2026 Toyota bZ4X EV Interior, Features, Engine

2026 Toyota bZ4X EV Interior, Features, Engine  – Toyota pioneered the modern gas-electric hybrid, but it’s only now going fully electric with the all-new 2025 Toyota bZ4X. The unusual name – which I dubbed the busy forest as a way to remember it – stands for Beyond Zero 4WD Crossover. Despite the name, the two cheapest trims are front-wheel drive (FWD) only.

It was developed as a joint venture with Subaru, which makes the virtually identical – but all-wheel-drive-only – Solterra. The bZ4X starts as the FWD-only L at $46,880, and then there’s my LE tester at $51,880 – both including a non-negotiable delivery fee of $1,890 but before any tax rebates. The all-wheel-drive (AWD) XLE is $56,880, and can be optioned with a Technology package at $64,640. The bZ4X EV current availability is limited to British Columbia and Quebec.

2026 Toyota bZ4X EV Redesign and Update Plan

Exterior and Interior

The bZ4X is roomy inside for its exterior size, and while most of its rivals have a bit more legroom in the front or rear seats, the differences between them are minor. The front seats are sculpted and supportive; and while the rear seats are flatter, they’ll still keep passengers comfy back there. The ride is smooth and only the nastiest road imperfections make their way into the cabin.  2026 Toyota bZ4X EV Interior

The bZ4X EV crossover styling is a bit heavy-handed, with its bulky matte-black cladding. All trims include 18-inch wheels. The dash is similar to the one found in the redesigned Toyota Prius, with a high-mounted instrument cluster above the squared-off steering column. The fabric-covered dash looks and feels nice. While the Prius has a dash-mounted centre touchscreen, the bZ4X EV tablet-style display rises out of the centre console, which is finished in high-gloss black plastic. It’s all wrong, because it blindingly reflects sunlight like a mirror.

2026 Toyota bZ4X EV Specs

The base bZ4X L includes an eight-inch touchscreen, USB Type-A and Type-C charging ports, cloth seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, auto-levelling LED headlights, heated mirrors, and variable intermittent wipers. My next-step-up LE substituted a 12.3-inch centre screen for the eight-inch one, plus a power tailgate, heated front seats and steering wheel, under-dash radiant leg-and-foot warmers, and rain-sensing wipers.

The XLE then adds a wireless charger, fabric and faux leather upholstery, an auto-dimming mirror, cargo privacy cover, and panoramic sunroof. Its available Technology package beefs that up with a hands-free tailgate, ventilated front seats, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, advanced parking assist, and 20-inch wheels. 2026 Toyota bZ4X EV Interior

Engine and Performance

The bZ4X L and LE use a single motor that drives the front wheels, making 201 hp (150 kW) and 196 lb-ft of torque, with single-speed automatic transmission. That’s the same as the Subaru Solterra, while the Volkswagen ID.4 has the same horsepower but 229 lb-ft of torque. The Kia EV6 beats both at 225 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque in its rear-drive-only configuration. Opt for the bZ4X in all-wheel drive, with two motors, and they combine for 214 hp and 248 lb-ft of torque.

While not as powerful as the AWD version, my tester was fine for everything I needed it to do. It’s sprightly from a stop, reaches highway speeds promptly, and still has enough guts as needed for passing.  2026 Toyota bZ4X EV Interior

2026 Toyota bZ4X EV Fuel Economy

The bZ4X is rated by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) for a range of 406 km in FWD, and 367 km in AWD. Of course, that’s dependent on several factors, including driving habits and ambient temperature. At one point, freshly charged up on a warm day, the gauge gave a rather optimistic range of 455 km – and which promptly dropped to 360 km when I turned on the climate control. All EVs experience some range loss when heating or cooling the cabin, but that’s the most I’ve ever seen an estimated range fall because of it.

Among two-wheel-drive rivals, the Nissan Ariya is rated at 348 km; the Chevrolet Bolt EUV at 397 km; and, depending on battery size, the Volkswagen ID.4 is 336 or 443 km, and the Kia EV6 is 373 to 499 km. The bZ4X is rated at 1.8 Le/100 km in the city, 2.2 on the highway, and 2.0 in combined driving. (That’s for litres equivalent, comparing the electrical energy to corresponding gasoline energy, and it’s within decimal-places of its rivals.)  2026 Toyota bZ4X EV Interior

2026 Toyota bZ4X EV Safety Features

The bZ4X wasn’t yet rated by the United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) at time of writing, but it earned the top “Good” spot in all testing conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), including the updated side-impact test that better simulates being struck by a larger SUV. Even so, its “Poor” headlight rating means it misses out on one of the not-for-profit’s coveted awards.

All trims come with adaptive cruise control, emergency front braking, lane-keep assist, and the back-up camera that’s mandatory on all new vehicles, but blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert comes only on the LE and XLE. That top trim further adds emergency rear braking.  2026 Toyota bZ4X EV Interior

2026 Toyota bZ4X EV Price and Release Date

The bZ4X in FWD starts at $46,880 in L trim and $51,880 for the LE. The AWD trims are the XLE at $56,880 and XLE Technology at $64,640. This Toyota’s Subaru cousin is AWD-only and runs from $56,290 to $64,090. 2026 Toyota bZ4X EV Interior

Among some of its two-wheel-drive competitors, the Chevrolet Bolt EUV starts at $42,348, but others are pricier: the Volkswagen ID.4 at $48,545; the Kia EV6 at $49,995; and the Nissan Ariya at approximately $52,500, all prices including delivery but before any applicable rebates. From behind the wheel, my tester didn’t feel like an almost-$52,000 vehicle, but EVs still aren’t inexpensive and the 2025 Toyota bZ4X is priced competitively in the segment. If you’re ready to plug in, give Toyota’s first-ever electric a look.