Toyota bZ (2026) Review

The bZ4X arrived in 2022 with a name nobody could say, 252 miles of range, slow charging and a recall over wheels that could come loose. The 2026 car keeps the platform, drops the 4X from the name in North America, and works through the list. The larger battery grows to 74.7 kWh and the range estimate to 314 miles. Front wheel drive output rises to 221 horsepower and all wheel drive to 338. The charge port is now the North American Charging Standard, with battery preconditioning and Plug and Charge, so a long trip stops being an exercise in planning.

None of that makes it interesting. The styling still leans on black cladding that reads as filler, the interior is gray and hard where the Ioniq 5 is inventive, and the way it drives is competent and completely forgettable. The base XLE asks 34,900 dollars before a 1,450 dollar delivery charge, which is fair for what arrives, and the car reached dealers in the second half of 2025.

The number to think hardest about is resale. Values for the original bZ4X fell further than almost anything else on the used market, and while a better car should hold up better, the badge now has a history here. Lease it, or buy it understanding that the first owner pays for the repositioning.