Wide-ranging overhaul of Toyota's first electric car puts it on a competitive footing for the first time
Toyota probably anticipated a challenging few years for its first all-electric production model, the Toyota BZ4X. It was an uncompetitive first bespoke EV, at a time when the market for family-friendly electric crossovers was booming. The steepness of the learning curve that this car has had to surmount, on its way to becoming the permanent and worthy fixture in the firm’s showroom range that it would now appear to be, is quite something to contemplate.Almost as soon as it appeared in 2022, it had a critical safety recall for faulty wheel hubs. Then there were issues with the overly conservative ‘battery buffering’ software, which caused the car to underestimate its available range, and with the cabin heater, which caused it to actually compromise its available range - at least until a new ‘radiant’ heater could be added. And then came the grumblings of owners about the car’s performance and rapid charging speed in cold weather.And so now, with plenty of confidence to restore, an unusually comprehensive job has been made on the car’s mid-life facelift. This latest bZ4X is more like a new model generation, considering what has gone into its effort of ‘kaizen' continuous improvement.From battery to motors to inverters, from suspension to chassis to steering, and taking in both the exterior design and cabin specification, this update touches almost every important aspect of the car and aims to leave it in a more competitive position in one of the most fiercely fought parts of the market for new EVs.It doesn't bring anything new to the segment it fights in, but it's grown into a reliable all-round performer, enough to broaden its appeal and recommendability against rivals like the Skoda Enyaq, Peugeot e-3008 and Renault Scenic.Â
