Toyota’s BZ4X electric SUV got off to a bad start. It was launched in May 2022 to much fanfare – but just a month later, production of Toyota’s first electric car was halted and a global recall was issued.
question? Wheels may come loose. Toyota also discovered a second problem, the car’s air bags. Around 2,700 customer cars were parked on the road while the fix was being developed – which took four months to complete.
When deliveries finally start again, news auto loans may restart as well.as a juror world car awardsthe largest automotive awards initiative on the planet, I would love to drive the new BZ4X because it is One of the cars in the 2023 shortlist.
Toyota BZ4X finally delivered
The car arrived on time on November 21st. The driver kindly delivered it, and it showed about 80 percent charge—but I was confused to read that meant only about 140 miles of range.
Remember, this is an EV with a massive 71.4kWh battery. Usable capacity would be reduced, but surely it still carries enough charge to give better range than that?
In fact, my test car, the Toyota BZ4X Vision AWD, should be able to go 260 miles between charges, according to the official WLTP test cycle. Now, no one comes close to the WLTP figure as it’s still on the loose side – especially for those of us who live in the cold UK (testing was done at 23C) – but surely the overall mileage is better than that?
I didn’t think about it too much, since the car was just delivered, maybe range factored in something I don’t know. I vowed to fully charge it and see if that helps.
Alas, a troublesome long-term Volvo XC40 Recharge test vehicle — also an EV — blocked my driveway. It broke down a third time over the weekend and a rescue truck brought it back with zero battery. So, while it was dripping on the home charger, trying to revive it, I turned to my local Morrisons.
Oddly, this public charger refused to work with the Toyota BZ4X despite multiple attempts. It didn’t go well. I planned a short trip to Heathrow early the next day. Just one thing: use my own petrol-powered BMW 330i and check out Toyota when I return.
When I finally got home, it was already Friday. I had an important event to attend and the car was still showing meager charge, so I decided to leave early and recharge it at Rugby Motorway Services on the way. and try to figure out what’s going on.
After waiting 15 minutes for the Gridserve charger to be idle, I pulled into a gap to plug it in. charger. “It might work for you. It won’t work for us.”
It doesn’t work for me either.
I am now in danger of being late, so have to leave for free. Of course, it’s not the car’s fault. I attended an event but was unable to continue with other events I was scheduled to attend due to the risk of running out of battery.
Just one thing: Fingers crossed going back to rugby service. I got there in Eco mode with 15 miles of range left.
I charge up to 89%. That gave me… 147 miles of range. Approximately 160-165 miles on a full charge. The expected range of the BZ4X is slightly lower than the claimed 260 miles. Remember, this is a £52,000 electric car.
Then I remembered the funny little fan symbol next to the range indicator. “Aha!”, I thought and turned off the climate control. Like magic, 40 miles of added range. I flicked it back and it immediately fell off again.
So you have to drive a Toyota BZ4X with the A/C turned off to get usable range or something? crazy.
not just me
When I got home, I did some reading around it. Turns out some testers in Norway found the same thing. They are characterized by headers: “Toyota BZ4X range is disappointing”.
“I can disclose that this is the first time we have had to run the test multiple times because we could hardly believe the first results we got,” the authors said.
According to the WLTP test, their front-wheel-drive car should have returned 292 miles. They were promised just 184 miles with the climate control on. They tested it from full charge to zero charge. Total range: 190 miles.
Toyota makes excellent hybrids. They reduce incredible CO2 emissions worldwide. But so far, its foray into EVs has proven decidedly bumpy.
The real-world range of the Toyota BZ4X I tested was nothing short of astounding, well beyond expected standards. My Volvo may have broken down multiple times, but it still consistently delivers 230 miles of real-world range on a 78 kWh battery (other cars are even better than that).
I can also use the climate control while doing this.
I have asked Toyota to inspect my test BZ4X for the problem. I’ll report back when they respond and let you know if the Toyota BZ4X troubles continue.
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