Toyota’s electrical SUV, the bZ4X, is likely to be gearing up for a rebranding, reportedly set to obtain a brand new title by 2026. The bZ4X, which launched in 2022 as Toyota’s first electrical SUV, confronted a difficult begin, together with a serious recall in June 2022 attributable to considerations that the wheels would possibly detach whereas driving.
Since its rocky introduction, the bZ4X has struggled to seize market share. Within the first 9 months of 2024, solely 13,577 models had been offered within the US, which, regardless of being an enchancment from the roughly 6,500 offered throughout the identical interval in 2023, nonetheless represents lower than 1% of Toyota’s whole automobile gross sales, which exceeded 1.7 million.
In an effort to revitalize gross sales, Toyota plans to rebrand the bZ4X. Throughout a current automotive press occasion in Quebec, Patrick Ryan, Toyota’s regional director for Quebec and Atlantic Canada, indicated that the title change is predicted to occur over the subsequent yr.
Final week, Toyota unveiled the 2025 bZ4X, suggesting that the rebranding could coincide with the 2026 mannequin yr. The beginning worth for the 2025 mannequin is $37,070 within the US, reflecting a $6,000 discount from the earlier model. The front-wheel-drive mannequin affords an EPA-estimated vary of as much as 252 miles, whereas the all-wheel-drive variant has a variety of as much as 222 miles.
Toyota’s bZ branding stands for “past Zero,” highlighting the corporate’s dedication to decreasing emissions by means of electrical autos. The “4” signifies the mannequin’s format, much like the RAV4, whereas the “X” signifies that it’s a crossover.
In North America, most Toyota autos are recognized by distinct names, not like the RAV4 and bZ4X. A brand new title may facilitate higher market acceptance, particularly contemplating that “bZ4X” has acquired combined evaluations.
Following the introduction of its new City Cruiser electrical SUV, there may be hypothesis that Toyota could undertake a distinct naming technique for the bZ4X. Though the launch of its first three-row electrical SUV has been postponed till 2026, there stays a chance of a wholly new naming system being applied.
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