Pros: Decent range, high quality, enjoyable to drive, rear-seat space
Cons: Boot is not huge, firm ride
Toyota bZ Design
If you’re thinking that there’s something missing from the badge of the bZ, don’t worry — yes, this is the updated version of the electric SUV that Toyota first launched in 2022 as the bZ4X, but the name has been shortened to make it simpler and easier to remember — hence it’s now just the bZ.
To go with that change, there are some changes to the exterior styling, mostly at the front. The overall shape and style of the bZ haven’t changed much, but there’s a new nose, now with Toyota’s ‘Hammerhead’ family look, and some very slim C-shaped LED lights. It’s a slightly neater, cleaner effect than before. There are fewer changes along the side and around the back, but there is a new rear spoiler, which is part of a revised aerodynamic package that makes the bZ more slippery through the air, which of course helps with its efficiency.
Toyota bZ Interior
Toyota has updated the bZ’s cabin, but it’s a subtle refresh. The shape of the dashboard is new, and is meant to give the cabin a wider, more horizontal look. There’s also a new 14-inch touchscreen, which is a bit fiddly to use (aren’t they all?) but which at least has proper buttons for heating and stereo volume.
There are also now twin wireless phone charging pads (to go with the wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto software), but still no conventional glovebox. There is an open area under the centre console for storage, but the space under the armrest is a bit on the small side.
So too is the boot at just 452 litres up to the luggage cover, which is really not very big at all, but the payoff for that is masses of rear leg space, so anyone regularly carrying lanky teenagers in the back seat will love the new bZ. The Premium model gets a glass roof that lets in lots of extra light, which helps make the cabin seem even more spacious.
Back in the driver’s seat, the small steering wheel sits almost in your lap while the seven-inch instrument panel is mounted up high and forward, at the base of the windscreen, which means you don’t need a head-up display.
Toyota bZ Performance & Drive
Toyota has made two critical changes to improve the bZ’s performance. The first is that it has a new battery, which at 69kWh (useable) has an extra 7kWh of stored energy compared to the outgoing bZ4X. Meanwhile, the electric motor, driving the front wheels, has been tweaked and tuned for more efficiency. The battery will charge better too — at up to 150kW on a DC fast charger (allowing a 10-80 per cent top up in 28 minutes) and, optionally, at 22kW on a three-phase AC charger.
The bigger battery means more range — up to 567km on one charge, says Toyota. And that seems broadly realistic. On our test drive, which included lots of steep, fast mountain roads, the bZ returned a very decent 15.5kWh/100km energy consumption figure, which equates to 445km of real-world range. That puts the bZ about on a par with the likes of the VW ID.4 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 for useable range, which is a significant improvement.
It’s also a good car to drive. The steering has a firm, meaty feel and the bZ corners with confidence thanks to plenty of grip. It’s just a shame that Ireland doesn’t get the all-wheel-drive model, which is both more fun on-road, and surprisingly talented off-road. The bZ feels both planted and agile, but the suspension is quite firm, so it can occasionally give a big heave over a large bump. It’s incredibly quiet inside though, which is good for long journeys, allowing you to better enjoy the excellent (optional) JBL stereo.
Toyota bZ Pricing
In entry-level Sport form, the bZ is competitively priced at €42,460, and it’s well-equipped too. As standard you get the big 14-inch touchscreen, an electrically adjusted driver’s seat, heated seats and steering wheel, nine-speaker stereo, part-leather trim, a heat-pump heating system (which saves energy on cold days), 18-inch alloy wheels and the extensive Toyota Safety System package which includes adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring as well as front and rear parking sensors and a parking camera. Impressively, Toyota offers a massive ten-year, million-kilometre warranty for the battery, as long as you keep it serviced at a Toyota main dealer. Toyota’s so confident in the battery’s reliability that it has now included a real-time battery state-of-health monitor in the car’s instrument panel.
Carzone Verdict
This update really lifts the performance of the bZ. Whereas the bZ4X (as was) always seemed slightly too short of useable range, this bZ with its improved battery feels like a much more solid proposition, and it’s more stylish too. Combine that with exceptionally good build quality and a sense of driving fun and you get a really impressive mid-sized electric SUV.