When its wheels are not at risk of falling off, the Toyota bZ4X electric SUV isn’t so bad, though it does have disappointing range for the price compared to its competitors. Now, the Toyota EV lineup is finally growing with a more compact (and hopefully easier to pronounce) SUV model that will be revealed next month. Here’s what we know so far.
The teaser images do not reveal too much, but we do already know based on a concept vehicle that looks just like this from a few years ago that it should be a more compact model than the existing bZ4X EV. The concept was said to be around 6 inches shorter in length and 3.5 inches lower in overall height than its bigger sibling.
It looks like Toyota is continuing to ape its upscale Lexus design department for its more mainstream products, as it did with the bZ4X previously. We can make out an angular look, a notched shoulder line, and edged creases around the entire body. The images reveal C-shaped headlights modeled after the brand’s Crown lineup and recent Prius and Camry design updates, and a full-bar rear taillight under the rear window, with a little winglet above the light unit for likely improved aero efficiency.
It’s unclear how big of a battery or how many motors the new compact EV SUV might get for now, but it should ride on the same e-TNGA platform as the bZ4X. A new “Urban Cruiser” electric SUV from Toyota in Europe sports 49- and 61-kWh battery pack options, so those could port over here. The bZ4X gets around with a near-72-kWh battery pack, depending on configuration. Toyota claims the new compact EV will have “elevated driving dynamics,” which should be a plus because the bZ4X really hates to be pushed hard, as we found in our SUVOTY testing back in 2023.
Toyota revealed very little about the concept version of this model back in 2022, and has now revealed even less about the coming production version. Still, it should come priced lower than the bigger bZ4X, which starts at $38,465 before incentives. We’ll learn more about this new vehicle at its full reveal on March 11. The teaser was only posted to the European Toyota newsroom website, so hopefully it still comes stateside one day, too.