm, 0-100km/h in 7.5 seconds, 436km vary (WLTP) and 10-80 p.c public DC charging (velocity as much as 150kW) in round half-hour. It’s all very ‘mid,’ because the Individuals would say.
Your dollarbucks buys Toyota’s new “hammerhead” sharky entrance design, slim LED headlights, rear LED mild strip and 20-inch darkish alloy wheels. It received’t win many design awards, nevertheless it’s simpler on the attention than the pc mouse-like Tesla Mannequin Y.
Seats are a cloth and fake leather-based combo, there’s a textured material sprint, customisable digital driver show, entrance chairs are heated (the driving force’s energy too), there’s wi-fi CarPlay and Android Auto via sharp 12.3-inch infotainment, twin zone local weather and an influence tailgate.
![2024 Toyota bZ4X FWD](https://evcentral.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Toyota-Pressroom-643803f5-f987-473a-83c8-fd90005d7561-1024x576.jpeg)
Lacking on this FWD, however fitted to the pricier AWD, are a panoramic roof, ventilated reminiscence seats, heated steering wheel, wi-fi charger, JBL audio and a helpful X-Mode off-road drive setting.
2024 Toyota BZ4X FWD: What we predict
It’s the daftest identify, isn’t it? BZ4X looks like a working title earlier than the advertising and marketing lot gave it a correct identify. However they by no means did.
Hitting Canberra’s imply streets for our check, first impression is a fairly agency low velocity trip. Nothing to jolt the backbone, however there’s not the plush, comfortable suspension I’d anticipated.
That apart, city driving life is reasonably pretty. All feels reassuringly conservative: efficiency is ample; cabin neatly retains metropolis sounds hushed; there’s cheap steering really feel and a way of security and stable engineering. Basic Toyota.
Pin the throttle and it’ll fortunately zip together with a touch of urgency. The facility and torque supply calibration really feel spot on for this automobile’s demographic. There’s no trace of vulgar wheelspin or torque steer, only a assured simple construct of velocity.
I’m glad. Heartland consumers of this stuff don’t want pinned to their chair cracking 5 seconds to 100km/h. When you’re shifting out of one thing like a Toyota RAV4, the BZ4X’s efficiency and drive will really feel cosy and acquainted.
Disgrace there’s no one-pedal driving on the town. Regen is both off or on, and when chosen, it’s not received a lot chunk. This once more retains the drive petrol-like ‘regular’ nevertheless it’s a trick missed not coming to a whole cease when off the throttle.
Radar cruise management with cease & go sorta makes up for it. It’ll comply with the automobile in entrance to supply feet-free driving, which proves wonderful when stuffed in metropolis visitors.
There’s a little bit of tyre noise on the freeway, whereas a prolonged suite of driver aids are beautifully non-invasive except you do one thing silly. Hyundai and Kia ought to take observe.
Honest play to Toyota, this BZ4X doesn’t thoughts a nook. On nation again roads it provided all of the acceleration and prompt torque hit I’d need in any such automobile, whereas it felt poised and neat with solely a little bit of physique roll in turns.
![2024 Toyota bZ4X FWD](https://evcentral.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Toyota-Pressroom-4f750e67-0656-49b4-a075-156b2be62195-1024x576.jpeg)
Brakes have been a bit lifeless (nothing uncommon there for an EV), however even huge dips and mid-corner bumps it soaked up very properly.
Sitting up entrance there’s little to grouse about, but additionally little wow issue by fashionable requirements.
Seats are comfortable, the widescreen infotainment classily flows right into a raised centre console as a single piece, storage is mighty (particularly a carpeted space beneath the console) and normal controls and local weather are a research in simplicity.
Not so nice are too many exhausting plastics, a scarcity of frunk or standard glovebox, and no V2L functionality. The digital driver show’s an excellent ‘un in the way it’s mounted nearly way back to the windscreen for straightforward peripheral viewing, however trade-off is I wanted the steering wheel nearly in my lap so I might see it.
Rear house is a little more beneficiant than a Toyota RAV4’s, as you’d anticipate with the BZ4X’s wheelbase matching a LandCruiser 300 Sequence’. These out again take pleasure in ethereal head and leg room, air vents and USB-C ports.
![2024 Toyota bZ4X FWD](https://evcentral.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Toyota-Pressroom-7e5573c9-a17f-4173-b444-57a58af66453-1024x576.jpeg)
Boot’s a bit stingy although. Solely 452L isn’t a lot for a medium SUV – a RAV4 presents 580L – and beneath the ground is only a restore package, not a spare tyre.
The latter level makes the BZ4X AWD with its spectacular off-road tech and respectable 212mm floor clearance a difficult promote. This twin motor model not solely prices $9000 extra, nevertheless it loses but extra boot house and has 25km much less vary than my FWD tester.
This makes the BZ4X FWD look the smarter choose. Even so, I solely achieved financial system of 19.1kWh/100km, subsequent to the quoted 16.9kWh determine. I’m positive this may enhance with extra city driving, besides, it seems to be like roughly 400km can be the true vary of this EV.
2024 Toyota BZ4X FWD: Verdict
Simple to reside with, good measurement, polished all-round drive, truthful worth and that all-important trusted Toyota badge on the bonnet.
However has the model performed it too secure with the BZ4X? Key rivals are sexier, rangier and higher outfitted for comparable cash.
But when a secure pair of arms can lead extra down the EV path, Toyota’s performed a conservative blinder right here.
SCORE: 3/5
2024 Toyota BZ4X FWD specs:
Worth: $66,000 plus on-roads
Fundamentals: EV, 5 seats, 5 doorways, mid-sized crossover, FWD
Vary: 436km (WLTP)
Battery capability: 71.4kWh
Battery guarantee: 8 years/160,000km (70% of authentic capability)
Vitality consumption: 16.9kWh/100km (19.1kWh as examined)
Motor: 1 front-mounted everlasting magnet synchronous, 150kW/266Nm
AC charging: 11kW, Sort 2 plug
DC charging: 150kW, CCS combo plug
0-100km/h: 7.5 seconds