I own one and charge at home with a level 2 charger. Following the 80/20 rule. I drive the car until 20% of the battery and charge it overnight to reach 80%. It typically takes about 5 hours. This car isn't for everybody. The majority of my driving is short distance and I charge it once a week. So it works great for me.
Exactly people act like they drive more than 350 kms daily. This car drives great and is built well most of the people complaining have never even driven the car .
I own one too, bought in March. It's the best car, and Toyota I've ever owned (30+ years). I drive at most 150 miles a day, many days less than that. I took, charge at home overnight when I choose too. I have a full battery ever time I go anywhere. I never need to use a public charger, I did so twice, both to see what it's like. I did charge from 20-80 while I was in the mall shopping. It's more expensive to use public chargers (3x the price), prefer to just charge at home. Waiting for a charge is simply something I don't need to do. This car drives great, is silent, fast AWD, useful, and cheap to drive. Perfect for me. Love it.
Almost forgot. At 100 percent battery with AWD is 225 reported range. When activating AC or heater goes to 200. I think that's about 10 percent, nowhere near "a third". Not sure where this guy got his numbers.
Those charging times are insane! I don't think I'll let got of my 22 Camry anytime soon...600 mile range, 5 minutes at the pump, 600 more miles in the tank.
@@seriousfaithOh we're not alone. Plenty of people love a wagon, unfortunately the industry doesn't agree. Even Volvo are stopping production on station wagons now. Looks like I'll be keeping my V70 for a long time.
I am 50 years old. I just bought a brand new 2023 Toyota Corolla AWD Hybrid. I am hoping that with proper Maintenace and care, it will be the last car that I own. I don't put many miles on it, and I drive it locally a few times a week. I also change the oil every 5,000 miles.
My 1984 FJ60, 2000 4Runner, and 2000 LandCruiser are still going. Also change the oil at 5k-miles (along with other maintenance on time). I am considering similar to what you did. I figured I’d buy a 4Runner or LandCruiser when one of my current died, but now I’m wonder if I go ahead and just get a current 4Runner to share miles with current vehicles, and that 4Runner will be my last “new” purchase. Otherwise, I don’t know what will be available if I continue to wait until my current vehicle(s) dies. I haven’t had a car payment in about 20yrs.
@@Len10293$6-$7 and you have a car that goes another 8yrs sounds way better than $50k-$100k in 8 years for a new car. That’s probably how much money I’d spend on gas in that time, so it almost seems that if I put gas-cash in piggybank every I would have filled-up, it’s a wash.
I was actually shopping for a RAV4 Hybrid, but every dealership I encountered said I would be placed on a waiting list. After being introduced to the bz4x, I was impressed by the design, warranty, 2 year dealership maintenance, 1 year unlimited free charging and the $10K rebate. I don't mind the charging time at the charge stations, I just do my shopping or watch a RUclips Channel while wating. I don't anticipate the car will have a very high resale value after 3 years of ownership.
I think what you're saying is the BZ4X is a rush job. Because of Tesla's very high market valuation, it forced other manufacturers to have some ASAP representation in the EV category, even if they were resistant (like Toyota). In retrospect, Toyota should have moved their deadlines back for a better design.
Toyota's approach is continuous improvement. We have seen that with the hybrids and plug-in hybrids. Seeing a similar series of upgrades for BEV makes sense.
@@jotham123 And they are still garbage. They were then, they still are today. I asked my brother if he would ever get a Tesla or an electric vehicle, and he told me no. Why? He said that the technology for EVs just isn't there yet. And I agree with him.
@@cindyaraya7317 I'd say it's here.. just not in the form of a car. Get an ebike instead. Cycling is the transport future we need. Not more cars - I'd recommend the channel Not Just Bikes
I am in Europe France and buy a BZ4X and completely happy with it, I got a FWD BZ4X. Feel secure while driving it.I got 480KM of usable driving. Chbarging Time is not a problem for me. I got the new software update of the car seen on your video that it was the old software Toyota made an improvment. Thank you for your Testing. Did you test the car with the new software update ? didi you see any aimprovment ? best Regards
California law requires manufacturers to have at least one EV in order to sell cars in California. So I guess Toyota hastily put together some crap from the parts bin 😄
I'm somewhat shocked that you would criticize this car, as a Toyota mechanic.. But I also believe you are very honest. Kudos to you. Wish you were my mechanic.
Amd, your video on this Toyota BZ4X was terrific on explaining all the good and bad points of the electric vehicle. Your excellent ability to make complicated parts simple is fantastic. I have not purchased an electric vehicle at this point, and it will be a while before I do. The hardest part is picking the right make and model. Thank you so much for another great review!
I actually bought a bZ4X Executive AWD. Got it three weeks ago and have done around 1000 km. It drives well. In Norway we have real winters and the AWD developed together with Subaru, is extremely good. I studied the specs before jumping onboard, and it does what it promises. Would a Tesla have been a better option? Thanks but no thanks. To many stories in the media with poor quality and a dealership that doesn't care. I have a super comfy car with best warrenty in the marked. First you have a five year warrenty. After this you get what is called Toyota Relax. After a service by Toyota they extend the warrenty with one year until the car reach ten years. I think it a good car, and it isn't just me. The bZ4X was the number one best selling car in Norway in October.
@@robertdemeny251 As an owner of a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid I saw the BZ4X when I took mine for service as they had just received one the previous day. At the beginning in Spain they really messed up and decided to only rent the damn car for 4 years with 10.000km/yr max. Then they told you about their wonderful 1.000.000 km battery. WTF!!!!! In my working days I would have fired the marketing team. This review does not say what others have experienced with the charging limitation per day which is a major issue when travelling. See Bjørn Nyland's review, also in Norway, or Kyle Conner in Colorado. They both, and others, had charging issues. Then they realized they were just not selling so now they do sell them. In Spain the also offer the same service/1 yr additional warranty offer on all their cars son nothing extra just because of BZ4X. The question is what do they do for service as electric cars needs are minimal. Did they give you a quote? Toyota makes excellent quality cars so all that matters is that one is happy.
I almost did in a way... I placed the deposit for Subaru Solterra, which is equivalent to the BZ4x - at that time (early 2022) there was no official pricing and trim levels being released, and yet the salesperson told me that 14 customers had already placed their orders. When got the final pricing from my salesperson at the end of 2022, the price was CDN$10K more than I initially expected; I had no choice but to cancel the order.
Yes, I just bought a hybrid and hope not to need another car for 10 years or more. But I would definitely consider an electric vehicle in the future - it just seems like this one is poorly made.
I do like Toyota door lock beep when one of the doors is still open! It’s a reminder to check for open door! Otherwise I might just walk away thinking car is locked while one of the doors is still wide open or barely closed (kid didn’t have the energy to push door to close properly)
As a user of BZ4X (front wheel model), I agree with you that the charging time is a bit too long, and the range is a bit short if you have to travel a distance, and there is no glove box. However, I want to say this car meet my expectation: I don't need to travel 100 miles return trip a day, and I almost always charge the car at home. The ride quality of this car is very good (particularly compare with brand T). Recently Toyota updated the Battery Management System and the range is better. The real life range is 270 mile and 230 mile without and with HVAC respectively (south UK, not frozen).
As a 2022 Outback owner, I’d soon own a BZ4X or Solterra rather than a Tesla. Ok, it has particular range issues, but then so do all EV’s compared to petrol cars. It’s ground clearance and off-road capability are real pluses, and just my eyes, I like the look and lines of the duo-tone cladding.
My interest in the Rav 4 Prime that you recommend over the bZ4x is actually what led me to buy the bZ4X. I realized I was done pumping gas, oil changes, DEQ inspections and having my catalytic converter(s) stolen. I did compare other brands such as Tesla, Hyundai and Kia but the build quality just wasn't the same as Toyota on any of them. One of them had a handle break off when the salesman was demonstrating the fold down rear seats. In the six months I've had the car the longest trip I've taken was 150 miles. It was a very comfortable ride. (and quiet partly thanks the cloth covered dash) For the last long road trip we took from Oregon to Yellowstone we rented a Toyota Highlander Hybrid. A great car, but it makes me appreciate my daily driver, the Bz4X even more. My recommendation based on my experiance driving the Beezee is that if you drive more than 200 miles a day in artic conditions and have no place to recharge, buy a Rav 4 Prime. (If you can find one) Electric cars in general are not for everyone (what car is?) and I'm completely against government mandates. As far as Toyota's commitment to EVs in the future, they are coming out with the Bz5X and 3X in 2025 so I wouldn't discount their support for EVs, especially when they begin to be equipped with solid state batteries giving them a range of 600 miles and a recharge time of 15 minutes. I predict that in the next ten or fifteen years or so gasoline powered cars will only be seen in museums.
Heat pump working down to 14F is actually impressive. I know in Chicago-land this might be a no-go, but for vast stretches of the US including much of the northeast, that’s just fine.
AMD, Thanksgiving is coming, let's be very, very generous and say the BZ4X is not quite ready for prime time. On the positive side, the new Crown Signia and the full line of Camry Hybrids are Emmy winners! 🤩🥳🥳🥳🥳👏👏👏
I'm thinking of getting one. But just not sure. I'll need to be making some trips of about 2 hours each way for my kid's soccer games over the coming year. Just not sure about the range on this SUV.
Thank you for being brutally honest! I wouldn't buy this car at this price nor range. I'm not into electric car anyway. Give it another 10 years and see other alternatives. Good reviews and good man 👍
OP--if you wait for the 'perfect EV' you will die waiting--it took+100yrs to bring the gas powered engines to the point of stupidity. And the gas engine is an obsolete tech, for some decades; right there with the steam engine and the Wankel
I'm glad they're focusing on hybrids and not wasting too much money on EVs. I would buy a Prime if they could manufacture enough of them to meet demand.
EDIT: Removed cold weather range reduction argument since anecdotal figures do show 40-50% range reduction in below freezing temperatures, BUT 30% is common around freezing. 1.) The shortest range bz4X (222miles) still has a similar range to the Model 3 base (272mi), EV6 (232mi), Ioniq 5 (220mi), VW IDd4 (209mi). 2.) It's well known that vehicles like Tesla frequently fail to achieve their EPA ratings. The bz4X on the other hand regularly meets and exceeds the EPA range estimates 3.) The price point of the bz4X is comparable or lower than similar trims from other manufacturers. Generally, the bz is $3000 less than competitors with higher end trims. A starting price around $43,000 is also simliar to others. 4.) I have no doubt that the bz4X will maintain more range and quality than its other competitors thanks to their (probably overly) conservative approach. The faults you describe are similar to almost all base models from other manufacturers.
Recurrent Auto has extensive test data on BEV range in the cold. At freezing they found that range reduction in popular EVs was minimal: iPace - 3% Etron -8% Model 3 -17% Models Y/X/S -15%. Norwegian tests found Teslas at -15% the top runner. Having an efficient heat pump solution is key. All the top adopter countries of BEVs are cold climate. It is a lie that Tesla does not meet EPA ratings. It is a legal requirement. Nyland has shown that all Tesla models meet ranges given at steady 90kph runs. Tesla model 3 is US$38 990 before incentives has a huge number of better features and superior performance, and rave reviews. Toyota has no future under present management. 2025 CO2 limits will ban Toyota in the EU and their China market is practically nonexistent.
Cloth on the dashboard is for thermal & acoustic benefit. You be amazed how much lower the temperature is on a hot summer day. As for the reduction of cabin noise by having that material, it's harder to measure but clearly an effort to improve the rider experience.
The cloth dash is for sure there for acoustics. This is becoming common in EVs. I don't like it. I would rather have an easy to clean plastic dash, and then just place a cheap aftermarket cloth dash cover over it if I thought it needed that for sound deadening or thermal reasons.
@@herwigs5605 It never ceases to amaze me how often people state a preference for drab, something that will just blend into a crowd. If you don't like the fender flares, it's a simple wrap job to make them match the body color. No big deal.
@@herwigs5605 With countless complaints of plain, cheap-looking dashboards, you're complaining about an attempt to introduce style that also improves the cabin experience by tempering both sound & heat?
i work as a tech in vt, a small independent shop that does imports only. mostly subaru and toyota. one of our customers who is also our financial planner (does all the 401k stuff for the techs) bought a subaru solterra. this is the all wheel drive variant of the toyota bz4x. i did it's first inspection after purchase and really liked it. from an end user perspective it's a good car. it drives well and still retains the subaru feel and controls. if i'm in my sixties (as my customer is) i don't want to learn how to operate a vehicle all over again. that's what is keeping people out of teslas. yes, the technology is better and if you learn how to use it it performs better. we as humans loose the ability to adapt over time. if you've been driving forty years and the volume knob has always been in this area and the wiper switch has always been in that area a tesla simply won't work. my customer works from home and drives very little. in our state there are massive tax incentives for going electric. i will be sure to ask how the performance does this winter in -20f temperatures. in this one rare scenario it does work for my customer. from my perspective it still feels like a subaru but with a ton of power on demand. i liked it
Call me crazy, but I would consider buying a used Bz4x for the right price. I would not use it for road trips, would charge at home, and would mainly use it to commute back and forth to work. Reliability at 10+ years would be one of my most important considerations. Question is whether the conservative approach to battery management would allow it to be good beyond 10 years, or if I would need to replace it even if it was driven for less than 100,000 miles?
For reliability I drive my 2004 Corolla, I just change my oil, tires and other fluids. Basically no major breakdown since the time I bought it used in 2006! I am super happy with it!
Toyota has stated they believe that not only will the battery will last at least 10 years/620,000 miles, but that it will still have 90% of its original capacity. They 'guarantee' at least 70%.
That's what I did. I got my one-year old "used car" with a substantial rebate, and it's the best daily driver I ever had. The AWD is incredibly reliable in snow.
@@sergejpanov5543your 2004 corolla doesnt have the speed, acceleration, safety, tech and looks of this car though. Sure it is reliable but its so boring to drive 😂. Its like riding in a handicap wheelchair, used out of necessity not out for fun or excitement.
It's a stretch to call it a compliance car. Toyota and every other automaker knows that eventually, all cars will be electric. It may be a while, but it just makes no sense, long term, to burn gas and get a bunch of heat when what you want is motion. 85% energy efficient vehicles will kill off 20% energy efficient vehicles. Toyota is using this car to learn how to produce EVs. If you need a car now, get a PHEV.
You could haggle with the dealership to bring the proce down. In my city its $10K off of MSRP and we get $9K government incentives for BEV. Thats $19K off of MSRP. I mean if it get to a price point where it makes sense, i wouldnt mind buying one even if resale value wont be high in 5 years 😂
Range is not issue for me. I would drive it 20km a day - 3 days a week . Better for me is longevity of the battery. If I want range I have a diesel that will do 1000km -easy.
Absence of a glovebox is due to the addition of an infrared heater, which provides radiant warming for your legs & feet. It is a very efficient option not available from other EVs, definitely an overlooked advantage.
If it works, my driver side one doesn't stay on for more than a couple mins. There's really no reason they couldn't have put the heater on the front of a glovebox. The heater is just a thin film heater stuck on with an adhesive.
Me and wife lease the Subaru version which has AWD, same car. We love it but does charge very slow but we just use the charging station down the street which takes 20 minutes and it’s next to our gym
I have one and i did more than 45.000 km with it. As a canadian i drove in both -30 celcius and over 35 celcius and tested it many times. At -30 with the heat full blast i did 200 km (on highway) and would have probably done 250km in city, during summer i did 450 km in city and around 400 on highway steady. For the pricerange and all the perks this car have (most spacious car ive been on for legs room, comfort and trunk space). Best Ev out there for your day to day if you don't care about doing 0-60 miles in 1,9 second.
It works just fine, extremely reliable. So what if owner have to wait for the software updates? The first has already been rolled out and the second is on the way.
In Lithuania: bZ4X starts at 44000 EUR, RAV4 PHEV - 53600 EUR. If the prices would be the same, then yeah, no competition. But with this price difference..
I believe Toyota said they don't want to go full electric cars but go back to gas cars and hybrid cars. In addition, Toyota is developing the solid state battery that will change the who battery car map. Even GM and Ford said they are running away from full battery cars because the have a ton of battery cars that have no buyers today and they also are moving to hybrid or full gas cars and trucks.
My daughter has a Prius C, it's 8 years old has 75k miles and it's just like a new car. No wear on the buttons or seats, no creaks, no rattles, 50+ mpg and the tiny hybrid battery is $1500 to replace and there's companies that'll do it in your driveway and give a 3 year warranty on the new one. Electric is nowhere near ready for millions of people with long commutes that live in condos or apartments. Charging is still a nightmare with different speeds and broken charging stations. Massive hybrid trucks are idiotic because they literally have a larger battery than a small fully electric car does. My point is this, a 2500lb hybrid car with a small cheap battery makes perfect sense...the rest of it is overpriced underperforming garbage.
I have the 2024 bz4x, I leased the car last month with the crazy $15k rebate and tbh I couldn’t say no to it. The range could be better but the DC charging has been ok, 20 to 80% in less than 30 mins give or take usually on a 100 kw charging station. I think with the software update that Toyota did for this year’s version and the improvement on the thermal management system (living in southern CA makes it easier lol)has vastly improved this car. I do agree with you sir it still lacks tech like the other ev’s have. But i do love this car.
Sign of things to come. I just unloaded a POS Lexus RC-F. Toyota and Lexus are living off a name that everyone flocks to for what they were known for. Just made a daily out of a 2019 Mazda 6 Signature. Other than the turbo and direct injection which both just require top maintenance, there are no gimmicks, no BS, and they listen to their customer base. Getting tired of 100 speed transmissions and battery cars all to appease a government agency and their metrics.
The US federal government shouldn't have pushed for full EVs so quickly. It should have pressed much harder on PHEVs. Plug-in hybrids would have gotten very close to the zero emissions goal with much fewer resources. The EV range of PHEVs encompasses 95% of people's daily driving needs, and for anything longer the gas hybrid engine offers convenience. Plus, PHEVs can be charged on 110 VAC overnight, so you don't necessarily need a Level 2 charger. That brings me to the final point, which is that PHEVs don't require anywhere near the charging infrastructure that EVs do (and increasingly will need).
@@bitbat9au contrare. Electric hybrids are the way to go. An electric hybrid is an electric car that has a small generating plant that runs on a fuel. Plugging in is the important part because that's the cheapest way to get rediculous high average mileage. Another way to look at it is multiple energy sources. What if you have electricity but no gas? Or vice versa? An plugin electric hybrid can handle both scenarios. A regular hybrid will always be limited to gas mileage only and those aren't going to get much better than current hybrids.
I live in San Diego and I can tell you that thermals are really not a problem here 😅. I love having my BZ because it was a $200 month lease and my wife wanted a simple Toyota.
Just a comment on the driver's position and display. I own a 2023 Prius. When I first got it, I had the same issue you had with the steering wheel cutting off the view of the display. However, I discovered if I lowered the steering wheel and then lowered the seat and adjusted the front-back position to be comfortable, the active portion of the screen was visible over the top of the steering wheel.
Toyota may be extra conservative because of battery fires. GM battery fires are a lesson to industry. Don't compare to Hyundai who have had plenty ICE car fires. Hi density long range batteries is trade off to charging time. Long range battery charging time can never compete with gasoline refueling time using present affordable tech. Your right this Toyota cooling system is absurdly complicated, what happens when you get a leak in an inconvenient place !
I just picked one up and it’s impressive. Built in Japan and it’s so well built. Range is short per charge but Toyota doesn’t hide that. Toyota has always been about quality and longevity. They test and test. In about a few years time they will likely have the best quality EV with amazing range too
I sold my Prius Prime for a bZ4X. The reliability & efficiency over my 6 years of ownership (in Minnesota, so winter worthiness made quite an impression) made the decision a no-brainer. 7 months later, the experience has been awesome. I even had a chance to charge it with MagicDock.
I hope you are not punished for the true review by not getting cars from mfg rep. Your channel very insightful and informative, you speak the truth. I was a GM buyer for years in my youth, but my first Toyota made me a lifer for their vehicles, just soooo much better all around. Disappointed that they "checked" the box, but even their outgoing Chairman not sold on all electric, nor I am. Give me option of gas with electric I think is prudent way to go. You're awesome, keep on keeping on with your channel.
You touched on the two things that you never hear anyone talk about. EVs range in extreme temps. Running AC in 105 degrees and running the heater in 5 degrees. Here in the Midwest, either of these temps occur for many days each year. Evs are still a novelty, for the wealthy.
People talk about range in extreme temps that all the time. They avoid is specifics. Notice how actual efficiency... MI/KWH ...is missing? Instead, we get range treated as if that somehow a representation of efficiency. It most definitely is not. It basically just reflects usable battery capacity. Any automaker can just cram in more cells. Making an effort to squeeze out more from less is entirely different. Toyota actually did. But from the shallow & anecdotal reviews we get, that detail is conveniently missing. It's unfortunate, since that omission feeds the narrative.
@@john1701athere are real field test by reviews magazine as comparison test. It is in Chinese, but I think you find reupload with people bother to put in subtitle on youtube. There are noticeable range drop. More so for older models. (older model, not cars). But not as much as typical people wouldve think. IMO, I have driving my model 3 on - 14C day. I still manage to get 60-70 range out of it with winter tire while blast down highway on respectable speed.
In Norway, Bz4x, 2nd best selling Bev. Norway, 1st Ev market of Europe. 2nd market, Netherlands, the Bz4x is considered far better option than Id4, Q4 Etron, source Autovisie and Autoweek, leading carmag. We have had our 3rd upgrade now, all problems solved regarding fast charging, range etc. The EV motors of the Bz4x are as efficient as model Y Tesla..... . So I think you over exagerate regarding this Toyota.....a lot.
@@gregjohnson2073 in summer we have 450km , in winter 375, 400km. With 3rd upgrade the range will increase an additional 5%. 20 , 25 km extra. So I expect to achieve 470km in summer 2024, winter 400km range. Due to the small battery pack of the car, very good.... . We have in our business fleet Fords Mustang EV aswell, as well as the Id4....far more inefficiënt bev's.
Well, I am privilege to have a RAV4 Prime and a BZ. And it’s because I’m committed to doing my bit for the future of my grandkids. BZ, well I can honestly say, I love my car, wife drives the Prime, and that is a great car. What I have to say to Toyota, it’s my 6th car in 5 years, don’t chase your loyal clients. I hate not having a rear wiper, better heating, no data on radio, real silly things because you never finished building the car. The battery, I would be a lot more critical but we have the Prime for long trips, and I do like Toyota approach, “ don’t fix something that’s not broken “ so the charging is the same charger as the Prime, slow but it does not rapid charge the batteries known to have issues with fast charge, and my battery is being charged on level 2 while I’m sleeping, never fast charged to date and only once got close on range. I drive 100km a day so generally charge every 3rd day. Would love to see some of the unfinished business done on recall and over air upgrades. And could not leave out…… I got 90% trade of my RAV4 hybrid on the BZ, 80,000km, you will have a complete change of mind compared to 50% for your Tesla.
You shouldn't base your opinion only on this and ask people that drove it day to day. I have over 45.000km on mine and im in fuking love with it best car i've had for a long time.
I have driven one of these, or actually the AWD Subaru Solterra, and I can say that the energy efficiency is very good. I've driven a fair share of EV's (comes with my day job) and I found the bZ4x a pretty good EV, considering it's technology is somewhat dated. And the 10 year warranty is not half bad either.
That is because you havent stay with a good one for long term. And you are right, the tech is dated. By a huge margin. The core propulsion system is likely a copy of BYD system from 2018. And who knows where the battery were come from. Even a 2018 tech looks advance compare to this one. Lol
The RAV4 Prime is always very hard to find and costs significantly more after dealership markups. The BZ4X can be bought the same day at most if not all dealerships with dealership discounts.
What price would you be willing to pay and bring the car home?" I was getting oil changed looking a one and joked for $15000 and 4 wheel pull it would be the perfect climate controlled golf cart. 5 years from now, parts will be hard to find. That or buy one and store it for a museum piece.
Thanks for all your videos on both channels I love how straight you give us the information respect ✊ you are awesome please keep ❤ giving us information lots of people needs to know about cars. 👍👍👍👍👍. Thank you
Pretty sure Toyota slapped different parts and a battery together to make an EV just so they comply with Western governments about having EVs just so they don't get fined. And honestly I don't mind for the BZ4x been a half-assed EV. I just bought the new Plug in Prius and it's perfect. A friend of mine has a 2016 RAV4 and he is waiting for the new-new RAV4.
I agree with you that the bz4x is a bit disappointing. An easy fix that in no way solves the heating issue in its entirety, but could add a “block heater” that essentially keeps the coolant warm when the vehicle is plugged into the charger so it won’t be necessary to warm the coolant with the electric heaters once you turn on the car. Would need more coolant to act as the “heat battery” so supplement electric heating won’t be necessary to warm up the cabin once you unplug and start traveling - but this would help prevent destroying the advertised range when it’s cold outside. Also, there are more efficient heat pumps nowadays that can still extract 75F temps from -22F ambient air temp. Hopefully their heat pump technology will catch up eventually. This wouldn’t work if you weren’t able to plug in overnight or if it’s parked for a few hours during the day and not plugged in. It would just help slightly as in modern engineering. Try to find a bunch of ways to reach a little bit more efficiency.
Or just use the app to remote start the car and warm it up while it's still connected to the charger so you're powering from the charger and not the battery. That's what I do with my Solterra.
I don't understand the vitriol aimed at this car. I own a 2023 FWD BZ4X XLE and I love it. I bought it used (2,000 miles) for $38K. A good deal, I thought. With the software update, I have found the range estimates to be quite accurate. The front-wheel drive version has a Panasonic battery that gives the car a 252-mile range (longer in warm weather) and charges at at DC fast charger from 20-80% in 20 minutes. I've done a long road trip and have experienced those charging speeds. I'm not looking under the hood to see if the tech is the latest. I want to know that the car I'm driving is reliable, built by a reputable company, gives me the range and charging speeds it promises, and gets me to my destination in comfort. This car drives like a Toyota, and not a spaceship, and doesn't distract me with technology like a Tesla. It's not manufactured by a company with a megalomaniac at its head. I owned a RAV4 Prime, and while it was a terrific car, it burns gas. I wanted to ditch gasoline, and this car enables me to do that. The BZ4X is comfortable, quiet, very responsive, fun to drive, and a superb road car. The FWD version gives the best range and quickest charging speeds. If you can find one used, I would say it's a good value for an EV.
When comparing DC Fast Charging times, you can not compare 10-80% with a 10-100%, because every EV Lithium Battery Management System (BMS) has to significantly taper off the charge current as the battery charge level approaches "Full". That last 20% that your test shows probably took as long as the initial 10-80% took... and that is not abnormal. This is required in order to make 100% certain that the battery pack is NOT over-charged... which can create "thermal events"... as the Media so loves to shove in our faces.
I have both the BZ4X AWD and a Rav4 Prime XSE. I agree with the Car Care Nut. I bought the BZ4X expecting the same $7500 rebate I got for the RAV4, which would have made the EV car reasonable, but that went away waiting for delivery. I did get a EV only linked $1100 rebate from my power company for installing a level 2 charger. Now there is a $10,000 lease discount which can make the price for what you get reasonable. Both SUVs are good around town cars, but the RAV4 is much more practical for longer trips. The BZ only requires charging once a week, when the 2017 Prius Prime with 25 mile range we replaced had to be charged daily. Also for us older folks, the BZ is easier to slip in and out of than a Prius. Here in NC, we don't have to worry about the outside temp dropping below 14 degrees F very often, so charging level 2 at home 90% of the time is not a deal breaker for the limited range.
Second bestselling car in Norway after Tesla's model Y......, Norway the largest EV market, 95% of sold cars are Bev's..... . Sick of the exaggerate reviews about the Bz4x. It is a good Bev, 10 years warranty, good range, very efficient motors and good charging. As tested in the Netherlands, it outperformed the Audi q4 etron, Id4...
I recently leased a BZ4x 2024 and at 39% I charged at a DC Super Charge station using 100kwh and it went to 87% within 25 mins. I do understand that supercharging can degrade the battery which is recommended to use no more than twice a day if needed (or on roadtrips). I do not charge at home since currently I live in an apartment. I did get a deal for EVgo that offers one whole year free and on top of that a really good rebate, so I didn't need to make a down payment. I've felt a bit of anxiety since taking on this new EV concept which anyone would going into something "unfamiliar". The good weather where I live and the amount of EV stations surrounding me, I'm starting to feel more comfortable with it. I will end up feeling how much money I'll be saving as the year goes on because only time can tell. But so far with all the shit talk, I have a feeling that I'll be posting on a discussion board somewhere in the future of all the good things that ended up coming out of this rated "top 10 worst EV". Definitely this is an ideal car for getting around town and not road tripping. I anticipate using a rental car for any for distance driving anyway. I'm really glad this car is comfortable and that I don't have to pay for gas and oil changes. I'll be releasing my first single on all platforms later this April 2024 called "Burning in the Sun" (by LIGHT IN THEART) that's dedicated to environmental justice and climate change so transitioning to an EV feels like perfect timing.
Hi. I purchased a '24 Subaru Solterra Limited., essentially the same car as the BZ4X Limited with AWD. I must say the 24 charging time is much quicker than the 23. I am a veteran career car guy. I leased the car with the expectation that any EV sold today will have obsolete batteries by time my lease matures. Maybe not. but this car should go 15+ years. But, I love the car. Yes the range is limited; for me, 4.0 miles/kw gets me around 230 miles WITH AC. Winter no doubt will be another story. I can go almost a week on an 80% charge. We have an ice car for long trips etc. As a daily driver it is awesome. New steering wheel to gain visibility to the DIM. HK audio is great. Love the driver assist tech. paddles to set one pedal driving decel. The only reason I considered it are all the Subaru cash incentives, and the lease deal.
Hi AMD not sure if you have a engineering degree. But I am convinced that you are a rocket scientist. Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge to all. May the lord bless your entire crew and family.
The reason Toyota does not put all that much effort into these cars is because they are building EVs only to meet Government mandate quotas. They know EVs are too expensive to manufacture and very inefficient, so they are just riding the wave until these mandates eventually run out or get revoked by common sense emission mandates.
Amazing channel but I just wish he stopped saying "not the greatest" when he means "bad" or "but that's ok" in relation to something being bad when it's not ok.
Being an avid Toyota fan, with my girlfriend and I owning two Avalon's, one es 350, and a 2002 Tundra, I am truly concerned with the direction this company is going. Be it the Crown or the new Tunda and Tacoma with turbos, hybrids, etc, while turning their back on tried and true V8 and V6 platforms, the future for the Big T is very uncertain.
I rushed out and intentionally bought a 2020 tundra, gas, sucker crew, cab four-wheel-drive, with low miles and high horsepower & torque to do what I need a truck to do. No regrets!
😂Sure, if they ever go to used market. Instead of recycle center. This car is so rare that you are in trouble if OEM part support is discontinued and OEM part inventory is depleted
Thank you for being honest on this electric Toyota. In Sales they are discounting these cars almost $10,000 and they are still not selling… This is a flop, 100% agree with you go with a RAV4 Prime
Honestly, they were forced to make it by large stakeholders who had fallen for the EV hype. Its tough. you have to do whats best for the company but also keep those people happy
We had one of these come through work the other day. My inspection requires that I rack the car and remove the wheels. I DESPISE electric vehicles that mask the lift points. I fully understand WHY this needs the forward lift points as body mounts, but why in God's green earth do I need to crawl under the car, pull some trim pieces and remove a couple of 10's just to rack a car.
With how amazing the Toyota hybrids are I was expecting much more from their first full EV but what a disappointment this car was. I ended up getting the new Prius Prime instead.
Why would you expect that? Do you remember the first hybrid? Toyota used that initial rollout to a limited audience to collect real-world data. Availability wasn't a priority, nor were specs to compete with vehicles topping the charts. It was a continuous improvement effort to build up to a platform & approach to be spread across the fleet. We see the same thing playing out now, using both Prius Prime and RAV4 Prime to learn about what truly draws mainstream interest. Appealing to enthusiasts... those who expect far more... simply isn't important. It's figuring out how to achieve profitable, sustainable sales. Watch what happens with the next 2 Prime models (Crown & C-HR) as bZ4X evolves. It's a game of long-term strategy... chess, not checkers.
When you say “interesting”. I know it means messed up 😂
Him saying "but that's okay" is like a wife yelling "everything's fine, HONEY!"
I wish he was more truthful instead of sugar coating things
I always chuckle when he says “but that’s ok”
For me, it is all the above ⬆️ (comments) 😂
When he says that's ok it means it's not ok😂
I own one and charge at home with a level 2 charger. Following the 80/20 rule. I drive the car until 20% of the battery and charge it overnight to reach 80%. It typically takes about 5 hours. This car isn't for everybody. The majority of my driving is short distance and I charge it once a week. So it works great for me.
Exactly people act like they drive more than 350 kms daily. This car drives great and is built well most of the people complaining have never even driven the car .
I own one too, bought in March. It's the best car, and Toyota I've ever owned (30+ years). I drive at most 150 miles a day, many days less than that. I took, charge at home overnight when I choose too. I have a full battery ever time I go anywhere. I never need to use a public charger, I did so twice, both to see what it's like. I did charge from 20-80 while I was in the mall shopping. It's more expensive to use public chargers (3x the price), prefer to just charge at home. Waiting for a charge is simply something I don't need to do. This car drives great, is silent, fast AWD, useful, and cheap to drive. Perfect for me. Love it.
Almost forgot. At 100 percent battery with AWD is 225 reported range. When activating AC or heater goes to 200. I think that's about 10 percent, nowhere near "a third". Not sure where this guy got his numbers.
It's too big for my taste but my main issue with it would be the price, which applies to any EV I got a Chevy Bolt, super budgetary
I don't go long distances. I'd happily trade my Rav4 Prime (under 8k miles) for a Toyota BZ4x. Any takers near Boston?
Those charging times are insane! I don't think I'll let got of my 22 Camry anytime soon...600 mile range, 5 minutes at the pump, 600 more miles in the tank.
I wish they made a station wagon version of that car. I love the Camry but the storage space just isn't enough for my needs.
@@AWMJoeyjoejoe yep...a wagon version of the Camry would see me getting one. We may be the only two left in the world...but I love wagons.
@@seriousfaithOh we're not alone. Plenty of people love a wagon, unfortunately the industry doesn't agree. Even Volvo are stopping production on station wagons now. Looks like I'll be keeping my V70 for a long time.
@@seriousfaith2025 Crown Signia will be close.
If you get rid of your 22 Camry, and it's the V6 XSE, I want it. LOL
I am 50 years old. I just bought a brand new 2023 Toyota Corolla AWD Hybrid. I am hoping that with proper Maintenace and care, it will be the last car that I own. I don't put many miles on it, and I drive it locally a few times a week. I also change the oil every 5,000 miles.
That’s awesome!
I’m at 25k miles for my 2020 Corolla LE since I got it in 2020
Just understand that average life expectancy of the hybrid battery is about 8 years, replacement cost 6-7k
My 1984 FJ60, 2000 4Runner, and 2000 LandCruiser are still going.
Also change the oil at 5k-miles (along with other maintenance on time).
I am considering similar to what you did.
I figured I’d buy a 4Runner or LandCruiser when one of my current died, but now I’m wonder if I go ahead and just get a current 4Runner to share miles with current vehicles, and that 4Runner will be my last “new” purchase.
Otherwise, I don’t know what will be available if I continue to wait until my current vehicle(s) dies.
I haven’t had a car payment in about 20yrs.
@@Len10293$6-$7 and you have a car that goes another 8yrs sounds way better than $50k-$100k in 8 years for a new car.
That’s probably how much money I’d spend on gas in that time, so it almost seems that if I put gas-cash in piggybank every I would have filled-up, it’s a wash.
I was actually shopping for a RAV4 Hybrid, but every dealership I encountered said I would be placed on a waiting list.
After being introduced to the bz4x, I was impressed by the design, warranty,
2 year dealership maintenance,
1 year unlimited free charging and the $10K rebate.
I don't mind the charging time at the charge stations, I just do my shopping or watch a RUclips Channel while wating.
I don't anticipate the car will have a very high resale value after 3 years of ownership.
I think what you're saying is the BZ4X is a rush job. Because of Tesla's very high market valuation, it forced other manufacturers to have some ASAP representation in the EV category, even if they were resistant (like Toyota). In retrospect, Toyota should have moved their deadlines back for a better design.
Toyota's approach is continuous improvement. We have seen that with the hybrids and plug-in hybrids. Seeing a similar series of upgrades for BEV makes sense.
asap? Tesla has been around for 2 decades, and been making the model S since 2012, model 3 since 2017, 11 years and 6 years respectively
@@jotham123 And they are still garbage. They were then, they still are today. I asked my brother if he would ever get a Tesla or an electric vehicle, and he told me no. Why? He said that the technology for EVs just isn't there yet. And I agree with him.
It is complacency @@john1701a
@@cindyaraya7317 I'd say it's here.. just not in the form of a car. Get an ebike instead. Cycling is the transport future we need. Not more cars - I'd recommend the channel Not Just Bikes
I am in Europe France and buy a BZ4X and completely happy with it, I got a FWD BZ4X. Feel secure while driving it.I got 480KM of usable driving. Chbarging Time is not a problem for me. I got the new software update of the car seen on your video that it was the old software Toyota made an improvment. Thank you for your Testing. Did you test the car with the new software update ? didi you see any aimprovment ? best Regards
I feel like Toyota just said, ‘here’s our EV, you happy now?’ 😂
And I said, yes. Thanks Toyota. Love the car.
California law requires manufacturers to have at least one EV in order to sell cars in California. So I guess Toyota hastily put together some crap from the parts bin 😄
Just picked one up for 28k and 850 miles on it. Warm climate, home charger and fits my needs perfectly.
I'm somewhat shocked that you would criticize this car, as a Toyota mechanic.. But I also believe you are very honest. Kudos to you. Wish you were my mechanic.
I own a Limited AWD and absolutely love it!
Same….I plug mine in at work at a free public charger. I’ve spent like 20$ on mileage in 2 months.
Amd, your video on this Toyota BZ4X was terrific on explaining all the good and bad points of the electric vehicle. Your excellent ability to make complicated parts simple is fantastic. I have not purchased an electric vehicle at this point, and it will be a while before I do. The hardest part is picking the right make and model. Thank you so much for another great review!
I actually bought a bZ4X Executive AWD. Got it three weeks ago and have done around 1000 km. It drives well. In Norway we have real winters and the AWD developed together with Subaru, is extremely good. I studied the specs before jumping onboard, and it does what it promises. Would a Tesla have been a better option? Thanks but no thanks. To many stories in the media with poor quality and a dealership that doesn't care. I have a super comfy car with best warrenty in the marked. First you have a five year warrenty. After this you get what is called Toyota Relax. After a service by Toyota they extend the warrenty with one year until the car reach ten years. I think it a good car, and it isn't just me. The bZ4X was the number one best selling car in Norway in October.
@@robertdemeny251 As an owner of a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid I saw the BZ4X when I took mine for service as they had just received one the previous day. At the beginning in Spain they really messed up and decided to only rent the damn car for 4 years with 10.000km/yr max. Then they told you about their wonderful 1.000.000 km battery. WTF!!!!! In my working days I would have fired the marketing team.
This review does not say what others have experienced with the charging limitation per day which is a major issue when travelling. See Bjørn Nyland's review, also in Norway, or Kyle Conner in Colorado. They both, and others, had charging issues.
Then they realized they were just not selling so now they do sell them. In Spain the also offer the same service/1 yr additional warranty offer on all their cars son nothing extra just because of BZ4X. The question is what do they do for service as electric cars needs are minimal. Did they give you a quote?
Toyota makes excellent quality cars so all that matters is that one is happy.
I was ready to get this car, but I changed my mind immediately seeing the charging time.
I actually saw a first gen RAV 4 EV on the road a few months ago. God bless Toyota’s ambition making that thing back in the 90s.
Who else is like me that will never buy this car but stayed and watched the whole video? Thank you for showing us why not go electric.
Agreed. They’re great for beta testers and early adopters, but the whole movement is still 5+ years from prime time.
I almost did in a way... I placed the deposit for Subaru Solterra, which is equivalent to the BZ4x - at that time (early 2022) there was no official pricing and trim levels being released, and yet the salesperson told me that 14 customers had already placed their orders.
When got the final pricing from my salesperson at the end of 2022, the price was CDN$10K more than I initially expected; I had no choice but to cancel the order.
Will no ever own one
@@rgl168 Stupid dealer.
Yes, I just bought a hybrid and hope not to need another car for 10 years or more. But I would definitely consider an electric vehicle in the future - it just seems like this one is poorly made.
I do like Toyota door lock beep when one of the doors is still open! It’s a reminder to check for open door!
Otherwise I might just walk away thinking car is locked while one of the doors is still wide open or barely closed (kid didn’t have the energy to push door to close properly)
My Honda won't beep locked if a door or trunk is open.
As a user of BZ4X (front wheel model), I agree with you that the charging time is a bit too long, and the range is a bit short if you have to travel a distance, and there is no glove box. However, I want to say this car meet my expectation: I don't need to travel 100 miles return trip a day, and I almost always charge the car at home. The ride quality of this car is very good (particularly compare with brand T). Recently Toyota updated the Battery Management System and the range is better. The real life range is 270 mile and 230 mile without and with HVAC respectively (south UK, not frozen).
As a 2022 Outback owner, I’d soon own a BZ4X or Solterra rather than a Tesla. Ok, it has particular range issues, but then so do all EV’s compared to petrol cars. It’s ground clearance and off-road capability are real pluses, and just my eyes, I like the look and lines of the duo-tone cladding.
The most interesting part is : behind this vehicle , the legendary LS430 is parking!
I think there was two of them.
I love my BZ4X. I will drive it until the wheels fall off.
They will NEVER fall off.
😂
The battery is the worst I have it it is sick to charge this car in New York
😂 could happen earlier than you think
I hope it is equipped with solid-state batteries
My interest in the Rav 4 Prime that you recommend over the bZ4x is actually what led me to buy the bZ4X. I realized I was done pumping gas, oil changes, DEQ inspections and having my catalytic converter(s) stolen.
I did compare other brands such as Tesla, Hyundai and Kia but the build quality just wasn't the same as Toyota on any of them. One of them had a handle break off when the salesman was demonstrating the fold down rear seats.
In the six months I've had the car the longest trip I've taken was 150 miles. It was a very comfortable ride. (and quiet partly thanks the cloth covered dash) For the last long road trip we took from Oregon to Yellowstone we rented a Toyota Highlander Hybrid. A great car, but it makes me appreciate my daily driver, the Bz4X even more.
My recommendation based on my experiance driving the Beezee is that if you drive more than 200 miles a day in artic conditions and have no place to recharge, buy a Rav 4 Prime. (If you can find one)
Electric cars in general are not for everyone (what car is?) and I'm completely against government mandates.
As far as Toyota's commitment to EVs in the future, they are coming out with the Bz5X and 3X in 2025 so I wouldn't discount their support for EVs, especially when they begin to be equipped with solid state batteries giving them a range of 600 miles and a recharge time of 15 minutes. I predict that in the next ten or fifteen years or so gasoline powered cars will only be seen in museums.
BZ4X is one of the most trashiest EVs ever.
Heat pump working down to 14F is actually impressive. I know in Chicago-land this might be a no-go, but for vast stretches of the US including much of the northeast, that’s just fine.
Works just fine in Minnesota. Think about how infrequently temperature actually drops below 14°F. It is a very small percentage of the year.
It's not that impressive for heat pumps tho.
AMD, Thanksgiving is coming, let's be very, very generous and say the BZ4X is not quite ready for prime time. On the positive side, the new Crown Signia and the full line of Camry Hybrids are Emmy winners! 🤩🥳🥳🥳🥳👏👏👏
It's not quite ready for RAV4 PRIME time 😂
We have one at our dealership that hasn't moved in almost 4 months. Pretty unheard of in this market for a new car.
I see tons and tons of domestic fullsize trucks left unsold from two years ago still on lots lol
@@beexiong2995maybe $70k for a base model has something to do with it
I wonder what the dealer wants for it. Have they discounted it or do they think someone will pay over MSRP?
I'm thinking of getting one. But just not sure. I'll need to be making some trips of about 2 hours each way for my kid's soccer games over the coming year. Just not sure about the range on this SUV.
Thank you for being brutally honest! I wouldn't buy this car at this price nor range. I'm not into electric car anyway. Give it another 10 years and see other alternatives. Good reviews and good man 👍
OP--if you wait for the 'perfect EV' you will die waiting--it took+100yrs to bring the gas powered engines to the point of stupidity. And the gas engine is an obsolete tech, for some decades; right there with the steam engine and the Wankel
You can't afford it 😂
Correct! I have a Toyota GR Yaris to enjoy at a much lower price 😂
I'm glad they're focusing on hybrids and not wasting too much money on EVs. I would buy a Prime if they could manufacture enough of them to meet demand.
I think it will change with solid state.
@@toronado455😂good luck on ramping up production on something they havent manage to build a preproduction sample.
@@toronado455in 10 years...
EDIT: Removed cold weather range reduction argument since anecdotal figures do show 40-50% range reduction in below freezing temperatures, BUT 30% is common around freezing.
1.) The shortest range bz4X (222miles) still has a similar range to the Model 3 base (272mi), EV6 (232mi), Ioniq 5 (220mi), VW IDd4 (209mi).
2.) It's well known that vehicles like Tesla frequently fail to achieve their EPA ratings. The bz4X on the other hand regularly meets and exceeds the EPA range estimates
3.) The price point of the bz4X is comparable or lower than similar trims from other manufacturers. Generally, the bz is $3000 less than competitors with higher end trims. A starting price around $43,000 is also simliar to others.
4.) I have no doubt that the bz4X will maintain more range and quality than its other competitors thanks to their (probably overly) conservative approach.
The faults you describe are similar to almost all base models from other manufacturers.
Recurrent Auto has extensive test data on BEV range in the cold. At freezing they found that range reduction in popular EVs was minimal: iPace - 3% Etron -8% Model 3 -17% Models Y/X/S -15%.
Norwegian tests found Teslas at -15% the top runner. Having an efficient heat pump solution is key. All the top adopter countries of BEVs are cold climate.
It is a lie that Tesla does not meet EPA ratings. It is a legal requirement. Nyland has shown that all Tesla models meet ranges given at steady 90kph runs.
Tesla model 3 is US$38 990 before incentives has a huge number of better features and superior performance, and rave reviews.
Toyota has no future under present management. 2025 CO2 limits will ban Toyota in the EU and their China market is practically nonexistent.
Cloth on the dashboard is for thermal & acoustic benefit. You be amazed how much lower the temperature is on a hot summer day. As for the reduction of cabin noise by having that material, it's harder to measure but clearly an effort to improve the rider experience.
The cloth dash is for sure there for acoustics. This is becoming common in EVs. I don't like it. I would rather have an easy to clean plastic dash, and then just place a cheap aftermarket cloth dash cover over it if I thought it needed that for sound deadening or thermal reasons.
But did they have to make it so ugly?
@@herwigs5605 It never ceases to amaze me how often people state a preference for drab, something that will just blend into a crowd. If you don't like the fender flares, it's a simple wrap job to make them match the body color. No big deal.
@@john1701a This was in reference to the kitchen cloth on the dashboard.
@@herwigs5605 With countless complaints of plain, cheap-looking dashboards, you're complaining about an attempt to introduce style that also improves the cabin experience by tempering both sound & heat?
i work as a tech in vt, a small independent shop that does imports only. mostly subaru and toyota. one of our customers who is also our financial planner (does all the 401k stuff for the techs) bought a subaru solterra. this is the all wheel drive variant of the toyota bz4x. i did it's first inspection after purchase and really liked it. from an end user perspective it's a good car. it drives well and still retains the subaru feel and controls. if i'm in my sixties (as my customer is) i don't want to learn how to operate a vehicle all over again. that's what is keeping people out of teslas. yes, the technology is better and if you learn how to use it it performs better. we as humans loose the ability to adapt over time. if you've been driving forty years and the volume knob has always been in this area and the wiper switch has always been in that area a tesla simply won't work. my customer works from home and drives very little. in our state there are massive tax incentives for going electric. i will be sure to ask how the performance does this winter in -20f temperatures. in this one rare scenario it does work for my customer. from my perspective it still feels like a subaru but with a ton of power on demand. i liked it
THANK YOU FOR THE HONESTY!!!
Call me crazy, but I would consider buying a used Bz4x for the right price. I would not use it for road trips, would charge at home, and would mainly use it to commute back and forth to work. Reliability at 10+ years would be one of my most important considerations. Question is whether the conservative approach to battery management would allow it to be good beyond 10 years, or if I would need to replace it even if it was driven for less than 100,000 miles?
For reliability I drive my 2004 Corolla, I just change my oil, tires and other fluids. Basically no major breakdown since the time I bought it used in 2006! I am super happy with it!
@@sergejpanov5543 I've got my 2004 Camry, but it's appealing to not need to spend time getting gas as much by adding an electric car to the family
Toyota has stated they believe that not only will the battery will last at least 10 years/620,000 miles, but that it will still have 90% of its original capacity. They 'guarantee' at least 70%.
That's what I did. I got my one-year old "used car" with a substantial rebate, and it's the best daily driver I ever had. The AWD is incredibly reliable in snow.
@@sergejpanov5543your 2004 corolla doesnt have the speed, acceleration, safety, tech and looks of this car though. Sure it is reliable but its so boring to drive 😂. Its like riding in a handicap wheelchair, used out of necessity not out for fun or excitement.
There are a whopping 9 units at my local dealership… everyone knows it’s just a compliance car… and avoiding it like the plague
Compliant with what regulation? Think about the $7,500 tax-credit advantage other EVs get.
It's a stretch to call it a compliance car. Toyota and every other automaker knows that eventually, all cars will be electric. It may be a while, but it just makes no sense, long term, to burn gas and get a bunch of heat when what you want is motion. 85% energy efficient vehicles will kill off 20% energy efficient vehicles. Toyota is using this car to learn how to produce EVs. If you need a car now, get a PHEV.
You could haggle with the dealership to bring the proce down. In my city its $10K off of MSRP and we get $9K government incentives for BEV. Thats $19K off of MSRP. I mean if it get to a price point where it makes sense, i wouldnt mind buying one even if resale value wont be high in 5 years 😂
On the contrary, there is no surplus of Toyota' hybrids. That is why buyers must wait for them and the markup's are high.
Range is not issue for me. I would drive it 20km a day - 3 days a week . Better for me is longevity of the battery. If I want range I have a diesel that will do 1000km -easy.
Absence of a glovebox is due to the addition of an infrared heater, which provides radiant warming for your legs & feet. It is a very efficient option not available from other EVs, definitely an overlooked advantage.
It certainly appeals to my inner French fry :)
If it works, my driver side one doesn't stay on for more than a couple mins. There's really no reason they couldn't have put the heater on the front of a glovebox. The heater is just a thin film heater stuck on with an adhesive.
@tweebs1 Huh? Mine stays on the entire drive and gets so hot I turn it down to low.
This kind of heating is not efficient , the most efficient ones are diesel heater and heat pump.
@chjin1796 That misses the point, both are overkill. When all you need is a small, focused area warmed, radiant will use less overall energy.
Me and wife lease the Subaru version which has AWD, same car. We love it but does charge very slow but we just use the charging station down the street which takes 20 minutes and it’s next to our gym
The naming alone is a failure already
I have one and i did more than 45.000 km with it. As a canadian i drove in both -30 celcius and over 35 celcius and tested it many times. At -30 with the heat full blast i did 200 km (on highway) and would have probably done 250km in city, during summer i did 450 km in city and around 400 on highway steady. For the pricerange and all the perks this car have (most spacious car ive been on for legs room, comfort and trunk space). Best Ev out there for your day to day if you don't care about doing 0-60 miles in 1,9 second.
What was Toyota thinking, releasing this to the market? It makes sense as a test or prototype, but not anything else...
It works just fine, extremely reliable. So what if owner have to wait for the software updates? The first has already been rolled out and the second is on the way.
It's an excellent car, don't believe this clown. He probably has Tesla stocks.
In Lithuania: bZ4X starts at 44000 EUR, RAV4 PHEV - 53600 EUR. If the prices would be the same, then yeah, no competition. But with this price difference..
The best car review youtube channel ❤
I believe Toyota said they don't want to go full electric cars but go back to gas cars and hybrid cars. In addition, Toyota is developing the solid state battery that will change the who battery car map. Even GM and Ford said they are running away from full battery cars because the have a ton of battery cars that have no buyers today and they also are moving to hybrid or full gas cars and trucks.
I really appreciate your very candid honesty in this review. Makes me love this channel even more. Thank you for this review.
My daughter has a Prius C, it's 8 years old has 75k miles and it's just like a new car. No wear on the buttons or seats, no creaks, no rattles, 50+ mpg and the tiny hybrid battery is $1500 to replace and there's companies that'll do it in your driveway and give a 3 year warranty on the new one. Electric is nowhere near ready for millions of people with long commutes that live in condos or apartments. Charging is still a nightmare with different speeds and broken charging stations. Massive hybrid trucks are idiotic because they literally have a larger battery than a small fully electric car does. My point is this, a 2500lb hybrid car with a small cheap battery makes perfect sense...the rest of it is overpriced underperforming garbage.
I have the 2024 bz4x, I leased the car last month with the crazy $15k rebate and tbh I couldn’t say no to it. The range could be better but the DC charging has been ok, 20 to 80% in less than 30 mins give or take usually on a 100 kw charging station. I think with the software update that Toyota did for this year’s version and the improvement on the thermal management system (living in southern CA makes it easier lol)has vastly improved this car. I do agree with you sir it still lacks tech like the other ev’s have. But i do love this car.
Sign of things to come. I just unloaded a POS Lexus RC-F.
Toyota and Lexus are living off a name that everyone flocks to for what they were known for.
Just made a daily out of a 2019 Mazda 6 Signature. Other than the turbo and direct injection which both just require top maintenance, there are no gimmicks, no BS, and they listen to their customer base.
Getting tired of 100 speed transmissions and battery cars all to appease a government agency and their metrics.
The US federal government shouldn't have pushed for full EVs so quickly. It should have pressed much harder on PHEVs. Plug-in hybrids would have gotten very close to the zero emissions goal with much fewer resources. The EV range of PHEVs encompasses 95% of people's daily driving needs, and for anything longer the gas hybrid engine offers convenience. Plus, PHEVs can be charged on 110 VAC overnight, so you don't necessarily need a Level 2 charger. That brings me to the final point, which is that PHEVs don't require anywhere near the charging infrastructure that EVs do (and increasingly will need).
Exactly! PHEV or even regular hybrids are the way to go. Focus on ramping efficiency, not a heavily compromised step-change.
No PHEVs are stupid af. Regular hybrids are so much better
@@bitbat9au contrare. Electric hybrids are the way to go. An electric hybrid is an electric car that has a small generating plant that runs on a fuel. Plugging in is the important part because that's the cheapest way to get rediculous high average mileage. Another way to look at it is multiple energy sources. What if you have electricity but no gas? Or vice versa? An plugin electric hybrid can handle both scenarios. A regular hybrid will always be limited to gas mileage only and those aren't going to get much better than current hybrids.
So this is a good city car just don’t leave town.
I live in San Diego and I can tell you that thermals are really not a problem here 😅. I love having my BZ because it was a $200 month lease and my wife wanted a simple Toyota.
Bz4x and RZ are a result of EPA compliance and share holders pressure. These two cars are pure experimental. They are still working on it.
Just a comment on the driver's position and display. I own a 2023 Prius. When I first got it, I had the same issue you had with the steering wheel cutting off the view of the display. However, I discovered if I lowered the steering wheel and then lowered the seat and adjusted the front-back position to be comfortable, the active portion of the screen was visible over the top of the steering wheel.
Still a problem
RUclips ads are getting beyond ridiculous. Isn't there any adblocker that stops them anymore?
I was looking at one and went with the Nissan Leaf, 13 years of spare parts , mechanic knowledge and aftermarket beats new Halfarsed attempts.
Toyota may be extra conservative because of battery fires. GM battery fires are a lesson to
industry. Don't compare to Hyundai who have had plenty ICE car fires. Hi density long range batteries
is trade off to charging time. Long range battery charging time can never compete with gasoline refueling time using present affordable tech. Your right this Toyota cooling system is absurdly complicated, what happens when you get a leak in an inconvenient place !
I just picked one up and it’s impressive. Built in Japan and it’s so well built. Range is short per charge but Toyota doesn’t hide that. Toyota has always been about quality and longevity. They test and test. In about a few years time they will likely have the best quality EV with amazing range too
I would go for the Prius Prime instead of this thing !
I sold my Prius Prime for a bZ4X. The reliability & efficiency over my 6 years of ownership (in Minnesota, so winter worthiness made quite an impression) made the decision a no-brainer. 7 months later, the experience has been awesome. I even had a chance to charge it with MagicDock.
I hope you are not punished for the true review by not getting cars from mfg rep. Your channel very insightful and informative, you speak the truth. I was a GM buyer for years in my youth, but my first Toyota made me a lifer for their vehicles, just soooo much better all around. Disappointed that they "checked" the box, but even their outgoing Chairman not sold on all electric, nor I am. Give me option of gas with electric I think is prudent way to go. You're awesome, keep on keeping on with your channel.
You touched on the two things that you never hear anyone talk about. EVs range in extreme temps. Running AC in 105 degrees and running the heater in 5 degrees. Here in the Midwest, either of these temps occur for many days each year.
Evs are still a novelty, for the wealthy.
People talk about range in extreme temps that all the time. They avoid is specifics. Notice how actual efficiency... MI/KWH ...is missing? Instead, we get range treated as if that somehow a representation of efficiency. It most definitely is not. It basically just reflects usable battery capacity. Any automaker can just cram in more cells. Making an effort to squeeze out more from less is entirely different. Toyota actually did. But from the shallow & anecdotal reviews we get, that detail is conveniently missing. It's unfortunate, since that omission feeds the narrative.
lol 40% of cars in china are now EVs. typical white cope
@@john1701athere are real field test by reviews magazine as comparison test. It is in Chinese, but I think you find reupload with people bother to put in subtitle on youtube. There are noticeable range drop. More so for older models. (older model, not cars). But not as much as typical people wouldve think. IMO, I have driving my model 3 on - 14C day. I still manage to get 60-70 range out of it with winter tire while blast down highway on respectable speed.
If you consider having a car garage in your home wealthy, then I'm fucking rich 😅
The stick that holds the hood in 2023 proves how cheap Toyota is.
In Norway, Bz4x, 2nd best selling Bev. Norway, 1st Ev market of Europe. 2nd market, Netherlands, the Bz4x is considered far better option than Id4, Q4 Etron, source Autovisie and Autoweek, leading carmag. We have had our 3rd upgrade now, all problems solved regarding fast charging, range etc. The EV motors of the Bz4x are as efficient as model Y Tesla..... .
So I think you over exagerate regarding this Toyota.....a lot.
What range do you get?
@@gregjohnson2073 in summer we have 450km , in winter 375, 400km. With 3rd upgrade the range will increase an additional 5%. 20 , 25 km extra. So I expect to achieve 470km in summer 2024, winter 400km range.
Due to the small battery pack of the car, very good.... . We have in our business fleet Fords Mustang EV aswell, as well as the Id4....far more inefficiënt bev's.
Well, I am privilege to have a RAV4 Prime and a BZ. And it’s because I’m committed to doing my bit for the future of my grandkids. BZ, well I can honestly say, I love my car, wife drives the Prime, and that is a great car. What I have to say to Toyota, it’s my 6th car in 5 years, don’t chase your loyal clients. I hate not having a rear wiper, better heating, no data on radio, real silly things because you never finished building the car. The battery, I would be a lot more critical but we have the Prime for long trips, and I do like Toyota approach, “ don’t fix something that’s not broken “ so the charging is the same charger as the Prime, slow but it does not rapid charge the batteries known to have issues with fast charge, and my battery is being charged on level 2 while I’m sleeping, never fast charged to date and only once got close on range. I drive 100km a day so generally charge every 3rd day. Would love to see some of the unfinished business done on recall and over air upgrades. And could not leave out…… I got 90% trade of my RAV4 hybrid on the BZ, 80,000km, you will have a complete change of mind compared to 50% for your Tesla.
Thanks for the genuine opinion. Was about to get one of this. Got a Venza finally because of shortage and I don't regret.
You shouldn't base your opinion only on this and ask people that drove it day to day. I have over 45.000km on mine and im in fuking love with it best car i've had for a long time.
Nice reveiw but their selling very well
I have driven one of these, or actually the AWD Subaru Solterra, and I can say that the energy efficiency is very good. I've driven a fair share of EV's (comes with my day job) and I found the bZ4x a pretty good EV, considering it's technology is somewhat dated. And the 10 year warranty is not half bad either.
That is because you havent stay with a good one for long term. And you are right, the tech is dated. By a huge margin. The core propulsion system is likely a copy of BYD system from 2018. And who knows where the battery were come from. Even a 2018 tech looks advance compare to this one. Lol
The RAV4 Prime is always very hard to find and costs significantly more after dealership markups. The BZ4X can be bought the same day at most if not all dealerships with dealership discounts.
What price would you be willing to pay and bring the car home?" I was getting oil changed looking a one and joked for $15000 and 4 wheel pull it would be the perfect climate controlled golf cart. 5 years from now, parts will be hard to find. That or buy one and store it for a museum piece.
@@2148aabuying a brand new trade in in 5 years. It will be ok. Just the wait time for this stupid thing is outrage
Thanks for all your videos on both channels I love how straight you give us the information respect ✊ you are awesome please keep ❤ giving us information lots of people needs to know about cars. 👍👍👍👍👍. Thank you
A warm salute from the caribeams. Love your channel, very insightful and respectable and neutral.
Pretty sure Toyota slapped different parts and a battery together to make an EV just so they comply with Western governments about having EVs just so they don't get fined.
And honestly I don't mind for the BZ4x been a half-assed EV.
I just bought the new Plug in Prius and it's perfect. A friend of mine has a 2016 RAV4 and he is waiting for the new-new RAV4.
I agree with you that the bz4x is a bit disappointing. An easy fix that in no way solves the heating issue in its entirety, but could add a “block heater” that essentially keeps the coolant warm when the vehicle is plugged into the charger so it won’t be necessary to warm the coolant with the electric heaters once you turn on the car. Would need more coolant to act as the “heat battery” so supplement electric heating won’t be necessary to warm up the cabin once you unplug and start traveling - but this would help prevent destroying the advertised range when it’s cold outside. Also, there are more efficient heat pumps nowadays that can still extract 75F temps from -22F ambient air temp. Hopefully their heat pump technology will catch up eventually. This wouldn’t work if you weren’t able to plug in overnight or if it’s parked for a few hours during the day and not plugged in. It would just help slightly as in modern engineering. Try to find a bunch of ways to reach a little bit more efficiency.
Or just use the app to remote start the car and warm it up while it's still connected to the charger so you're powering from the charger and not the battery. That's what I do with my Solterra.
Seems like the Prius (1st version) when it came out.
I don't understand the vitriol aimed at this car. I own a 2023 FWD BZ4X XLE and I love it. I bought it used (2,000 miles) for $38K. A good deal, I thought.
With the software update, I have found the range estimates to be quite accurate. The front-wheel drive version has a Panasonic battery that gives the car a 252-mile range (longer in warm weather) and charges at at DC fast charger from 20-80% in 20 minutes. I've done a long road trip and have experienced those charging speeds.
I'm not looking under the hood to see if the tech is the latest. I want to know that the car I'm driving is reliable, built by a reputable company, gives me the range and charging speeds it promises, and gets me to my destination in comfort. This car drives like a Toyota, and not a spaceship, and doesn't distract me with technology like a Tesla. It's not manufactured by a company with a megalomaniac at its head. I owned a RAV4 Prime, and while it was a terrific car, it burns gas. I wanted to ditch gasoline, and this car enables me to do that.
The BZ4X is comfortable, quiet, very responsive, fun to drive, and a superb road car. The FWD version gives the best range and quickest charging speeds. If you can find one used, I would say it's a good value for an EV.
Jealous, wish I didn’t have a big loan on my current car or I’d switch in a heart beat
If its bought cheap like in $30,000 range and you mainly drive short distances then i dont see how its a bad deal.
When comparing DC Fast Charging times, you can not compare 10-80% with a 10-100%, because every EV Lithium Battery Management System (BMS) has to significantly taper off the charge current as the battery charge level approaches "Full". That last 20% that your test shows probably took as long as the initial 10-80% took... and that is not abnormal. This is required in order to make 100% certain that the battery pack is NOT over-charged... which can create "thermal events"... as the Media so loves to shove in our faces.
Once we get Solid State batteries in EVs, this severe "taper-off" at 80% will become a thing of the past!
I have both the BZ4X AWD and a Rav4 Prime XSE. I agree with the Car Care Nut. I bought the BZ4X expecting the same $7500 rebate I got for the RAV4, which would have made the EV car reasonable, but that went away waiting for delivery. I did get a EV only linked $1100 rebate from my power company for installing a level 2 charger. Now there is a $10,000 lease discount which can make the price for what you get reasonable. Both SUVs are good around town cars, but the RAV4 is much more practical for longer trips. The BZ only requires charging once a week, when the 2017 Prius Prime with 25 mile range we replaced had to be charged daily. Also for us older folks, the BZ is easier to slip in and out of than a Prius. Here in NC, we don't have to worry about the outside temp dropping below 14 degrees F very often, so charging level 2 at home 90% of the time is not a deal breaker for the limited range.
I'll be ready for George Jetson's spacecar sooner than I will be ready for ANY EV.
17:30 I will disagree with you only because I've had one of the rear doors not closed all the way and I would not have caught except for the beep
It's a beta tester should have been release 10 years ago, if you know what I mean. Toyota failed very very badly.
Second bestselling car in Norway after Tesla's model Y......, Norway the largest EV market, 95% of sold cars are Bev's..... .
Sick of the exaggerate reviews about the Bz4x. It is a good Bev, 10 years warranty, good range, very efficient motors and good charging.
As tested in the Netherlands, it outperformed the Audi q4 etron, Id4...
👍 You erred when you said : "It is very OBJECTIVE." SUBJECTIVE is the word you should have used. Thanks for another informative video.
I’ll
Take the 600k mile LS instead!!
Yes!
I recently leased a BZ4x 2024 and at 39% I charged at a DC Super Charge station using 100kwh and it went to 87% within 25 mins. I do understand that supercharging can degrade the battery which is recommended to use no more than twice a day if needed (or on roadtrips). I do not charge at home since currently I live in an apartment. I did get a deal for EVgo that offers one whole year free and on top of that a really good rebate, so I didn't need to make a down payment. I've felt a bit of anxiety since taking on this new EV concept which anyone would going into something "unfamiliar".
The good weather where I live and the amount of EV stations surrounding me, I'm starting to feel more comfortable with it. I will end up feeling how much money I'll be saving as the year goes on because only time can tell. But so far with all the shit talk, I have a feeling that I'll be posting on a discussion board somewhere in the future of all the good things that ended up coming out of this rated "top 10 worst EV". Definitely this is an ideal car for getting around town and not road tripping. I anticipate using a rental car for any for distance driving anyway. I'm really glad this car is comfortable and that I don't have to pay for gas and oil changes.
I'll be releasing my first single on all platforms later this April 2024 called "Burning in the Sun" (by LIGHT IN THEART) that's dedicated to environmental justice and climate change so transitioning to an EV feels like perfect timing.
Hi. I purchased a '24 Subaru Solterra Limited., essentially the same car as the BZ4X Limited with AWD. I must say the 24 charging time is much quicker than the 23. I am a veteran career car guy. I leased the car with the expectation that any EV sold today will have obsolete batteries by time my lease matures. Maybe not. but this car should go 15+ years. But, I love the car. Yes the range is limited; for me, 4.0 miles/kw gets me around 230 miles WITH AC. Winter no doubt will be another story. I can go almost a week on an 80% charge. We have an ice car for long trips etc. As a daily driver it is awesome. New steering wheel to gain visibility to the DIM. HK audio is great. Love the driver assist tech. paddles to set one pedal driving decel. The only reason I considered it are all the Subaru cash incentives, and the lease deal.
Hi AMD not sure if you have a engineering degree. But I am convinced that you are a rocket scientist. Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge to all. May the lord bless your entire crew and family.
I just wanted to say, all that waste heat from gasoline engines, where the cabin gets heating energy from, isn't so useless after all!
The reason Toyota does not put all that much effort into these cars is because they are building EVs only to meet Government mandate quotas. They know EVs are too expensive to manufacture and very inefficient, so they are just riding the wave until these mandates eventually run out or get revoked by common sense emission mandates.
Amazing channel but I just wish he stopped saying "not the greatest" when he means "bad" or "but that's ok" in relation to something being bad when it's not ok.
THEY WILL SOON sell the BZ5X with a range of 200 miles. NOT GOOD!
P.S. I'LL BUY AN EV WHEN THEY HAVE A RANGE OF 600+ MILES
It's electric, it's butt ugly, wonder why it never sold well?
Thank you. Your review has convinced me to buy the vehicle. Conservative battery management - good idea, and it has proper door handles!
Being an avid Toyota fan, with my girlfriend and I owning two Avalon's, one es 350, and a 2002 Tundra, I am truly concerned with the direction this company is going. Be it the Crown or the new Tunda and Tacoma with turbos, hybrids, etc, while turning their back on tried and true V8 and V6 platforms, the future for the Big T is very uncertain.
I rushed out and intentionally bought a 2020 tundra, gas, sucker crew, cab four-wheel-drive, with low miles and high horsepower & torque to do what I need a truck to do. No regrets!
And yet they still manage to be no.1 seller, the masses just can't get enough of them which is amazing.
I do not see any electric vehicle fitting my needs, given New Hampshire has cold winters and numerous power outages.
i still love my 2011 2.5ltr Rav4, she purrs like a kitten and i don't have to deal with range anxiety. ;)
Toyota has a Lease deal right now in certain states, $17k cash back, 36 months. Deal end 4/30/24.
Whenever someone points at the BZ4X failures I see a great opportunity for decent prices in the used car market in case I ever decide to go full EV.
😂Sure, if they ever go to used market. Instead of recycle center. This car is so rare that you are in trouble if OEM part support is discontinued and OEM part inventory is depleted
Thank you for being honest on this electric Toyota. In Sales they are discounting these cars almost $10,000 and they are still not selling… This is a flop, 100% agree with you go with a RAV4 Prime
Honestly, they were forced to make it by large stakeholders who had fallen for the EV hype. Its tough. you have to do whats best for the company but also keep those people happy
I believe the BZ4X and RZ are just compliance cars for the Toyota buyer that wants all electric. That might explain why this vehicle falls short
Bet this thing will last forever with how little it’s stressed.
We had one of these come through work the other day. My inspection requires that I rack the car and remove the wheels.
I DESPISE electric vehicles that mask the lift points.
I fully understand WHY this needs the forward lift points as body mounts, but why in God's green earth do I need to crawl under the car, pull some trim pieces and remove a couple of 10's just to rack a car.
Well that explains it all! I was thinking of leasing one and wondered why they were so cheap compared to other similar EVs. Now I know. Thanks!
Congratulations.. totally right, regards from Athens Greece...
The flap for the recharge should be hinged at the opposite end so it isn't in the way.
Clearly Toyota makes a compromise - reliability of the battery or efficiency of battery. They chose reliability.
With how amazing the Toyota hybrids are I was expecting much more from their first full EV but what a disappointment this car was. I ended up getting the new Prius Prime instead.
Why would you expect that? Do you remember the first hybrid? Toyota used that initial rollout to a limited audience to collect real-world data. Availability wasn't a priority, nor were specs to compete with vehicles topping the charts. It was a continuous improvement effort to build up to a platform & approach to be spread across the fleet. We see the same thing playing out now, using both Prius Prime and RAV4 Prime to learn about what truly draws mainstream interest. Appealing to enthusiasts... those who expect far more... simply isn't important. It's figuring out how to achieve profitable, sustainable sales. Watch what happens with the next 2 Prime models (Crown & C-HR) as bZ4X evolves. It's a game of long-term strategy... chess, not checkers.