Peter Lyon
March 12, 2025
As part of a midlife update, Toyota has given its bZ4X electric SUV a new lease of life that includes a new look, increased efficiency, and provided a smaller battery option to keep price down.
Aesthetically, Toyota’s only EV incorporates a new hammerhead front design that brings it into line with the rest of Toyota’s range. Apart from that the silhouette is almost identical. Efforts have also been made to lower vibration levels by using sound absorbing materials.
Together with the current 73.1kWh pack, the new 57.7kWh battery is only used in conjunction with the single, front-mounted, 165-hp motor. Four-wheel drive is still available with the larger battery.
The bZ4X‘s top-end range has been increased from 318 to 356 miles thanks to improved motor efficiency, similar to that of the closely related Lexus RZ.
Additionally, power has increased to 338 horsepower in range-topping dual-motor configuration. These two vehicles are among the most potent road-going vehicles ever made by Toyota, matching the forthcoming C-HR+ EV.
In fact, the SUV’s towing capability has quadrupled to 1.5 tonnes thanks to the additional power. The installation of a new 22kW on-board charger has enhanced the pace of AC charging, which was, up until now painfully slow. Faster DC charging is also made possible by new battery preconditioning software that optimises the pack’s temperature prior to initiating a fast charge.
More so than the exterior, Toyota stylists really spruced up the cabin with the latest tech. The most significant changes are inside, where a new 14-inch touchscreen, a revamped central console, and an instrument panel are standard. Prices in the U.K. are anticipated to start lower than the present entry point of £42,860 due to the installation of a smaller battery. It is anticipated that deliveries will start in the summer.
CARLIST THOUGHTS
The bZ4X is a watershed car for Toyota. Arriving on the market in 2022, it was the brand’s first mass-produced EV. But unfortunately, it had to be recalled a few months later after front wheels started falling off several cars. That defect was corrected after around 6 months but the damage had been done. Now some three years after that episode, and with the dark days of that recall behind it, the bZ4X returns with a new look, updated cabin, and a more efficient powertrain.
