The Toyota bZ4X loses the “4X” in its name but gets better in every measurable way for 2026. If you want all the details, check out our full report on the subject: 2026 Toyota bZ Promises to Be a Much Better EV.
But, if you want some insights from my quick hands-on experience driving the electric vehicle in Plano, Texas, at Toyota’s North American HQ, keep reading here.
2026 Toyota bZ First Impressions
I got behind the wheel of the built in Japan 2026 Toyota bZ Limited for a quick drive. I also looked under the hood and climbed around the Woodsman version.
Updated Inside & Out
First, it looks pretty good, inside and out. The styling is properly modern, and I prefer the body-colored fender arches versus the shiny black ones. Both looks are available, depending on trim and options.
The all-new interior offers ambient lighting, heated and ventilated front seats, four USB ports, and a rear cargo area inverter. Some touch points are a bit plastic, like door handles and the center console, but otherwise, the steering wheel, armrest, and center console padding are quite nice.
The front seats are comfortable, but the bottom cushion could be longer to better support the legs. The new dual conductive charging pads make the center console very wide, which impedes on knee room. Although, the pads are nice to have, and there is a lot of storage under the center console as well.
There is impressive rear seat legroom and good enough headroom. Rear heated seats are also available.
While I’m not usually into the big glass roofs, the one in the new bZ is quite nice. It really makes the cabin feel much larger than it is.
A new kick-activated power tailgate is a handy feature for easily loading and unloading when your hands are full.
Cargo room is limited, however, with the slantback shape of the rear of the vehicle and the fact that there is no frunk.
What It’s Like to Drive
Getting behind the wheel, even for a short period of time, offered up a lot of insights into this machine. The greenhouse provides great visibility out the front window, and the thin A-pillars mean there isn’t much of a forward blind spot. While there is quite a lot of road noise, wind noise isn’t too bad.
The bZ now has plenty of power, especially in the AWD version I drove. It has 50% more horsepower than the outgoing model, now up to 338 horsepower. It also now offers a very usable 314 miles of range.
The steering is a bit overly heavy and feels a bit darty. Aggressive steering inputs also instantly cuts power, as there is a lot of body roll and the traction control steps in quickly. And, the front end gets loose once the power comes back on, which can be unnerving as you don’t have much steering control at that moment. But, the accelerator and brake pedals are quite responsive.
Suspension is now quite firm, but it does OK over rough, broken pavement. It feels a bit sportier than it should, and could benefit from a bit more damping.
The new paddles on the back of the steering wheel adjust regen modes. But, even the most aggressive regen mode on offer is very far from a one-pedal experience. That’s a miss for a battery electric vehicle (BEV) in 2025.
I also found the drive selector dial, which you have to push down to select a drive mode, to be kind of odd. It works, and will likely be fine once you’re used to it. The driver’s gauge cluster is also very busy, and isn’t that configurable.
2026 Toyota bZ Woodland
I, sadly, didn’t get to drive Woodland version of the forthcoming bZ. It is the rugged-looking one. But, beyond the Falken Wildpeak AT Trail, roof rails, and plastic body cladding, it is the one with way more rear cargo room.
Yep, the 2026 bZ Woodland is more wagon than sedan. The extra vehicle length and longer roofline provide loads more cargo room and enough room to sleep inside. But, the extra length does make the departure angle considerably worse.
2026 bZ: Conclusions
The 2026 Toyota bZ is a good electric vehicle option as an everyday driver, not something I would have said about the 2025 bZ4X. Power and range are now very usable, and the interior is now quite nice.
But, the bZ is trying to be sportier than it is and is lacking in cargo room, unless you buy the Woodsman model.
While we don’t know pricing yet, I’d wager that a base model will come in just below $40K, and the AWD, big battery version you’ll want much more. Once you get into that price range, there are a lot of quality BEV options out there, especially those from Hyundai and KIA.
We should hear more details soon, as we’re only a few months out from the 2026 bZ hitting U.S. dealers.
Read the full article here