Toyota bZ4X Touring review 2026: Prices, specs & verdict

What is the Toyota bZ4X Touring?

The Toyota bZ4X was the Japanese brand’s first ground-up electric car when it launched in 2022. But time flies in the electric SUV space, and Toyota has recently launched the much fresher C-HR+ underneath that car.

To try and keep the bZ4X competitive it’s recently been improved, with greater range and efficiency, an upgraded interior and new tech. But it lacks a unique selling point - something which this new bZ4X Touring does offer.

As the name suggests (think BMW’s Touring models) the Touring is effectively an estate version of the standard SUV. Bringing more practicality and some mild off-road ability into the mix, Toyota is hoping it will bring a big boost in sales by appealing to a more lifestyle audience.

The bZ4X Touring also has a sister car in the form of the new Subaru e-Outback. But it’s Toyota’s version I’ve driven here on Slovenian roads and some light off-road tracks. Check out our in-depth review to find out everything you need to know.

Verdict: is the Toyota bZ4X Touring a good car?

Overall, the improved practicality of the bZ4X Touring combine with the recent updates to the rest of the bZ4X range to make this unusual new SUV-cum-estate a very appealing all-rounder.

A composed driving experience, good performance, decent range on a charge and Toyota's excellent warranty mean the Touring is more than just a big boot, however. It’s comfortable and refined, too, although the interior lacks some wow factor, charging speeds aren’t class-leading and, while the front-wheel drive model is competitively priced, we're not sure the £50k+ AWD model is necessary.

Pricing, specs & rivals

Prices for the Toyota bZ4X Touring start at £45,995 at launch in the UK. That’s a not insubstantial £6,000 increase over the regular bZ4X on paper, but the Touring range starts in higher-spec Design trim. On that comparison, it’s only around £750 more spec-for-spec.

That seems a good deal given the much bigger boot and slight range increase of the Touring. A Skoda Enyaq can be had for much less but is comparable spec-for-spec, while seven-seaters like the Peugeot e-5008 are quite a bit more.

The £45,995 base price gets you Design trim in lower-powered, front-wheel drive form. Standard equipment is fairly generous and includes 18in alloys, a 14in touchscreen infotainment system, heated front seats, two wireless phone charging pads, blind spot monitoring, a 360-degree camera system and an electric tailgate.

There’s only one other variant, the bZ4X Touring Excel. It’s priced at a much punchier £51,695 because you can only have that in much faster all-wheel drive form. That, unfortunately, makes it liable for the Expensive Car Supplement on top of existing car tax (VED) for five years after the first year.

Standard equipment in the Excel includes 20in alloys, a panoramic glass roof, faux leather upholstery, ventilated front seats, heated outer rear seats, a digital rear-view mirror and 22kW AC charging. The only option is to add a JBL premium sound system.

Toyota is even bold enough to guarantee the battery will retain at least 70% of its capacity for up to one million kilometres (621,000 miles) or ten years. That's providing you service it at a main dealer, whereby the rest of the car also gets a 10 year/100,000-mile warranty.

Rivals

Other than the very similar Subaru e-Outback, there are no electric SUVs with estate-style branding. If a big boot matters more than an SUV shape, check out estate cars like the Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer, BYD Seal 6, or the much pricier BMW i5 Touring.

Potential SUV rivals include the Skoda Enyaq, Mercedes-Benz GLB, Nissan Ariya, Peugeot e-5008, Tesla Model Y, Kia EV5 or EV6 and Hyundai IONIQ 5.

Interior comfort, quality & technology

Most of the changes to turn the bZ4X into a Touring are focused on behind the rear seats. From up front, you wouldn’t be able to spot any changes.

It’s a typically Toyota cabin, focusing on a feeling of longevity and simplicity over particularly flashy materials and fancy design details.

That means there are more attractive electric SUV interiors with fewer shiny plastics, but we’d expect the bZ4X Touring to hold up well to years of family punishment. All the key touchpoints feel reasonably plush, too, and more importantly there are plenty of physical controls including for the climate features. There's even a single button push to turn off the speed warning, which is rare.

The driving position feels like that of a full-on SUV: you sit much higher up than in cars like the Kia EV6, giving you a commanding view of the road ahead. Tall side windows make it airy and further aid visibility, while it’s easy to get comfortable with a widely adjustable front seat and plenty of wheel adjustment.

Having said that, one main issues with where the driver sits is their view of the digital instruments. We found that the top of the steering wheel could block our view of the dials in our ideal driving position, and we think that could be a particular issue for the very tall. Peugeot has similar issues, and we’d be sitting in the bZ4X before signing on the dotted line.

Infotainment, sat-nav, stereo and connectivity

Every version of the Toyota bZ4X comes equipped with a 14in touchscreen infotainment system mounted on a plinth in the centre of the dashboard.

It’s the same as the recently updated standard bZ4X, and is an improvement in clarity and menu functionality over older models. There are also customisable menus allowing quick access to commonly used functions. It’s not the flashiest or most responsive screen on the market, but it’s easy enough to use.

Alongside wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay there’s built-in sat-nav which can help plan your charging stops along your route and precondition the battery to prepare for charging.

The digital instrument display is largely unchanged, giving you enough information without distractingly glitzy graphics and an overload of numbers.

One feature we really like in the bZ4X Touring is that you get two wireless phone charging pads up front as standard. A Tesla Model Y has that too, but most competitors offer only one. We’re pleased to see 60-watt fast charging USB-C ports available both front and rear, too.

The standard six-speaker audio system delivers perfectly adequate sound quality, but those who really enjoy their tunes should consider the punchy nine-speaker JBL audio upgrade.

How practical is the Toyota bZ4X?

This is the main reason you’d buy a Touring over a regular bZ4X: to fit more stuff in it. You won’t be fitting any more people in that longer body because Toyota doesn’t offer a seven-seat variant.

The bZ4X Touring's dimensions of 4,830mm in length, 1,860mm in width and 1,670mm in height make it 140mm longer and 20mm taller than the standard bZ4X.

The Touring has the same wheelbase (the space between the front and rear wheels) as the smaller bZ4X, which translates to largely the same passenger space. Thankfully that means plenty: those up front will have loads of headroom to spare and plenty of legroom, although you can bang your knee on the chunky centre console.

The bZ4X also didn’t need any more rear legroom – it already has masses of it. I’m 6ft 3, and found I could sit behind myself with inches of space to spare between my knees and the seat. Importantly, though, the Touring model has a slightly higher roof with benefits headroom in the back. In the standard bZ4X, six-plus-footers may find their heads contacting the ceiling.

One shame is that you can’t sacrifice some of that impressive legroom for extra boot space because the seat bench doesn’t slide forwards or backwards. The backrest does recline, however.

Storage and boot space

All version of the bZ4X have the exact same issue that we’re surprised Toyota didn’t fix with the Touring: the lack of any glovebox.

The brand claims it’s to maximise foot space and centre console storage, but that’s debatable. Still, you also get good-sized door bins up front, a useful space under the centre armrest, a pair of cupholders, a narrow but wide space under the centre console itself and two phone charging trays.

In the rear you’ll find smaller but still quite usable door pockets, map pockets in the front seatbacks and a pair of cupholders in the centre armrest.

The star of the show is in the boot, however. At a huge 669 litres with all seats in place, it’s substantially bigger than the already roomy Skoda Enyaq’s 585-litre boot, and even larger than the Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer’s boot in terms of outright capacity.

There’s also a flat floor, wide tailgate opening and low loading height to help you make the most of the space on offer. Boot underfloor storage is good, too: the boot floor folds in two and can be fixed upright to stop loose items rolling around, while small underfloor pockets either side keep small items safe.

Complaints? Well the seats only fold in a 60/40 split rather than the more flexible 40/20/40 split of several rivals, while there’s also no easy through-loading behind the armrest. But they’re minor gripes for what is otherwise a very practical SUV.

Performance & drive: What is the Toyota bZ4X Touring like on the road?

On the launch of the Toyota bZ4X Touring I was able to drive both versions back-to-back. Design trim is expected to be the biggest seller by a decent margin.

It’s not hard to see why when you see its range capability (below) and price point. Producing 224hp and powering the front-wheels only, the bZ4X Touring Design manages 0-62mph in 7.3 seconds.

On paper that’s respectable performance for an entry-level family SUV, and so it proves to be on the road. The front-wheel drive Touring gets up to speed relatively quickly and with little drama, although it can sometimes lose traction at the front if you’re too keen on the throttle.

Only when faced with a need for a quick overtake or junction exit does it feel a bit lacking. We’d also add a caveat that we’ve only tried it with one person on board rather than when fully loaded with people and luggage, which could dent performance further.

We’d understand why some may want to upgrade to the all-wheel-drive model, then. Like the regular bZ4X, Toyota does offer a dual-motor Touring in Excel trim, but now produces 380hp rather than ‘just’ 335hp in the smaller car.

That translates to a seriously rapid 0-62mph time of 4.5 seconds. On paper that’s faster than a Porsche Macan Electric, and it feels just as effortless as getting up to speed to me. It stops short of being as brutal as the very fastest EVs, though, and that’s appropriate for a family car such as this.

Both bZ4X Tourings only come with ‘Normal’ and ‘Eco’ drive modes, with the lack of a ‘Sport’ option giving the best indication of where Toyota is pitching this car. We like that the regenerative braking system has four modes adjusted via steering wheel-mounted paddles, while the brake pedal itself feels natural and easy to modulate.

It’s also worth noting that the all-wheel drive bZ4X Touring holds some appeal for those looking to tow, with a 1,500kg towing capacity allowing it to pull a small caravan with ease (unlike some rivals).

Power, 0-62mph times

• Toyota bZ4X Touring Design: 224hp/ 7.3 secs
• Toyota bZ4X Touring Excel: 380hp/ 4.5 secs

Ride and handling

The best compliment we can pay the bZ4X Touring is that it feels almost exactly the same as the regular bZ4X on the road. That’s partly because, according to Toyota at least, there is no significant weight penalty for the Touring despite its size increase.

It’s clear that comfort is the focus for a car such as this, and our experience the bZ4X Touring delivers here. The ride is composed at all speeds, being noticeably less firm than a Tesla Model Y but avoiding feeling bouncy and uncontrolled on challenging tarmac.

The front-wheel drive car feels a bit softer, with lighter steering and slightly better bump isolation than the all-wheel drive model. The AWD car counters that by turning in more keenly and giving you greater grip and balance, but it doesn’t steer is nicely as the less powerful car.

Overall, both are decently capable by electric SUV standards. But the all-wheel drive model benefits from a Subaru-derived ‘X-Mode’ terrain control system that primes the car for mud, snow, sand or other surfaces.

We experienced it on a gravel track, and while we’ve no doubt a Land Rover would be more capable, the bZ4X is competent enough to deal with the kind of minor off-roading that the average owner would encounter. Plus, Toyota lists a 500mm wading depth: Skoda doesn’t quote any figure at all for the Enyaq, which tells you it’s probably not designed with wading in mind.

Noise and refinement

Refinement is one of the key strengths of the Toyota bZ4X Touring, as it is in the standard model. On our test route the car had low levels of wind and road noise – and it’s worth noting that Slovenian road surfaces can be almost as bad as UK ones. Suspension noise isn’t too noticeable either, while motor whine is almost absent.

Euro NCAP: is the Toyota bZ4X Touring a safe car?

The bZ4X Touring receives the same maximum five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP as the standard bZ4X, putting it among the safest family EVs around.

Category scores are good but not exceptional across the board, while standard safety kit is comprehensive.

Along with the mandated automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, driver monitoring and speed limit alert, every Touring has lane change assist, blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control and rear cross-traffic alert.

Charging, range and running costs

The BZ4X Touring gets a slightly bigger battery than the regular bZ4X, at 71kWh in usable capacity versus 69kWh.

Despite the extra size and weight, that translates to a boost in official WLTP combined range, up to 366 miles (from 352 for the regular car) for the front-wheel drive version.

That’s a competitive figure that’s slightly ahead of the longest-range Skoda Enyaq and well ahead of the Nissan Ariya, if slightly behind the Mercedes-Benz GLB.

The all-wheel drive Excel model, with its range-reducing bigger wheels and extra power, has a noticeable effect on range. It drops to 297 miles, which is substantially lower than cars like the Tesla Model Y AWD and Skoda Enyaq vRS.

Every bZ4X Touring also comes with a heat pump, which helps mitigate the effects of cold weather on the car’s range.

Range on a charge (WLTP figures)

• Toyota bZ4X Touring Design: 366 miles
• Toyota bZ4X Touring Excel: 297 miles

Toyota claims a peak charging speed of 150kW, enabling a 10-80% charge time of just under half an hour using the fastest public rapid chargers.

That’s perfectly acceptable for most people, but it’s worth noting that cars like the Tesla Model Y, Hyundai IONIQ 5, Mercedes-Benz GLB and Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer offer faster speeds and quoted charge times. If you’re planning regular public charging stops, there are better options available.

Nevertheless, the bZ4X doesn’t have a particularly massive battery pack, so its AC empty to full charging speeds aren’t likely to be an issue.

Even with a typical home wallbox a full charge will be completed well under 12hrs. All cars get 11kW three-phase AC charging to bring that down to just over 7hrs, but like Nissan with the Ariya, Toyota also offers the option of 22kW charging on the top-spec bZ4X Touring.

For those able to make use of three-phase destination chargers (often found at offices or in car parks) that means a full charge is possible in well under four hours.

Once disappointment is the lack of any Vehicle-to-Load facility to power household appliances or camping gear from the car’s battery pack. That’s increasingly commonplace in the EV market, and a strange omission by Toyota.

Charging speeds

(Figures from EV Database)

• 7kW charging: 11hr 30 mins
• 11kW charging: 7hr 45 mins
• 50kW rapid charger (10 to 80% charge): 63 mins
• 300kW+ rapid charger (10 to 80% charge): 29 mins

How much does the Toyota bZ4X Touring cost to insure?

We haven’t yet seen insurance group data for the bZ4X Touring, but the front-wheel drive model should be similar to the group 36 of the regular bZ4X. Expect the all-wheel drive Touring to be a couple of groups higher than the 41 of the AWD bZ4X due to its added performance.