The Toyota bZ4x was not a good EV. It had bad range, the wrong charger port, and the depreciation was apocalyptic. A joint venture with Subaru, the shared EV platform just didn’t cut it, and quickly became a poster child for showing the world just how ahead boutique automakers like Rivian and Tesla were (and in some ways still are) ahead.
But after a host of updates, Toyota and Subaru have mostly un-ruined their EVs. Toyota, for its part, has made an effort to mostly get rid of the worst name in cars (unless there’s a Ford Bunion out there somewhere), re-christening it the Toyota bZ. There’s more to it, though, and after a week, these features stood out most.
Finally, a NACS Port
Chase Bierenkoven
One of those updates was to bring in a NACS-style port (with adapter included). The smaller, slimmer port is much easier to wrangle when stopping to charge, and it grants compatibility with Tesla’s vast Supercharger network. While many EV owners charge at home, the added practicality is much appreciated. Point: Tesla for getting in front of everyone with the name, too. North American Charging Standard was a pretty ambitious leap, but I’d say they’ve pulled it off now that the port is on a Toyota.
Real, Actual Horsepowers
Chase Bierenkoven
The bZ4x could’ve best been described as “pokey.” This all-wheel drive version, though, is downright fast. It has 338 horsepower, and while the rest of the driving experience is pretty uninspiring, the power is at least fun. The bZ now hits 60 in some 4.3 seconds, which is sports car fast. It’s even a bit too much for the tires on the thing. While merging through a corner, I felt the traction control come on when I planted my foot.
To be fair, this is the most rapid version, but even the single-motor versions got a bump. Standard versions come with either a 168- or 221-horsepower electric motor on the front axle.
Real, Usable Range
Chase Bierenkoven
Base bZ’s are rated for 236 miles on a charge. It’s not a lot, but it’s more than the last one. Meanwhile, max range totals 314 miles with the front-drive XLE Plus model (the one with more power). Toyota says the AWD model will do 288 miles, which I thought was enough during my time with the car. It got me through a week of driving, after all. Charge speeds are also up. The automaker quotes a 30-minute 10 to 80 percent charge time at a DC fast charger, while AC charging is also faster thanks to a new, higher-capacity 11-kW on-board AC charger.
About the author
Chase Bierenkoven
Senior Editor, Autoblog