2025 Toyota bZ4X Review: Slow, Bland, and Outclassed by Rivals

2025 Toyota bZ4X Review: Does it Stack Up or Just Too Expensive?

The 2025 Toyota bZ4X should have been Toyota’s coming-out party in the BEV world. Instead, it’s the awkward guest who turns up late, overdressed, and still manages to bore everyone before the cocktails arrive. After driving Subaru’s Solterra last year, we expected more. The two are sisters in crime—same bones, same quirks—and, truth be told, equally uninspiring. Neither is the star performer Toyota so desperately needs.

The problem is Toyota has spent the last two decades perfecting hybrids and seems unwilling to move on. That obsession has served them brilliantly with models like the Prius, Camry Hybrid, and RAV4 Hybrid dominating sales. But in 2025, the world wants bold, full battery-electric vehicles—and the bZ4X feels like a hesitant step rather than a confident leap.

Mr. Toyoda once said he wanted people to love or hate his cars, but never to shrug and say “meh.” Sadly, the bZ4X inspires plenty of “meh” once you factor in its price, range, and competition.

Specifications HERE:bz4x_specification_table

Toyota vs The Competition

Toyota is still Australia’s biggest-selling carmaker—over 142,000 units to July this year, nearly three times Mazda. But when it comes to EVs, Toyota is dragging its heels, leaving rivals like BYD, MG, IM Motors, and Tesla to gobble up the market with cars that are cheaper, faster, better equipped, and (dare I say it) better looking.

Take the IM6 Performance. For basically the same money as a bZ4X (around $80k drive-away), you get 573kW/802Nm, 500km range, a slick minimalist interior, 4-wheel steering, and a 0–100 time of 3.4 seconds. The bZ4X? A modest 160kW, 350-ish km real-world range, and a 6.9-second dash to 100. That’s not just a difference—it’s a chasm.

Even Tesla’s Model Y looks like better value here, offering sharper performance, longer range, and a global charging network Toyota simply can’t match. The bZ4X is priced as if it belongs in the same league, but the spec sheet reads like it’s playing two divisions down.

Above: This Week’s VIDEO Review – 2025 Toyota bZ4X Review: Does it Stack Up or Just Too Expensive?

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ABOVE: Toyota bZ4X, IM6, Tesla Model Y

Styling and Interior

Visually, the bZ4X is a RAV4 after a night out in an oversized plastic dress. Acres of grey cladding dominate the front quarters and make an already plain design look unfinished. Paint it body-colour and it’d be far more palatable, but Toyota stuck with drab.

Inside, things aren’t much better. The Camry-esque dash tries hard to impress but ends up looking clunky compared to the IM6’s futuristic curved display or the Tesla Model Y’s clean, airy cabin. Toyota borrowed Peugeot’s “iCockpit” idea—small wheel, high-mounted screen—but here it feels cheap and awkward. Sunlight washes out the display, the plastics scream cost-cutting, and the overall vibe is more “budget crossover” than $80k EV.

To its credit, the JBL sound system slaps, and wireless CarPlay/Android Auto are handy. But that’s where the compliments stop, because for the same coin elsewhere you’re getting massaging seats, augmented reality assistants, or even air suspension.

Driving and Range

On the road, the bZ4X is fine. Steering is predictably numb, but smooth enough for city use. X-Mode sounds adventurous, but in practice it’s only good for light gravel or a wet grassy carpark. Automated parking? In theory, great. In practice, it gave me a headache and I gave up.

Range is where Toyota really loses. Our AWD dual-motor tester promised 430km but delivered closer to 350km. That’s OK in a $30k EV, but a disaster at $80k. Factor in its 150kW DC fast charging (against IM6’s 396kW) and you see the problem: Toyota is undercooked, while the competition is dining on Wagyu.

bZ4X vs IM6: Spec Showdown

Feature	Toyota bZ4X AWD	IM6 Performance
Price (NSW drive-away)	$80,866	$80,990
Power	160kW / 337Nm	573kW / 802Nm
Range (WLTP)	430km (350 real)	500km+
0–100 km/h	6.9 sec	3.4 sec
DC Fast Charging	150kW	396kW
4-Wheel Steering	❌	✅
Interior Display	12.3” + 7”	26.3” curved + 10.5”
Speakers	12 JBL	20 Premium
Warranty	5 years	7 years (with servicing)

The bZ4X isn’t just behind—it’s embarrassingly outclassed. Toyota’s reputation might keep some buyers loyal, but once you line up the numbers, the choice becomes obvious.

Verdict

Toyota’s first mass-market EV isn’t awful. It drives smoothly enough, looks vaguely RAV4-ish, and has Toyota’s usual reliability behind it. But at $80k+, it’s simply bad value. Against the IM6 or even Tesla, it’s overpriced, underpowered, and outdated on day one.

The real issue? Toyota is still clinging to hybrids like a security blanket, refusing to fully embrace BEVs while the market moves on. Hybrids might have carried them for two decades, but in 2025, that obsession leaves the bZ4X feeling like a half-hearted experiment—too little, too late. The Subaru Solterra proves the point too — same platform, same underwhelming performance, and equally uninspiring looks — leaving both cars feeling like beige placeholders in an otherwise exciting EV market.

Tags

#Toyota, #ToyotaBZ4X, #BZ4XReview, #EVReview, #ElectricSUV, #ToyotaAustralia, #SubaruSolterra, #BYD, #IM6, #TeslaModelY

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