Can Toyota's first EV - the bZ4X tow? Maximum towing capacity. Need a bZ4W towbar?

Can Toyota's first EV - the bZ4X tow? Maximum towing capacity.  Need a bZ4W towbar?

Having pioneered Hybrids, Toyota's first EV is now on the roads - can we expect the same reliability Toyota is renowned for from its first EV? The weird name - bZ4X, needs an explanation: ‘bZ’ stands for beyond zero, so it’s a battery-electric car; ‘4’ refers roughly to the size (it’s similar to the Toyota RAV4), and X signifies it’s an SUV.

The Toyota bZ4X mid-size SUV is the Japanese manufacturer's first all-electric car, and it has the quality to take on the best in class. Its ride delivers effortless levels of comfort.  The dimensions for the BZ4X are 4690mm long, 1860mm wide and 1650mm tall, with a 2850mm wheelbase and weighs a massive 2.5T!

Inside there’s an innovative design and some quality touches to be found. The driving position is comfortable and the controls are all super easy to find
Some might miss the glovebox, but now front-seat passengers have a bit more knee room.  The rear seat space is excellent, with loads of legroom and headroom. The floor is pretty flat and the central seat is just as comfortable as the outer ones, so coupled with the wide body it’s actually pretty easy to carry three adults in the back.

An 8.0-inch infotainment screen is standard with the Toyota bZ4X, but it’s worth upgrading to a higher trim to get a 12.3-inch version instead. excellent infotainment system. That big 12.3-inch screen runs the latest software, which is nearly identical to that used by the new Lexus NX. It has graphics that are clear and sharp, and very user-friendly, plus you’ll get Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
Below the main screen, there’s a bank of physical buttons, thankfully, which control the heating and ventilation as well as taking care of functions such as switching the brake energy recuperation up and down, activating the X-Mode off-road system, changing the parking camera view, and activating the electric handbrake.

With just 452 litres of luggage space in the boot, a towbar could be a must for those with lots of stuff to haul around or to take their bikes along on weekend trips.  Toyota has rated its new EV for a max of 750kgs - check your owner's manual as the maximum towing weight does differ between models and regions.  Our bZ4X towbar is also rated for the maximum 750kgs towing capacity.

As is the case with most Toyotas, the bZ4X gets the job done to get you from A to B comfortably. It’s effortless in the city with really light steering and a decent turning circle, as well as a comfy ride. Wind and tyre noise are well suppressed on all but the coarsest concrete surfaces, and given the bZ4X’s decent one-charge range, long journeys should be no issue when venturing out of the city.

There is a ‘one-pedal’ regenerative braking system, which has two modes (on and off, essentially) but it’s quite subtle, slowing the car initially, then leaving it up to you to use the actual brakes to bring the bZ4X to a stop. The brakes are smooth and not as grabby as most EVs, though it would be preferable to have true one-pedal driving.

The bZ4X comes with a choice of two powertrains, but just the one battery. It’s a 71.4kWh battery pack, which can be charged at speeds of up to 150kW from a sufficiently fast DC public charger, allowing you to charge it to 80% capacity in around 28 minutes. For home charging, early cars have a 6.6kW onboard charger, but that’s upgraded to 11kW for 2023.

The majority of buyers will opt for front-wheel drive and a single 204hp motor. That’s enough for 7.3 seconds to get from 0-100kms/h. 4x4 versions use twin electric motors, one front and one rear, for a combined 218hp, 337Nm of torque, and a 0-100kms/h time of 6.7 seconds.  The most important is driving range: the FWD model offers 516 kilometres of driving range. The all-wheel-drive model will give you surety, but – As with all AWD EVs – it’ll reduce driving range to 460 kilometres.

With its latest generation of active safety systems, Toyota has taken a considerable step forward. Aside from blindspot monitoring, driver monitoring, safe exit assist and automatic braking during parking, every system is standard even on the lowest trim level. 
The adaptive cruise control, in particular, is much better than in most existing Toyotas, as it’s more responsive and anticipates better, while the lane following system has finally been refined.

Though the Toyota bZ4X doesn’t stand out in the crowded EV SUV offerings available, it’s a comfortable all-rounder that’s worth considering.  Need to increase its practicality - ensure you fit one of our towbars.