2026 Toyota bZ4X Touring review: Quick drive

Toyota has completed its set of electric SUVs by releasing a station wagon version of the bZ4X electric vehicle (EV), called the ‘Touring’.

Standing 140mm longer than the regular bZ4X, resulting in a bigger boot, the bZ4X Touring sits above the Urban Cruiser, C-HR+ and bZ4X in Toyota’s global electric SUV portfolio – and it’s also the most powerful of these EVs, producing a robust 280kW.

Like two of these Toyota EVs, there’s a Subaru equivalent to the bZ4X Touring, which is called the Trailseeker.

To find out if Toyota’s new electric wagon is substantially different to its Subaru relation, we headed to the international launch of the bZ4X Touring in Slovenia to explore its dynamic talents.

How much does the Toyota bZ4X Touring cost?

Ahead of its arrival in local showrooms later this year, Toyota Australia has confirmed the bZ4X Touring will cost $69,990 before on-road costs here, which marks a $2000 price premium over the existing all-wheel drive bZ4X mid-size SUV, and is the same price as the related top-spec Subaru Trailseeker Touring (following yesterday’s $4000 price cut).

In Europe, a cheaper, longer-range bZ4X Touring with a single-motor powertrain is offered, but in our country only the dual-motor AWD will be available, at least initially.

To see how the Toyota bZ4X lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What is the Toyota bZ4X Touring like on the inside?

If you’ve been in any reasonably recent Toyota product, especially its other EVs, then you’ll know what the bZ4X Touring’s interior is like.

We’re talking very solid construction and, in the main, good-quality materials, but perhaps not an awful lot of design flair. Toyota’s quite canny about putting the cheapest plastics in out-of-reach places, such as the dashboard’s upper surface right underneath the windscreen.

There is an optional khaki colourway to lift the mood inside the Toyota wagon, yet all the cars we sampled in Slovenia had a straightforward and somewhat dour black interior, which doesn’t offer a great deal of light-and-shade variation.

That said, with the clear and easy-to-use 14-inch infotainment touchscreen, plus a fair amount of physical switchgear and readily available climate controls, ergonomically the Touring’s cabin is a success.

It’s also brilliant for space. The EV format results in a flat floor and plenty of legroom in the back of the car, while the higher roof running all the way to the tailgate gives the station wagon superior headroom compared to the standard bZ4X as well.

The boot is a whopper when taking underfloor storage into account. Toyota cites 669 litres with all seats in use, and up to 1718L with the 60:40-split/folding rear seatbacks dropped down.

There are also plenty of helpful storage solutions throughout the interior, including an under-dash opening, a large central cubby beneath the front armrest and two high-mounted wireless smartphone charging pads.

However, there are a couple of practicality goofs on the part of the Toyota.

There’s no front cargo area in the car, as if you pop the bonnet you’re greeted with an almost engine-sized confusion of electrical components.

And, inexplicably, there’s no glovebox whatsoever. The actual reason for its exclusion is a diffuse heater system that’s supposed to warm the footwell without using too much energy, but it still seems daft that the passenger-side dash is nothing more than a smooth plain of fabric.

To see how the Toyota bZ4X lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What’s under the bonnet?

The bZ4X Touring AWD has an electric motor on each axle for all-wheel drive traction and the most power of any Toyota EV we’ve seen so far: a sizeable 280kW.

Toyota claims the bZ4X Touring can run from 0-100km/h in just 4.5 seconds – almost three seconds sooner than the front-driven model sold elsewhere, and also quicker than any of the dual-motor AWD versions of the C-HR+ and bZ4X as well.

As we’ve already touched upon, there’s a 165kW front-motor variant of the Toyota bZ4X Touring in Europe and other markets, which goes further on a single charge (up to 591km) despite using the same battery pack as the solitary version we’re going to get here.

The battery pack in the bZ4X Touring (74.7kWh gross, 71kWh net capacity) is a CATL-supplied unit of nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) chemistry. Due to its increased power and larger 20-inch wheels, the AWD Touring drops the range from almost 600km to a still-decent 528km between charges.

Battery pre-conditioning sees Toyota claim the car will perform its fastest 10-80 per cent charging cycle – in 28 minutes at 150kW – no matter if the temperature is -10 degrees C, or up to 20 degrees C.

AC charging is up to 22kW via suitable three-phase outlets, so at its most rapid AC speed a 10-100 per cent battery refill takes a mere 3.5 hours. On a typical 7.4kW domestic connection, though, it will take more than 10 hours to completely replenish the bZ4X Touring’s power cells.

To see how the Toyota bZ4X lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

How does the Toyota bZ4X Touring drive?

This is the most convincing EV that Toyota has served up yet. Smooth, assured, comfortable and quiet, the bZ4X Touring makes for an easy-going and thoroughly likeable companion.

The hit of its 280kW motors shouldn’t be in doubt, either. Neither Toyota nor Subaru quotes peak torque for the drivetrain, but each propulsion unit delivers 269Nm on its own.

From the way the 2095kg Touring AWD surges effortlessly forward in response to only moderate accelerator inputs, we have little doubt the powertrain produces the expected 538Nm combined figure. Nor do we question that 4.5-second claimed 0-100km/h time, either.

As for braking, there are four modes of regenerative deceleration to choose from, but at both extremes there’s neither full coasting available with the Toyota, nor is there a one-pedal drive mode.

Nevertheless, the braking is well-judged, aside from a little too much sponginess at the top of the pedal’s travel, so modulating the Touring’s pace is a breeze.

The main strength of the car is its supreme ride comfort. Even on the bigger 20-inch wheels, the bZ4X Touring covers most lumps and bumps in the road surface with a significant degree of grace and sophistication, and it’s only really the very worst tarmac that can upset its composure.

It’s also nice and quiet at speed, with little intrusive to report from wind, tyre or suspension noise.

We also have a pleasing – but perhaps not glowing – report card when it comes to the handling.

The steering is the chief detractor from the Touring’s chassis skills. It’s fine, as it’s consistent and accurate, but it could do with a touch more bite off-centre, not to mention a little more weighting and feel.

There’s also a bit of lean from the body of the bZ4X Touring when taking faster corners, but at least there’s not a deleterious amount of roll and, in general, the grip and balance of the EV is pretty impressive.

Not only that, but after driving it around a mountainous road route in Slovenia, it managed to record almost exactly its official energy efficiency claim across 80km of driving. 

That’s commendable, although mixing in some more sustained, higher-speed freeway pace will almost certainly have a negative effect on power consumption.

The reality is that we would be very surprised if the AWD could ever get near a 500km real-world range.

Being related to a Subaru and having permanent AWD, the bZ4X Touring is said to be more capable off-road than most other EVs. It has an X-Mode setting, like the Trailseeker, which activates a Mud/Snow mode, and it also can deploy Grip Control, which is described as an ‘off-road cruise control’ function that automatically controls the speed of the vehicle no matter what the terrain in front of it looks like.

To be fair, the route Toyota put on for us was nothing more than a gravel trail through the mountains, but having driven the related Trailseeker in somewhat tougher conditions – including deep sand – we’re well aware the bZ4X Touring is far more capable in the rough stuff than its typical owners would ever need it to be.

On the flipside, and despite a 500mm wading depth, its 216mm of ground clearance and lack of more extreme off-road tech, such as locking differentials, means the Toyota is not going to be the weapon of choice for adventurers exploring the wilder parts of the country.

One final plus point about Toyota Australia’s decision to only offer the AWD: the towing capacity of the twin-motor bZ4X is precisely double that of the single-motor variant, so you can lug 1500kg of braked trailer behind the electric wagon if you need to.

To see how the Toyota bZ4X lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What do you get?

The following equipment should be part of the standard kit list for this electric wagon when it arrives in local showrooms.

2026 Toyota bZ4X Touring equipment highlights (in Europe):

• 20-inch black alloy wheels
• Front and rear skid plates
• Roof rails
• Dual-zone climate control
• Eight-way front seat power adjustment
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• Digital rear-view mirror
• 14-inch infotainment touchscreen
• Fixed panoramic roof
• Dual wireless smartphone chargers
• 1500-Watt inverter
• Nine-speaker JBL premium sound system
• Synthetic leather upholstery

On top of this, and following on from the regular bZ4X, private buyers of the Touring have the choice between a free Chargefox public charger voucher – valid for 12 months or 625kWh of charging, whichever comes sooner – or a complimentary 7kW home charging unit, although that latter doesn’t include installation.

To see how the Toyota bZ4X lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

Is the Toyota bZ4X Touring safe?

Neither the Toyota bZ4X Touring nor the Subaru Trailseeker have been tested by ANCAP, or indeed Euro NCAP, as at the time of writing. 

However, as an indicator, every other Subaru model on sale has a full five-star rating, while all of Toyota’s EVs tend to pick up full marks when assessed as well – the regular bZ4X among their number. 

And because the Touring should come with the full Toyota Safety Sense suite as standard, we’d expect it to be a safe and dependable family conveyance.

To see how the Toyota bZ4X lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

How much does the Toyota bZ4X Touring cost to run?

For a large station wagon like this, its status as an EV will make the Toyota bZ4X Touring affordable to run from the get-go. 

But it will also be covered by Toyota’s five-year, unlimited-kilometre new-vehicle warranty, plus 10 years of back-up for the battery which is service-activated and, again, has no cap on kilometres.

There’s also an eight-year, 160,000km level of coverage against battery degradation.

To see how the Toyota bZ4X lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

CarExpert’s Take on the Toyota bZ4X Touring

The strength of the Toyota bZ4X Touring is that, with its station wagon bodywork and electric nature, there’s precious little else like it on the market – save for the near-identical Subaru Trailseeker. 

Sure, Audi could come along with an allroad variant of the A6 e-tron before too long, but for the moment this Japanese duo seems to have cornered the market with off-road-biased EVs that also work brilliantly on the blacktop.

The key issue with the Toyota bZ4X Touring is whether some buyers will opt for the equivalent Subaru Trailseeker Touring instead – a decision that could come down to brand loyalty and, to a greater degree, the comparable levels of aftersales care the two manufacturers offer.

Judged on its own merits, though, the bZ4X Touring is a cultured, comfortable and classy operator.

Interested in buying a Toyota bZ4X? Let CarExpert find you the best deal here

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