New cars are getting ever harder to categorise, as exemplified by Toyota’s bZ4X Touring.
I’d pretty confidently call the existing bZ4X an SUV, looking at its proportions and decent ground clearance, but its heavily raked rear window gives it somewhat of a coupé-crossover vibe. Its Touring sibling, however, successfully gives the impression of a jacked-up estate car. It has the same wheelbase but is 140mm longer, giving it a proper wagon-esque overhang and a bluff rear end. Chunky roof rails and faux skidplates complete the outfit.
I think Toyota has successfully injected some personality into its five-year-old family EV. Well, I say Toyota, but actually this makeover was the work of Subaru. However, whereas Subaru sells its E-Outback exclusively with dual-motor four-wheel drive, Toyota also offers a cheaper and rangier single-motor car, which I’m testing here.
This is to the advantage of the bZ4X Touring on paper, because most people won’t need the torque vectoring 4WD system of the dual-motor car (the 210mm of ground clearance remains) and will want the additional range and efficiency: 366 miles as opposed to 298 and 4.4mpkWh versus 3.9. The dual-motor car does produce a punchy 376bhp, but the 221bhp of the single-motor car feels more than enough, even at motorway speeds.
This is a refreshingly unsporty kind of car, so it doesn’t suit the extra power either. Unashamedly soft, it rolls when pushed through corners (a touch more so than the marginally lighter bZ4X) but never allows itself to lose composure. Its cushiony springs absorbed the lumps and bumps of Slovenia’s roughest roads admirably, yet its well-judged damping stopped the body wallowing over undulations. Toyota has achieved a level of comfort that Citroën tried and failed to reach with the ë-C5 Aircross.
Aside from the enormous 633-litre boot (with a useful 36 litres of underfloor storage) and a little extra head room to go with the already generous leg room, the interior is identical to the bZ4X’s. The rear bench still splits into only two sections and the rather dark and dull vibe remains. On the upside, there’s plenty of buttons (for the demisters, temperature, audio volume and more), it’s easy to find a comfortable driving position and the 14in infotainment touchscreen is quick and intuitive enough.
