Toyota bZ4X

The original bZ4X was behind the curve in terms of its electric range, but facelifted model turns that on its head

- Alastair Crooks

WE were disappointed when the dual-motor Toyota bZ4X EV arrived in 2022 because, with just 257 miles on a full battery, its range didn't match its aspirations. Soon after, a single-motor model upped this to 277 miles, but neither could cut it against rivals that could top 300 miles. Now, a midlife refresh brings big improvements in this area.

There are two new batteries: a 57.7kWh unit on the entry Icon trim, and a 73.1kWh pack on the mid-range Design and top-spec Excel. The latter is a mere 1.6kWh larger than before, but coupled with better aerodynamics and more efficient motors, range rises to 352 miles for the front-wheel-drive car. The smaller-battery Icon can manage 274 miles and the dual-motor Excel tops out at 292 miles. Equivalent versions of the Skoda Enyaq and Hyundai Ioniq 5 top out at 265 and 273 miles respectively, with the Tesla Model Y Standard offering 314 miles. The Toyota's maximum charge rate is still 150kW, with a 28-minute top-up for 10 to 80 per cent, but a new preconditioning function for colder temperatures can be manually set.