For a company so good at building crossovers, the Toyota bZ4X was never a huge mover. Maybe it was the confusing name, or maybe it was the lackluster range. For 2026, Toyota addressed both of those issues in hopes of getting its small EV on the right track.
The Toyota bZ4x is dead; long live the 2026 Toyota bZ.
Bigger Battery = More Range
Photo by: Toyota
The 2026 Toyota bZ loses two letters, but it gains a significant amount of range in the process. The base bZ XLE FWD achieves 236 miles of range, an improvement over the previous base model’s 222 miles. Move up to the XLE FWD Plus, and that unlocks 314 miles of range on a single charge—a 25-percent improvement over the 252 miles of maximum range previously advertised.
The bZ XLE AWD jumps to 288 miles of range, the Limited FWD gets 299 miles, and the Limited AWD is rated at 278 miles. It should be noted that each trim is fitted with the North American Charging Standard (NACS) plug—which means you can plug in at a Tesla Supercharger and charge at up to 150 kilowatts.
Photo by: Toyota
Photo by: Toyota
The base XLE FWD makes do with a 57.7-kilowatt-hour battery pack, while the rest of the range gets a larger 74.4-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack. The new batteries replace last year’s 63.4- and 65.5-kilowatt-hour packs.
With a bigger battery pack also comes more power. Front-wheel-drive versions of the bZ increase their output from 201 horsepower to 228 horsepower, while all-wheel-drive trims get a whopping 338 horsepower. The base XLE FWD makes just 168 hp with the smaller battery. That helps hurry the bZ AWD models to 60 miles per hour in 4.9 seconds, while the FWD versions get there in 8.0 seconds.
| Trim | Battery | Output | Range |
| bZ XLE FWD | 57.7 kWh | 168 Horsepower | 236 Miles |
| bZ XLE FWD Plus | 74.7 kWh | 221 Horsepower | 314 Miles |
| bZ XLE AWD | 74.7 kWh | 338 Horsepower | 288 Miles |
| bZ Limited FWD | 74.7 kWh | 221 Horsepower | 299 Miles |
| bZ Limited AWD | 74.7 kWh | 338 Horsepower | 278 Miles |
A Prettier Face
Photo by: Toyota
Toyota updated the bZ’s styling with a family-friendly face and smoother features. Most importantly, designers ditched the chunky black cladding around the wheel wells for a color-matched option instead. Although buyers can still go for the chunky plastic look if they so choose.
The front fascia is smoother, with upturned light fixtures reminiscent of the Camry and Prius before it. The base XLE gets standard 18-inch wheels, while the Limited adds 20-inch wheels, and there are eight color options to choose from, with six premium paint options.
Photo by: Toyota
The interior features a new center console design with Qi wireless charging, and the dash boasts a now-standard 14.0-inch touchscreen. A six-speaker audio system also comes standard, but a 9-speaker JBL Premium Audio system is available as an option. Toyota’s Safety Sense 3.0 suite also comes standard with things like adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, automatic emergency braking, and more.
The 2026 bZ features cloth seats, but Toyota’s “SofTex” faux leather is available in both grey and black. The steering wheel also features a SofTex finish. In terms of space, the bZ has 42.1 inches of legroom up front and 35.3 inches in the rear. The cargo volume behind the second row is 27.2 cubic feet, which is just a titch better than the Hyundai Ioniq 5’s 26.3 cubic feet.
Pricing: TBD
Photo by: Toyota
One thing we don’t know yet is what the 2026 Toyota bZ costs. The current 2025 bZ4X starts at $38,465 with destination for the base XLE model, so we expect the MSRP to increase. Don’t be surprised to see the 2026 bZ with a near-$40,000 starting price.
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