IF there is one manufacturer at the forefront of hybrid and electric vehicles then its Toyota, who have led the field for many years with cars like their big selling Prius (now apparently almost every taxi on the roads of the UK!)
So, their 2024 bZ4X is not entirely a new venture for the Japanese manufacturer but it is a big step forward and their first car to use the ‘bZ’ or Beyond Zero name with a battery integrated into the chassis.
It’s a spacious five-seat electric family SUV that has a comfortable ride, dynamic performance and an excellent full charge range of up to 312 miles plus a high-power charge time up to 80% in 35 minutes.
It’s not the cheapest family EV (our test mid-range Motion FWD spec car is a shade over £44k) but is well equipped and has a premium feel to its interior with lots of on-board tech to match most rivals.
Outside its smart and sophisticated with Toyota’s angular styling giving a muscular look with loads of street presence while an up to 10 years warranty package adds to the appeal.
That standard kit list includes must haves like a 12.3-inch central multimedia display with sat nav, wireless smart phone charging, heated front seats, panoramic camera view, power tailgate and the comprehensive list of safety features we have come to expect from Toyota.
Toyota plan an entire family of electric bZ models with the number in the name indicating the size of the car with the ‘4’ being a mid-size vehicle and ‘X’ for an SUV.
Every bZ4X has a 75kWh battery and you get a very healthy 201bhp in front-wheel drive form and 215bhp with twin motors for 4X4, one on each axle. There are also three core trim levels Pure, Motion and Vision and every model has a seven-inch digital instrument panel, heat pump, 18-inch alloy wheels and smartphone connectivity.
Most popular is likely to be our Motion spec which includes features like privacy glass, a panoramic glass roof, heated front seats and that bigger 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, as opposed to the base model’s eight-inch display.
Prices currently start from just under £43,000 for a FWD Pure trim, rising to around £51,500 for the top-spec Vision AWD model.
I spent a week with the bZ and it proved very comfy and easy to live with an overnight three pin low power top up charge each night provided all the power I needed.
For more info see www.toyota.co.uk
By Motoring Editor Steve Howarth