2026 Toyota bZ revealed for the US – renamed bZ4X facelift; AWD or FWD; up to 338 hp, 505 km EV range

2026 Toyota bZ revealed for the US – renamed bZ4X facelift; AWD or FWD; up to 338 hp, 505 km EV range

The Toyota bZ4X has been facelifted for the 2026 model year in the United States, although it’s now simply known as the bZ. Reflecting the changes announced for Europe in March, the new bZ offers more range, revised styling and is expected to arrive at dealerships in the second half of 2025.

At launch, the bZ will be available with front- or all-wheel drive as well as two battery options. FWD variants now offer 221 hp (up from 201 hp previously) and can be had with either a 57.7- or 74.7-kWh lithium-ion battery.

The lower-capacity battery can only be had with the XLE FWD variant that provides up to 380 km (236 miles) of range. Meanwhile, the 74.7-kWh battery serves up to 481 km (299 miles) in the Limited FWD, while the variant with the highest range is the XLE FWD Plus at 505 km (314 miles).

2026 Toyota bZ revealed for the US – renamed bZ4X facelift; AWD or FWD; up to 338 hp, 505 km EV range

As for the AWD powertrain, it is only offered with the higher-capacity battery and boasts a 50% power increase to 338 hp. The XLE AWD will provide up to 463 km (288 miles), while the Limited AWD does 447 km (278 miles).

The bZ supports a higher AC input of 11 kW (previously 7 kW) and is equipped with a North American Charging System (NACS) charging port for DC fast charging, which will get the battery from a 10-80% state of charge in around 30 minutes. Paddle shifters have also been added to cycle through the regenerative braking levels.

In terms of styling, the bZ gets the brand’s new hammerhead face that is already found on recent models like the Prius and latest Camry. Buyers can also choose to have body colour-matched overfenders instead of black, although this is limited to cars with Wind Chill Pearl, Heavy Metal or Black paint finishes.

2026 Toyota bZ revealed for the US – renamed bZ4X facelift; AWD or FWD; up to 338 hp, 505 km EV range

Inside, there’s a redesigned dashboard that is home to a larger 14-inch infotainment screen (previously 12.3 inches), while a pair of wireless charging pads have been added to the centre console just below the central air vents where there used to be covered storage.

According to Toyota, available equipment for the bZ include an X-Mode for AWD variants, a seven-inch digital instrument cluster, 64-colour interior ambient lighting, fabric or Softex upholstery, heated front seats, six or nine speakers (the latter from JBL), a panoramic roof, 18- or 20-inch wheels, multi-LED headlamps and a host of Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 ADAS.

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Gerard Lye

Originating from the corporate world with a background in finance and economics, Gerard's strong love for cars led him to take the plunge into the automotive media industry. It was only then did he realise that there are more things to a car than just horsepower count.

 

Comments

  • 4GR-FSE on May 15, 2025 at 5:21 pm

    I would much prefer Toyota stick to their way of naming their cars like Camry, Corolla, Vios, Crown, Harrier etc..
    These bZ or whatever names are just forgettable..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
    • Same Mom Different Dad on May 15, 2025 at 10:23 pm

      Majority people shall read bZ as “Busy” hihi

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • transformer on May 15, 2025 at 7:52 pm

    battery and electric motor from BYD/CATL?
    or international version uses JP own parts?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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