Millennial Mom’s Review: 2023 Toyota BZ4X

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So you’re considering an electric car but the list of options keeps growing, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to figure out which one is right for you. In the non-luxury all-electric crossover segment, the growing list already includes the likes of the Kia EV6, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Volkswagen ID.4, Ford Mustang Mach-E, as well as the new-for-2023 Toyota BZ4X.

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You may be wondering (I was) why Toyota would choose to call its EV the “BZ4X” – technically “bZ4X,” but we’re not lower-casing it here at Driving – instead of giving it a more traditional name, such as “Corolla,” “Corolla Hybrid,” “Corolla Cross,” or—other non-“Corolla” examples. Well, I think you’ll be happy to know “BZ4X“ isn’t just a random super-weird badge that sounds like something Elon Musk might name his kid.

In fact, the “B-Z” stands for “beyond zero,” as in “beyond zero emissions”; the “4” is representative of its size, which is equivalent to the popular Toyota RAV4; and the “X” just indicates its crossover status. Call me old-fashioned, but a simple name that doesn’t represent all those individual specifics would’ve worked just as well, especially considering it all still needs to be explained.

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This white Wind-Chill-Pearl-painted green vehicle is in the XLE trim, the top of the three trims available. The base L trim has a starting price of $44,990, plus the $1,930 destination fee; while the tested XLE starts at $54,990 plus destination.

How does the BZ4X compare to the RAV4?

Its modern looks have been turning a few heads as they squint to try to get a glimpse of the oddly-named Toyota that most have yet to see out on the streets. The two-tone look that many automakers have been getting on board with is an extra $1,100 — I’ll let you be the judge of whether that’s a worthwhile spend. Whether you opt for the two-tone or not, I rather like the look of the BZ; it’s modern, but still mostly a traditional SUV shape. Let’s call it a better-looking RAV4.

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Speaking of, we recently test drove and compared the RAV4 to the new sixth-gen Honda CR-V (aren’t you curious to see which crossover came out on top?). The RAV4 is simple and easy-to-use, but the BZ4X takes some of the RAV4’s better traits and makes it even a little better. Toyota says the RAV4 and BZ4X are the same size. By the numbers, the BZ4X is a tiny bit longer, a tiny bit shorter, and a little heavier than the RAV4. When comparing the specs of the two top trims, the BZ had more headroom in the front and a bit less in the back. It’s the same situation with legroom, however I didn’t feel that way at all.

In fact, I found the BZ to have more back-seat legroom than many other SUVs I’ve driven recently. When a taller person is sitting in the front, there’s still a ton of space at the back for adults or children in car seats whose legs may be sticking out as opposed to being flat on the ground.

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There’s a ton of cargo space, way more than enough to fit a grocery haul or even a big stroller, maybe even both. A couple suitcases would also easily fit in the back. Despite the numbers showing it being smaller than the RAV4’s cargo space, it’s got such a wide area that it’s almost unnoticeable, unless you often stack things high into your trunk.

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Is the BZ4X a good EV?

As for the technical specs, the base trim is a front-wheel-drive model with a 200-horsepower motor; while this top XLE works with two motors to deliver 214 horsepower combined. I found the BZ4X to be an extremely comfortable drive. It’s smooth and picks up speed with ease, while being so quiet and gentle.

Toyota says the base trim has an estimated range of 406 km, and the top all-wheel-drive trim has a range of 367 km. When I picked up the fully charged EV, it was showing 430 km. It was 10 degrees outside, so I didn’t need to use the heated steering wheel or heated seats, nor did I need to use any HVAC for my drive home. When I reached my destination, the readout was pretty accurate in its remaining kilometres. During a week in which I did a little more driving than usual, I would say this car averaged a higher range than 367 kilometres.

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During one drive, it was raining, and the windows kept getting foggy. Hitting the button to defog the front and back windows cut the range by roughly 35 km. However, once everything was no longer foggy, taking it off instantly gives those 35 kilometres back to the estimated range.

Compare the specs of the Toyota BZ4X’s rival

It doesn’t have the best range in the electric segment, but the simplicity of the vehicle might make it a great option for older drivers who don’t want all the added fuss of modern technology. Of course, they’ll have to be willing to fork over some big bucks.

Charging the 2023 Toyota BZ4X

Toyota notes the XLE model tops out at 100 kW at fast-charging stations. Unfortunately, I never came anywhere close to speeds like that. When plugged into a charging station, the BZ4X never actually made it past a rate of 37 kW. That’s pretty slow, and that definitely won’t charge this vehicle to Toyota’s estimates of 80 per cent in an hour — still a bit slower than competing EVs. Instead, the station showed four hours and 50 minutes to a full charge.

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Of course, a BZ4X (or any EV) owner would likely be in a different scenario. They probably wouldn’t need to depend on (the lack of) public EV infrastructure because they’ve got a Level 2 charger installed at home. This means charge times shouldn’t be as big of an issue, since you can just leave it overnight to charge, which Toyota says should take about nine hours. Whether it takes a little longer than that nine hours or not, keep in mind that you’re likely not running the vehicle down to a minimal charge before plugging in at the end of every single day.

The digital gauge cluster shows your estimated range, though there’s no percentage readout. I didn’t mind this at first, especially after realizing that seeing the percentage is the main cause of my range anxiety, but I can see why some people may find it useful when deciding if it’s the right time to charge. If it’s something you prefer to see, it can be seen on the Toyota app, but it isn’t displayed anywhere in the vehicle.

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Is the BZ4X worth it?

For nearly $60k, there are some things that should be standard. For example, some may insist on having a bit more range, especially if you’re a first-time EV buyer. But EV aside, I personally wanted automatic seats and a memory button. No, it’s not the end of the world if I have to manually adjust the seat every time someone much taller than me drives, but it is super-annoying, and for the kind of money you’re spending on this vehicle, it should be standard on all trims, but at the very least, it should be in the top trim — it’s not.

Interestingly, a glovebox is nowhere to be found! So weird! I tried for quite some time to find a handle or maybe even a button on the touchscreen that might give access to a glovebox, but nope. There’s only a small compartment in the centre console that doesn’t hold much.

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For what it’s worth, there’s a really comfortable seat and most things are within a quick tap away. The screen is large and very clear, and while the backup cameras still aren’t quite up to par with many competing vehicles, it’s a bit better than some older models in the Toyota lineup — besides, we can live without an HD screen when backing up, low-def still gets the job done well enough.

The infotainment system is super-easy to use, but that’s mainly because there aren’t a whole lot of options in there. You can wirelessly connect Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and there’s also a wireless phone charger hidden underneath a little enclosed spot that should deter people from actually trying to use the phone while driving.

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Is that enough to make even the most loyal Toyota fan jump at the chance to own an EV?

Final thoughts

If you’re a car fanatic or EV-lover, you know what you’re looking for, and those are very specific things when it comes to this all-electric auto world. To the average driver with a family — someone quite like myself — a comfortable ride, adequate seating and cargo space, and easy-to-use features go a very long way, especially when you’re also trying to navigate that range anxiety. Plus, it’s a Toyota — that’s got to mean something when it comes to reliability, right?

As much as I truly enjoyed driving the BZ4X, I can’t quite say I’d buy one — at least not yet. It’s a steep price to pay for something that isn’t quite offering enough, especially when compared to the competition. But who knows, in a couple years, a refresh could do wonders for this brand-new EV.

Check out the latest Toyota BZ4X model. Click here for more Millennial Mom’s Reviews.