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Toyota bZ4X to face-off against Tesla Model Y

Japanese brand reveals Australian details for its first dedicated electric car

Toyota bZ4X parked

By Bruce Newton, carsales.com.au

Toyota is set to become the underdog as it faces-off against Tesla with the introduction of its first-ever dedicated electric car.

The Japanese giant has revealed Australian details for its bZ4X EV, which has been priced competitively against its direct rival and Australia’s most popular electric vehicle, the Tesla Model Y.

Two Toyota bZ4X's parked

The bZ4X will be offered locally in two model grades, with the entry-level version costing $66,000 (plus on-road costs) and featuring a single motor configuration with two-wheel drive while the flagship variant tops out at $74,900 (plus ORCs) and has a dual-motor set-up with all-wheel drive.

By comparison, the Tesla Model Y is slightly more affordable at the lower end, with the RWD model costing $65,400 (plus ORCs) but is more expensive at the other end with the Long Range AWD version costing $74,900 (plus ORCs) while the range-topping Model Y Performance, for which Toyota does not offer a direct rival, has a sticker price of $91,000 (plus ORCs).

Other rivals include the Hyundai IONIQ 5 (priced from $65,000 to $84,000 plus ORCs) and the Kia EV6 that costs between $72,590 to $99,590 (plus ORCs).

So far, Toyota claims to have received 122 orders in less than a week, from more than 7000 expressions of interest. The Japanese brand says that only 1500 examples of the bZ4X will be shipped to Australia this year, suggesting the market leader does not have massive ambitions for its first EV.

That number compares to the 28,769 Tesla Model Y EVs sold in Australia in 2023. Nevertheless, Toyota’s marketing chief Sean Hanley talked up the bZ4X’s importance at the recent Australian launch.

Toyota bZ4X side view

“The bZ4X is not just an electric car – it’s the foundation for the next phase of our electrification strategy that hits a sweet spot with its mid-size SUV dimensions, space and functionality,” he said.

“As the first Toyota BEV, it will accelerate our multi-pathway approach that’s designed to help our customers lower their tailpipe carbon emissions while leaving no-one behind.”

Toyota bZ4X on road

The 2WD Toyota bZ4X is powered by a 150kW/266Nm electric motor mounted on the front axle, while the AWD’s dual-motor set-up offers 160kW/337Nm with a three-stage X Mode for off-roading.

Both models have a 71.4kWh (gross) lithium-ion battery pack that delivers a claimed 436km range for the 2WD and 411km for the AWD based on WLTP testing. The maximum DC fast-charging rate is up to 150kW.

By comparison, the Tesla Model Y RWD has a 455km WLTP range and the AWD Long Range a 533km WLTP range.

Toyota bZ4X on road

The bZ4X comes with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, extending to seven years on motor and driveline with logbook services. The high-voltage battery is covered for up to 10 years.

Toyota also offers capped-price servicing for the first five years/75,000km with each 12-month/15,000km service costing $180.

See our full specs and equipment list below.

Toyota bZ4X on road

Toyota bZ4X FWD specifications and equipment:

Mechanical

150kW/266Nm front-mounted permanent magnet synchronous electric motor
Front e-Axle single-speed transaxle
71.4kWh lithium-ion battery
535km range (NEDC) / 436km range (WLTP)
Front MacPherson strut and rear multi-link suspension with coil springs
Ventilated 328mm front and 317mm rear disc brakes
Electric power steering

Exterior

Poly-ellipsoidal LED headlights with adaptive high-beam system, dynamic auto levelling and follow-me-home light control system
LED daytime running lights
Heated side mirrors with auto power folding
LED side mirror indicators
LED tail-lights
Rear fog lamp
20-inch alloy wheels with 235/50R20 tyres
Privacy glass for rear side, quarter and back windows
Front and rear air spats
Six available colours with solid, metallic and pearl paint finishes

Interior

Sporty front seats with fabric and SofTex trim
Reclining rear seats with fabric and SofTex trim
60/40 split-fold rear seatbacks
Front and rear floor mats
Shift-by-wire dial drive selector with integrated electronic park brake
Leather-accented steering wheel
Driver and passenger sun visor vanity mirrors with LED lighting
Five seats

Safety

Toyota Safety Sense: Pre-collision safety system with pedestrian and daylight cyclist detection, plus left/right intersection function
Active cruise control
Lane trace assist and emergency driving stop system
Road sign assist (speed signs only)
Vehicle stability control
Front and rear parking support brake including parking sensors
Reversing camera
Seven airbags: driver and front passenger front and side, centre-front, side curtain
Pitch and bounce control
Two rear ISOFIX points, three rear top-tether mounts
First-aid kit

Comfort and convenience

Dual-zone climate control
Smart entry and start
Auto front wipers
Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
7.0-inch multi-information display
Tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel adjustment
8-way power adjustable driver seat with vertical headrest adjustment
2-way driver seat power lumbar adjustment
6-way manual adjustable front passenger seat with vertical headrest adjustment
Heated front seats
Passenger occupant detection
Rear air vents
Driver and passenger seatback pockets
Rear seat vertical headrest adjustment
Power tailgate
4 x cup holders (2 front/2 rear), 8 bottle holders (2 in each door)
Tyre repair kit

Infotainment/Multimedia

12.3-inch multimedia display with cloud navigation and DAB+ radio
Toyota Multimedia Connect (12 months complimentary)
Wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto
4 x USB-C ports, 1 x UBC-A
12V accessory socket
6-speaker audio system

Toyota bZ4X AWD additional features over bZ4X FWD:

Mechanical

80kW/168.5Nm front and rear-mounted (160kW/337Nm total) permanent magnet synchronous electric motors
Front and rear e-Axle single-speed transaxles
485km range (NEDC) / 411km range (WLTP)

Exterior