Toyota bZ4x

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We recently had the chance to check out Toyota's all new, all-electric crossover called the bZ4x. We nicknamed it "BeeZee". Despite the unusual name, this compact crossover is a very sleek little EV that, unlike Toyota's short lived RAV4 EV, is being mass produced and available in dealerships everywhere.

Finally, an all-electric Toyota for Everyone

Toyota changed the world of personal transportation with the Prius mainstream hybrid car when it debuted in 2000. The EPA rated the Prius among the cleanest vehicles sold in the United States in 2007. As of 2017, the plucky Prius was the world's top selling hybrid car with four million units sold. But when the world began to go all-electric, Toyota held back… until now. 

The 2023 Toyota bZ4x is another upstart in the growing line of four-door crossover SUV hatchbacks that are very popular sellers. That means it has to compete with the Ford Mustang Mach E, the Hyundai Kona Electric, the Volkswagen ID.4, and even the Chevy Bolt. It was developed alongside the Subaru Solterra and the two are nearly the same car.
Is the bZ4x Worth the Wait?
Toyota wanted a whole new look for its premier electric vehicle and the bZ offers an entirely new design. You can get it with one electric motor for front wheel drive or two motors for all-wheel drive. For 2023, the bZ4x is offered in base level XLE or Limited trims. Both are available in front wheel or all-wheel drive and the latter will take you 252 miles on a charge. However, that's a bit light compared to cars like the Mustang which has a range of 303 miles on a charge.
 
Standard equipment includes a beautiful panoramic roof and adaptive cruise control. The Limited trim includes a power liftgate, heated faux-leather seats, and 20-inch wheels. Cargo space with the rear seats down is 28 cubic feet compared to the bigger RAV4's 38 cubic feet. Standard driver assist tech gives you automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and safe exit assist as part of Toyota Safety Sense.

Inside the Cabin

Inside, the bZ cabin is spacious and refined. The 12.3-inch touchscreen takes you to all the infotainment wonders, navigation, and driver assist features. You'll get Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as well as a Wi-Fi hotspot and wireless smartphone charging.
 
The new EV is offered in basic XLE trim or more upscale Limited trim and both are available in either single motor, front-wheel drive or dual motor all-wheel drive which costs $2,080 more in either trim level. The standard single motor version has an MSRP of $43, 335 and cranks out 201 horsepower while the two-motor variant retails at $48,035 and gives you 215 horses, which is considerably less than its competition.

A Great Daily Driver
The bZ4x is very pleasant to drive. The seats are both plush and supportive. The handling is crisp, and the steering is predictable. Plus, like all Toyotas, the bZ is likely to be extremely reliable for many trouble-free miles.
 
We hope the BeeZee is the first of many all-electric cars from Toyota. The automaker tells us it has 15 EVs on the drawing boards including a whole new family of bZ vehicles. By the way, Toyota says bZ stands for "Beyond Zero." Watch for upscale Lexus versions, coming soon.