2023 Toyota bZ4X: First Look

Hey my good friends, Sam Haymark with Test Driven TV. It took long enough but Toyota has finally arrived to the EV crossover class with their all-new 2022 BZ4X. So we're going to have our first look right now Inside and Out. Arriving in U.S. dealerships in mid-2022 is Toyota's first purpose-built entry into the new midsize crossover EV class with the 2022 BZ4X. Featuring both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive versions, the 2022 Toyota BZ4X has a footprint about three inches longer than a Toyota RAV4 but isn't quite as tall, about two inches lower to the ground. With a 112-inch wheelbase to make room for a large lithium-ion battery pack under the floor, the wheels are pushed more outward to the corners than with the RAV4. Styling is classic contemporary Toyota but has a more conservative flavor than previous electrified vehicles like the Prius or the Mirai. With the BZ4X competing against a wide swath of mainstream EV class competitors from Nissan to Tesla, it has taken on a more mainstream character in its style. LED lighting all around gives a high-tech accent to the familiar Toyota styling DNA, here absent a huge grille to serve the cooling needs of a gasoline engine. Black plastic cladding at the wheel arches and lower rockers give it a modicum of SUV street cred. Behind the wheel, the BZ4X will feel a lot like any other new Toyota model of late, featuring high-quality materials and artistic lines that flow all around you but here with a more Scandinavian architectural flair. A simplified cockpit theme features a digital instrument cluster placed well ahead of the steering wheel. A large infotainment center screen and high center stack mounted shift selector could pass for something found in a next-generation Prius. Standard technology and features abound, a list way too long to list here. In spite of its crossover SUV design format, the 30.3 square foot cargo area features a relatively low liftover height. The rear seat, which can accommodate up to three passengers, can fold down easily in a 60-40 split for a nearly flat load floor. The standard BZ4X XLE front-wheel drive will have up to 250 miles on a charge and feature 201 horsepower standard. When you option all-wheel drive with X-Mode and grip control, horsepower increases to 215 with 248 pound-feet of torque. Battery range for the all-wheel drive is slightly less though, with 220 miles to a charge. Built on an all-new battery electric vehicle architecture known as E-TNGA, the Toyota BZ4X is the first of many new electric vehicles to come from both Toyota and Lexus in the future but will immediately have a twin brother sold by Subaru called the Solterra. The 2022 Subaru Solterra is structurally and mechanically identical but features minor styling and trim variations to differentiate it from the BZ4X visually and will feature standard all-wheel drive. A fully independent suspension is built around a rigid body structure with both high strength and high tensile steel for rigidity and responsive handling. Curb weight ranges from 4,232 pounds up to 4,420 depending on whether you opt for front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The liquid-cooled battery is placed outside the passenger compartment below the sheet metal of the flat floor and itself features structural cross-framing for additional structural rigidity and safety. Toyota says it's designed for a 90 percent charge capacity over 10 years of use. Alright my friends, there you go for the all-new 2022 Toyota BZ4X. Now pricing will be announced a little bit closer to its launch a little bit later this spring and obviously I cannot wait to take this thing for a test drive. I really am looking forward to that. That'll also probably happen this spring or this summer. Until then, click right here to see our latest video or better yet click right there and subscribe to our YouTube channel. Either way, stay tuned!