2023 Toyota bZ4X
Toyota bZ4X Details
Electric Motor
Black
AWD
Electric
3 Miles
Light Gr
40520
JTMABACA7PA044168
Artificial Leather
Estimated Payment
$0 / month
About This 2023 Toyota bZ4X
Features & Options
- Axle Ratio TBD
- Wheels: 20 Multi-Spoke Machine-Finished Alloy
- Heated & Ventilated Front Seats
- SofTex Seat Trim
- Radio: 12.3 Toyota Audio Multimedia w/6 Speakers
- Weather Package
- Radio: JBL Premium Audio w/9 Speakers
- Split Roof Rear Spoiler
- Front Radiant Foot & Leg Heater
- Heated Rear Seats
- 4-Wheel Disc Brakes
- 6 Speakers
- Air Conditioning
- Electronic Stability Control
- Front Bucket Seats
- Front Center Armrest
- Power Liftgate
- Spoiler
- ABS brakes
- Alloy wheels
- Automatic temperature control
- Brake assist
- Bumpers: body-color
- Delay-off headlights
- Driver door bin
- Driver vanity mirror
- Dual front impact airbags
- Dual front side impact airbags
- Four wheel independent suspension
- Front anti-roll bar
- Front dual zone A/C
- Front reading lights
- Fully automatic headlights
- Garage door transmitter: HomeLink
- Heated door mirrors
- Heated front seats
- Heated steering wheel
- Illuminated entry
- Knee airbag
- Leather steering wheel
- Low tire pressure warning
- Occupant sensing airbag
- Outside temperature display
- Overhead airbag
- Overhead console
- Panic alarm
- Passenger door bin
- Passenger vanity mirror
- Power door mirrors
- Power driver seat
- Power steering
- Power windows
- Radio data system
- Rain sensing wipers
- Rear anti-roll bar
- Rear seat center armrest
- Rear window defroster
- Remote keyless entry
- Roof rack: rails only
- Security system
- Speed control
- Speed-sensing steering
- Split folding rear seat
- Steering wheel mounted audio controls
- Telescoping steering wheel
- Tilt steering wheel
- Traction control
- Trip computer
- Turn signal indicator mirrors
- Variably intermittent wipers
- Ventilated front seats
- Front beverage holders
- Auto-dimming Rear-View mirror
- AM/FM radio: SiriusXM
- Auto High-beam Headlights
- Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
- Navigation system: Drive Connect (3 year trial) includes Cloud Navigation with real time traffic and Google POI
- Emergency communication system: Safety Connect (10-year trial)
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2023 Toyota bZ4x Review
Toyota has become synonymous with ‘hybrid’ but it certainly hasn’t pioneered fully electric vehicles in the same way. It’s taken until the 2023 model year before Toyota has delivered a widely available EV – the bZ4x. Born from a joint venture with Subaru, this is an excellent albeit pricey new entry to entice electric car shoppers.A LEXUS WITH A TOYOTA BADGE
Among the myriad vehicles Toyota sells only two are propelled on electricity alone and one of those, the hydrogen-fueled Mirai, can’t be purchased outside of California. So, it’s this new bZ4X that introduces the masses to a Toyota EV - though the $42,000 starting MSRP might limit enthusiasm, particularly because all of Toyota’s federal tax credits go away on January 1, 2023. It’s a roomy, small crossover SUV slotting just above the RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid in terms of price and offering up to 252 miles of driving range. But if you want all of the goodies the bZ4X offers, this all-wheel drive Limited grade can only muster 222 miles on a full charge and wears a conspicuous sticker price of $52,468 including a handful of options. That’s not cheap but this bZ possesses a pronounced sophistication that mostly legitimizes its cost. It could easily wear a Lexus badge without embarrassing itself with a very refined drive, whisper-quiet cabin and quality-driven craftsmanship.
SUBARU’S CONTRIBUTIONS
There’s over 8-inches of ground clearance here, Subaru’s X-MODE off-road drive settings and the assurance of a dual motor all-wheel drive system. So, the bZ4X is no creampuff despite Toyota’s admonition to keep it on pavement unless unavoidable. But, for snow, dirt and muddy conditions where added traction is beneficial this is a well-equipped driving partner. With a set of winter tires the bZ4X would be virtually unstoppable. And during my test week that’s exactly what we’ve been experiencing – snow, and lots of it. Even on the Bridgestone Turanza all-seasons tuned for electric vehicle use the bZ4X impresses in its ability to grip.
While either stopped or traveling at speeds below 13 mph X-MODE can be engaged, tuning the traction control and all-wheel drive systems for driving on slippery roads. There are three modes: normal, Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud. There’s also a slow-speed cruise control setting called Grip Control worked by a center console switch to vary speed between 2 and 6 mph, allowing the driver to focus on steering while the pace is controlled by the car. X-MODE automatically kicks off at speeds above 25 mph.
GOOFY NAME, SMART PACKAGING
Even though its name is seemingly derived from a cat walking over a keyboard, the bZ4X encompasses the tenets EV drivers love: immediate, robust power delivery, peacefully quiet motoring and progressive design. With its smooth front-end, slim headlights and judicious use of LED lighting the bZ4X possesses modern styling befitting an EV. It looks sharp and smartly utilizes its engine-free design to create generous amounts of passenger and cargo volume, though despite an almost 4-inch advantage in length the bZ4X provides significantly less luggage room and slightly less passenger space than the RAV4. You won’t find any more stuff-it space under the aluminum hood either – just high-voltage cables and the power control unit.
CHARGING MATTERS
The charge port is located on the driver’s side front fender. Plugging in to replenish the 72.8 kWh lithium-ion battery can be accomplished via a trio of methods: a standard household outlet which takes a couple of days, a Level 2 charger expediting matters to about 9 hours and, most quickly, a DC fast charger requiring about an hour or less. The maximum charge rate for a DC connection is 100 kW – 50 kW less than the front-drive bZ4X with its slightly smaller battery and single motor – so it’s not able to take advantage of the fastest public chargers, for instance the Hyper-Fast plugs at Electrify America. Toyota includes one year of complimentary charging through its partner EVgo, which in my area, is mostly capped at a 50 kW rate so that’s a bummer. Unlike the purchase of a Chevrolet Bolt EUV which includes Level 2 home charger installation, Toyota will only facilitate the entire process on your dime, the cost of which can run nearly $2,000 before incentives and rebates.
IT IS AN EV, RIGHT?
In terms of its electronic EV features, they are muted. Whereas most electrics offer countless ways to monitor, view and manipulate driving range and other critical information in regards to the battery Toyota offers very few here. Even the range indicator itself is demure in its appearance among the bits of information in the digital driver display. Over on the big touchscreen housing Toyota’s latest infotainment system there’s almost nothing related to EV duties. And because my tester doesn’t have an active navigation subscription, I can’t even say for sure there’s an EV plug finder in here though there’s got to be. I like big, prominent graphical depictions of driving range and the variables affecting it as found in most other EVs and that’s clearly missing here.
AN ARCADE-STYLE STEERING WHEEL
The front seats are supremely comfortable; soft and supportive they’re some of the best I’ve ever tested though the passenger has to make due with manual controls. But what grabs the headline in here is the positioning of the steering wheel and high-mounted driver display. With a huge, squared-off windshield reminiscent of that found in a Volkswagen model, the seating position is commanding and SUV-like but the steering wheel needs to be tilted down to the extreme in order to not obscure the speedometer and the rest of the display. Akin to a car racing game at Dave and Buster’s, the wheel is in your lap. It takes some getting used to, for sure. Ditto for the circular shifter which needs to be pressed down and turned to select the gear.
$50,000 RIDE QUALITY
The drive is smooth and quiet much like in the Venza hybrid. Its 214 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque produce a 0-to-60 mph time of 6.5 seconds – certainly quick enough to move its 4,464 pounds with ease. The low center of gravity and multi-link rear suspension also imbue impressive handling and a forgiving ride quality, though there is no sport mode. One-pedal drive is easily activated by the Regeneration Boost switch on the console and works beautifully to slow the car by simply lifting off of the accelerator.
NOT INEXPENSIVE BUT EXCELLENT
Available in XLE and this jam-packed Limited grade in either front- or all-wheel drive, my tester has it all including a rear spoiler, heated rear seats, radiant foot and leg warmers in the front, and a 9-speaker JBL audio system that punches above its weight. There are less expensive options for a first EV purchase including the aforementioned Bolt EUV and the Hyundai Kona but the bZ4X rises above with a truly premium experience – one that’s a little shy on range but nevertheless a winner.
The incessant pining